Wal-Mart, for example, strives to be a ''store of the community,'' whether that community is heavily Jewish, African-American or otherwise.
''Customers often like to buy the brands they grew up on, so Wal-Mart offers Asian, German, Indian and Puerto Rican brands in some stores,'' said a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart.
While a Wal-Mart store in Monticello, N.Y., carries some kosher items year-round for area residents, during the summer when Jewish recreational camps are full, the store brings in more than a thousand additional kosher items to fill an entire aisle.