[purpleturtle22]

If you take the corner store model as far as many European, NY, etc cities - You remove the $300-400+/mo cost of a car (ballparking here)

Otherwise if the local shops are more expensive (in any meaningful way), consumers would simply drive the additional N miles to the Walmart Supercenter as things kind of are as is

[insane_dreamer]

A big part of the problem is that the U.S. doesn't have European-style local grocery stores (and if they do, they're expensive farmer market style boutiques in high-priced areas).

[galleywest200]

Normal farmers markets, at least where I have lived, not expensive however (excluding your fancy small flock lamb, or whatever). Unfortunately they are not run every day, generally once per week. Olympia, Washington was an exception with a 4 day per week farmer's market.