Rich and Strange Aeons

According to research last year where I didn't save my sources, US and Japan both had 2100 people per convenience store. (Japan's are much better.) Two sources said Japan has either 6000 or 24000 people per super, I'm guessing different definitions of 'supermarket'.

In retrospect I was surprised that Mallaig Scotland, population 900, managed to support a Co-op supermarket. Though some people may come in from islands or further farms to also shop there. But people have to eat something.

In Osaka I think there at least 4, probably 5, supermarkets within a 12 minute walk of me. Probably not 'subsidized' much by car traffic; the closest one didn't even have parking, and the next two were at best adjacent to a garage, while being in the basement themselves; not exactly "roll shopping cart to car". They were also in a giant train station... oh god, there might have been another one across the street, in the other train station. 3 supermarkets in one intersection.

I remember counting supermarkets around Cambridge/Somerville but didn't record my work. Trying to replicate it, I get 14-15,000 per market; 11,000 if I'm forgetting a few more.

[Edit: my work was in an old comment, and yes I was forgetting several. So more like 12,500 per. https://mindstalk.dreamwidth.org/580398.html?thread=754222#cmt754222 ]

Anyway, for my models of walkable city neighborhoods, I think using the average numbers was fine. A store with lots of options and good economy of scale probably does need a good customer base, even if you can have a surprisingly nice 'corner store' in affluent neighborhoods like here or in Vancouver.