It is a shame. Here in the UK it's been going that way for some years. We have a lot of towns that are simply dying, because some big supermarket opens just outside. Local butchers, green grocers and bakeries obviously suffer, but more recently, supermarkets now also sell clothes, TVs, well, basically anything.
A few weeks ago I needed some cable clips and found this tiny little hardware shop. Can't see it surviving, but I bet it's been there since the 1950s at least, and that goes for some of his stock! No computers in sight, cramped, dark and dusty, even a dog asleep in the doorway waiting to trip people up. But I'd take that health and safety nightmare over B&Q any day. The village will be a lesser place when it goes.
