Like most country towns there are a plethora of closed shops but the interesting thing here is that many of them are occupied as homes with curtains covering the shop windows.
And there is also the ubiquitous closed picture theatre. This one was until recently a Motorcycle Museum and is now currently empty.
Now I know that country towns are not the only places with blank shop fronts, many city shopping strips became empty following the arrival of the shopping mall and more recently internet shopping. What's it like at your place?
Oh, yes, there are so many empty shops, even in a large city like Braunschweig.
ReplyDeleteWhen I visited my hometown last month I nearly cried. Some new shops, but so many empty ones it was frightening.
My Brother is a goldsmith and optometrist and says often people come, get advise and buy cheap online somewhere else. They only steal his time and knowledge.
I am quite the opposite. I research on the web then go to the local store to buy it.
DeleteWe have many empty shops in our shopping mall in Winmalee and it is a relatively new shopping mall. I don't like to see them empty, but I've heard the rents are too high.
ReplyDeleteLawson shops are new and we have several that are still empty.
DeleteIt's a very sad reality in many small and bigger cities. High rents, online shopping, weaker economy, all contribute to empty shops I would think.
ReplyDeleteYes all of those things would be contributors. In country towns I think declining population and the ease of driving to the nearby bigger towns would also contribute.
DeleteIt depends on the area. I can recall one mall that before it shut down had probably a 90% vacancy rate. They tore down everything but the grocery store and put pods of retail spread out onto the parking lot. That actually seems to work better.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have seen any shopping malls totally struggling like that. But there is a news article saying retail is at its lowest in 7 years so it might not be far away.
DeleteYup here in Perth too, and yet the building goes on! I'm with you on the local shopping, I look online to find what I'm looking for and buy it in store ✨
ReplyDeleteBut the new building is most mostly apartments and office blocks rather than shopping isn't it?
DeleteUnfortunately, we don't have a great array of local retail, though we have a few chain stores that offer some variety. There are a number of things that I must go online to buy.
ReplyDeleteIt is great that you have the online option to fill in the gaps.
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