A glimpse into the growth of Wal-mart provides an eye-opening view of their saturation of the retail market ([via the boxtank](http://www.theboxtank.com/walmartbox/2006/05/walmart_growth.html)) as presented by economist [Thomas J. Holmes](http://www.econ.umn.edu/~holmes/research.html) of the University of Minnesota [as a movie [windows media]](http://www.econ.umn.edu/~holmes/papers/Wal1962-2004_nov_05.wmv).

The movie was a companion to a working paper called [The Diffusion of Wal-Mart and Economies of Density [pdf]](http://www.econ.umn.edu/~holmes/papers/diffusion_walmart_april2006.pdf).

On a lighter note, remember in the tv trailers advertising the Fox show called [_The Simple Life_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Simple_Life) a few years ago, when [Paris Hilton thought Wal-mart was a store to buy walls?](http://www.kottke.org/03/12/the-simple-life).

Wal-mart’s dominance has been long controversial in small town America as downtown areas have often fought to protect their central business districts by keeping them out. Wal-Mart has become the posterchild for this movement, especially after [small towns grew dependent on the tax revenues the stores generate](http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/top/3_1_EL13_A1WALMART_S1.htm) and [put suppliers in a pickle](http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html).

With the gaining momentum of [new urbanism](http://matrix.millersamuelv2.wpenginepowered.com/?p=381) and the revitalization of downtown areas by converting obsolete commercial buildings into residential, the entry of _big box_ stores like Wal-mart are believed by many to disrupt the natural economic evolution of downtown residential centers, or stop them all together. With the saturation of Wal-mart stores, it would appear likely that there will be new pressures for them to develop in urban areas, but this will likely [add to their current public relations woes [Newsweek]](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9938407/site/newsweek/) as they [attempt to remake their public image [NYT]](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/12/business/12walmart.html?ex=1305086400&en=b21d7171e2decfc8&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss).

[Wal-mart organic growth movie [windows media]](http://www.econ.umn.edu/~holmes/papers/Wal1962-2004_nov_05.wmv).