I'm disappointed at how few Americans appreciate the massive loss of social value we had in small locally owned shops and stores. In my country home town in the 50s and 60s, our family-owned grocery stores, gas stations, dry goods, hardware, clothing and jewelry stores were the heart of our community, along with plenty of small churches, and of course our schools.
These things were the very fabric of our social lives and were the places where people established and strengthened life-long friendships, made swaps and trades, exchanged handshakes and hugs, discussed community and politics, as well as the exchange of ideas and opinions about products for sale.
For me, there's great value in seeing and touching products I'm interested in, along with being able to talk with a knowledgeable sales person - many of which had been in that particular area of retail for generations. That's all been taken away by big box stores and millions of on-line outlets. Nowadays, it's click on a photo of a product that's likely made in China by a no-name company and with no practical guarantees. No touch, feel, smell, evaluate texture and color, or try it out and see if it fits!
Was it worth loosing all that to save a buck? I think not. 
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