The fact is that most towns/villages block big box retail. As a result they build big box at the town line and over time the other retail moves out of the town and to the new location.
In Hampton Bays Long Island that built a new strip center in the middle of town and brought new life back to the town. In this case it was a large supermarket and other stores. Allowing/providing for large retail stores in down town locations is key to maintaining the CBD. The downtown is thriving and the retail growth is right next to the rail line and bus stops (where it should be!).
In Riverhead they built the outlet mall on the edge of town and all the retail has infilled around it. The downtown and other strip centers closer to the CBD (central business district) are dying. Walmart is set to build a new Super Walmart near the outlet mall and this will reinforce the problem.
The point is that you can't stop the growth of big box in the USA and you are better off allowing/providing for growth in the CBD Walmart is a prime part of the growth of big box but they are not the only source. Americans attempt to use zoning to block new growth often with bad results. The fact is that we (the average American) votes with our pocket books and support the growth of super sized stores like Walmart. We like to go to stores with large free parking lots and we like new larger store.
American also are blocking wind and solar energy because they don't want to see it (not in my backyard) and no one wants nuclear or fracting for natural gas
(
Fracting for Natural Gas - the process of using water and chemicals to fracture the ground | Ideas for a Sustainable World
Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Drilling in NY ) but we all want to be green right? We also want the American economy to grow yet we keep sending dollars off shore for oil.