Umm..sweetheart....stores of all kinds have been competing with one another since the beginning of time which pre-dates "larger chain stores." By your own admission some "are incapable of branding and marketing themselves to attract shoppers that don't want to go to Wal-Mart...." BUT there are "enterprising business owners who are filling the void and running beautiful stores that people DO want to shop in, and they are killing it..." If some can and other don't...whose fault is that? It ain't Wal-Mart's.... Downtown Clayton is full of restaurants that require a wait each weekend night. And not one is a large national chain.