The grocery store in a major city looks very different from the one in a small, rural town. Retailers use sophisticated data to tailor their inventory to local tastes and demographics. This has created a growing divide in the American grocery aisle. Many classic, traditional products that have fallen out of favor with urban consumers are no longer stocked in big city stores. However, these same items remain popular and readily available in the supermarkets of small-town America.
1. Large Cans of Chewing Tobacco
In many small towns and rural areas, chewing tobacco is still a common product. You will often find a wide selection of brands in large cans right at the checkout counter. In major cities, however, public health campaigns and changing social norms have made smokeless tobacco much less popular. As a result, most urban grocery chains and convenience stores have completely stopped selling these products.
2. Home Canning and Preserving Supplies
The practice of home canning and preserving vegetables from a garden is a long-standing tradition in many rural communities. Small-town grocery stores will often have a large, dedicated section for canning supplies. This includes things like glass Mason jars, pectin for making jam, and pickling salt. In a cramped city apartment with no garden, these items are a niche hobby, so urban supermarkets rarely dedicate any shelf space to them.
3. Large Sacks of Animal Feed
In agricultural communities, it is common for the local grocery store to also serve as a kind of general store. This means you can often find large, 50-pound sacks of feed for chickens, horses, and other livestock. This is an essential item for many residents. In a big city, these bulk animal feeds are completely absent from the shelves.
4. Vienna Sausages and Spam
Processed meats like Vienna sausages and Spam were once a pantry staple across the country. They are shelf-stable, affordable, and easy to prepare. While they are still a very popular and reliable food source in many small towns, they have fallen out of favor with many urban shoppers. City dwellers tend to prefer fresher, less processed options, so these classic canned meats are often hard to find.
5. Lard in a Tub
Lard was once the primary cooking fat in American kitchens. It is prized for its ability to create flaky pie crusts. In many small towns, especially in the South and Midwest, a large tub of lard is still a common baking staple. In most big-city grocery stores, however, it has been almost completely replaced by butter, shortening, and various cooking oils.
6. Less-Trendy Canned Vegetables
The canned vegetable aisle in a small-town store is often filled with classic, traditional options. This includes things like canned turnip greens, collard greens, or creamed corn. In big cities, where consumer tastes have shifted toward fresher or frozen vegetables and more global flavors, these old-fashioned canned options are often no longer stocked.
7. Off-Brand Regional Sodas
While Coke and Pepsi dominate everywhere, small towns often have a fierce loyalty to a specific, off-brand regional soda. This might be a brand that has been produced in the area for generations. You will find these local sodas in every small-town store. In a big city, however, the shelf space is too valuable to dedicate to a niche brand with no national recognition.
The Great Grocery Divide
The different products stocked in urban and rural grocery stores reflect the deep cultural and economic divides in our country. They are a tangible sign of our different tastes, traditions, and ways of life. What is a daily staple in one community can be a complete unknown in another. This diversity is a reminder that despite the rise of national chains, America is still a nation of distinct local tastes.
Do you live in a small town or a big city? What is one item in your grocery store that you think would be hard to find somewhere else? Let us know!
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