Taking a break from the Harris Teeter firestorm engulfing both Old West Durham and Watts-Hillandale listservs, I wanted to share an interesting article (reprinted below) from Atlantic Cities about how towns with small businesses tend to heave healthier residents. I think it makes for an interesting read and adds additional evidence (not sure we needed more but why not) that small locally-owned businesses are the lifeblood of vibrant cities and communities. Large faceless corporations (hello Harris Teeter) add less value, at least in comparative terms. For obvious examples of this rule, just take a drive 20-35 miles out to visit Alamance County or many other rural communities throughout North Carolina. With local business decimated by corporate chains, once vibrant townships have been hollowed out from the inside, leaving their residents with few options but fast food and franchise restaurants.
For a fascinating read about how America eats -- since this post is about health as well as urban development -- I highly recommend The American Way of Eating, a new book by Tracie McMillan. Slate has published three excerpts from her book here, here, and here.
