Boomtowns were a result of:

BOOMTOWNS, settlements that sprang up or grew rapidly as the result of some economic or political development. Rochester, New York, for example, grew rapidly after 1825 as the result of the completion of the Erie Canal and the harnessing of the Genesee River's water-power

Explanation:

The consumer is not in retreat, is that this is a tremendous opportunity for the consumer who drove us into this recession to lead us right back out. We can move from mindless consumption to mindful consumption.