The City of Torrance has nothing to fear from the expansion of Wal-Mart into the abandoned department stores at the corner of Hawthorne and Sepulveda Blvd.
The demonization against Wal-Mart has no basis in reality, but merely threatens the declining hegemony of unionized workers and small businesses who worry that a large competitor will drive them out of business.
Capitalism is tough for the capitalists, but great for the consumers. Small businesses who provide elegant service with excellent reputations should welcome the arrival of largers stores. The generic quality of larger firms cannot compete with the greater detail which smaller businesses provide.
Wal-Mart will add jobs, increase commerce, and provide much needed revenue to the city's depleted coffers. Contrary to the war lauched by liberal interersts and civil rights groups, Wal-Mart is not bad for the neighborhood at all.