Yes, but the market for bespoke goods and organic foods is limited. The amount of disposable cash available to chase these goods is limited, especially during a

Yes, but the market for bespoke goods and organic foods is limited. The amount of disposable cash available to chase these goods is limited, especially during a recession like the current one. And even during "good times" the small boutique businesses don't have the market reach to do much more than eke out a living. And market economics will force out smaller companies that can't fit into either stratum. I think we forget how many people are employed in retail jobs across the US. In 2010, 14 million people were involved in the retail industry. As retail efficiency improves via WalMart/Amazon/Target, this employment will drop. And as a society, we aren't very good at forecasting where jobs will migrate. Competition/efficiency helps consumers by lowering prices, but the job loss should be troubling.