Wal-Mart Dominates U.S. Retail Economy

BOWLING GREEN, OH - MAY 10: Checkout girl Abby Feick holds "Downtown Dollars," a local business incentive promotion, at the Ben Franklin general store May 10, 2005 in Bowling Green, Ohio. Bowling Green's downtown has retained much of his vitality despite the arrival of several nearby Wal-Marts, America's largest retailer notorious for gutting out downtown local businesses. Bowling Green's local government embarked in a downtown promotion program, and that along with foot traffic from a nearby university has allowed the bucolic street to survive. Wal-Mart continues to weather criticism of low wages, anti-union policies as well as accusations that it has homogenized America's retail economy and driven traditional stores and shops out of business. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)