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A GUIDE TO RETAIL IMPACT STUDIES APPENDIX A: LARGE-SCALE RETAIL FORMATS A number of national and regional retailers currently develop and operate stores of a scale that would trigger an economic impact review under some municipal zoning policies as well as Maine's Informed Growth Act, which applies to stores of 75,000 square feet or larger. The following describes the types of stores that may reach this size. These stores may be proposed as stand-alone projects or grouped together in a shopping center. The latter requires that the analyst examine the cumulative impact of all of the large-scale stores in the development. Department Stores: The traditional department store offers a range of goods and services under one roof, often on multiple floors. Typically focused on clothing and accessories, departments may also include housewares, appliances, furniture, toys, sporting goods, or hardware, among others. In addition, many offer fine and casual dining, salon and spa services, and optometry and eyewear. A few continue to offer automotive service, lawn and garden, and hardware, as well. Larger stores such as mall anchors will generally exceed 75,000 square feet. Of course, many American communities are still served by smaller downtown department stores which will be unaffected by large scale retail regulations. Discount Stores: store. Mass merchandisers eschew the complex layouts and amenities of department stores, instead displaying merchandise in long rows with checkout services located at the front of the store. Automotive services are typically offered. Wal-Mart stores without full-service grocery sales average 102,000 square feet while the average Target without full-service grocery sales average 123,000 square feet. Grocery Stores: Supermarkets, with an industry average of 44,000 square feet, will generally fall below the size threshold for mandatory impact analyses.In particularly strong markets, general merchandise selection. These have recently begun surpassing 75,000 square feet. Supercenters: Recent years have seen an explosion of so-called supercenter retailers, which combine conventional, general merchandise discount stores with grocery stores and often eclipse 200,000 square feet of space even in smaller markets. The average Wal-Mart supercenter is 186,000 square feet. The average SuperTarget is 176,000 square feet. Wholesale Clubs: A variant of the supercenter, wholesale clubs are large, no-frills retail operations that typically require a membership fee. While the total number of items offered is generally less than in a supercenter, bulk packaging and unusual special offers characterize the format. Originally conceived as a wholesale channel to serve the needs of small business, wholesale clubs have evolved into a distinct retail format serving a broad range of business and consumer customers. Large clubs may also offer a range of business services such as insurance, office and break-room supply, travel planning, or automotive purchasing. Home Centers: Traditionally, hardware stores and lumber yards were distinct operations, as were retailers focused on the consumer and wholesalers focused on the trades. In recent 27