Be careful trusting what you read. The blogs are run by people who've drank the cool-aid or move there already having made their money and life, not the kids who grew up there, saw it for what it was and GTFO'd or the townies who are either living on the relative poverty line (these economies are screwy, federal numbers don't apply well) or have a substance addiction.

Source: Grew up in one of those shitholes, actively rooting for sea level rise wipe it off the map, there is nothing of value there.

After having just taken my first trip to the big island I was actually very surprised how sparse the retail was. Felt very much like rural America.

They're probably using highly restrictive zoning/permitting to keep it out. Local businesses that are charging tourist prices don't want big box stores (who can't get away with a very big local markup) to compete with and local consumer facing businesses hold basically all the influence in that kind of economy.

There is no need to look for conspiracies.

There is only 185k people living on the "big island". I'm not sure why people would expect something other than a rural America level of services, when it is really just a small city of people effectively in the middle of no where.

Note that smaller cities in rural America service a much larger population than just the city itself. The island does not have a surrounding population that can drive an hour in once a week to make use of a big box stores.

Google maps says there is a Walmart, Kmart, Sears and a number of other well known American brands. It's not like they are being blocked from entering the market.

I wasn't talking about rural cities. I think those are generally pretty good and pretty well run. I was talking about how it works in the tourist dumps. Protecting your "authentic" <place> branded Chinese trinket importers from the big boxes is SOP in a tourist economy.

> I wasn't talking about rural cities.

I think you misunderstood me. Your comment was in response to:

> I was actually very surprised how sparse the retail was. Felt very much like rural America.

You then went on to argue that retail is not more developed because existing retailers are conspiring to keep the bigger retailers out.

I am arguing that there need not be a conspiracy. The real reason is more likely that it is not economical for a lot of big box retailers to serve such a small population.

I was also responding to the great grandparent's comment. They should not be surprised at a rural America level of retail on the big island of Hawaii, as it is pretty much rural America, what with low population density and isolated location.

The two times I went on a trip and we ended up at Walmart I was not pleased.

Of course we ended up at Walmart because the people I was with are suckers. Lovable suckers, but all-day suckers nonetheless.