Main stores, particularly department stores, served as crucial urban anchors, driving city development, public transport expansion, and establishing central business districts.

As these retail giants grew, they attracted immense foot traffic, necessitating improvements in infrastructure. Cities invested in public transport like trams and subways to connect residential areas to these burgeoning commercial centers. The grand architecture of department stores often became landmarks, contributing to the identity of urban cores. Their concentration in specific areas led to the formation of central business districts (CBDs), creating a ripple effect that fostered the growth of other businesses, restaurants, and entertainment venues around them, fundamentally reshaping the modern city landscape.