Can you buy workboots and tools in Kensington Market today? Yes:
http://www.harrydavidltd.com/
Hats, gloves, clothing, socks etc? Yes.
Fruit and Vegetables: Yes.
Groceries and pharmacy stuff: Yes--Zimmerman's, Valu-Mart, those health food stores etc.
Cheap household supplies/kitchen stuff: yep.
Toilet paper? Yep--see above.
Mexican food? Yep.
Meat, poultry, fish etc? Yep.
Is there plenty of free and cheap parking in Kensington? Yep.
So why do you think RIO CAN wants to build a Walmart etc here?
Here's what I see happening: Walmart gets built. Honest Ed's closes and goes midrise condo (maybe part of the "secret" plan? Possible....) Valu-Mart closes (Kensington nimbies protested its opening, esp the Zimmerman's clan) -- I say good riddance as it's overpriced, same goes for Zimmermans.
Some other "junk" shops in K-market close, replaced by more upscale yuppie organic eco whatever bs bars, eateries etc.
Rent increases so much eventually K-market goes midrise.
Such is life.
How long will Walmart be there? 40+ years imo. Many ppl don't have the luxury of time to shop in small indie shops. The condo crowd will shop there, the urban poor, and probably quite a number of Annex homeowners.
When I lived near Kensington Market where did I do majority of my shopping? Dominions (now Metro) at College & Shaw, Price Chopper (Queen & Dufferin), and Chinatown.
RIP over-priced dirty Kensington indie crap shops.
Walmart will probably accelerate the redevelopment of Bathurst Street. More retail, eventually more residential. Essentially, Spadina Av c. 1980 all over again.