Accessibility Versus Scale

Abstract

Grocery stores have been growing larger, leading some local governments, including the City of Atlanta, to adopt policies favoring smaller commercial spaces or limiting larger stores’ square footages. This article examines the grocery industry nationally and in Atlanta and how house-holds’ food-shopping behavior influences store accessibility and store size. Results suggest that Americans shop for groceries by car and that attributes of potential customers influence grocery store sizes. The association between household income and average store size is significantly positive. Indicators of individual and house-hold transportation disadvantage, by contrast, are associated with smaller average store sizes in Atlanta, indicating that small stores are likely to be most successful where they are most needed.