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We think of Walmart the same way we do of Starbucks: When we have a choice, we stop at locally owned cafes, but the chain has made it possible to get a decent cup of coffee in rural and suburban cities across the nation. (We used to go home for family visits toting coffee beans.) Walgreens in particular is converting a thousand of its stores to "food oasis" stores selling fresh produce and some prepackaged, refrigerated meals. Sure, it'd be great to see independently run stores open in all those places, but it's more important to find cabbage, oranges, and strawberries.
If you think San Francisco is a food rainforest, you might want to take a look at the USDA's map of food deserts. The south end of Bayview and Visitacion Valley are highlighted on the map -- SFoodie was driving around the neighborhood last week, and didn't spot a single produce market or Safeway. The Fresh & Easy branch slated to open at Third and Carroll streets next month can't open soon enough.
