topic Re: will it ever be this way again in Community Chat

will it ever be this way again

newname0 — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 13:29:09 GMT

My husband and I were out and about our town and saw so many small shops papered up with closed signs and we wondered if we can go back to the days when Saturday meant going to the mall and shopping non stop. What do you think?

Re: will it ever be this way again

Infinite Mom 47 — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 13:32:44 GMT

I think it will eventually. It's just going to take awhile.

Re: will it ever be this way again

kaydee50 — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 13:34:03 GMT

If we do, it will take years.

Re: will it ever be this way again

Bhvbum — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 13:36:11 GMT

after the big recession in 2008-2010 I thought the same thing traveling back to Florida west coast, where so many shopping centers and theaters were closed. They came back in a lot of places, but online shopping is too easy, and with fast deliveries from Amazon.

Notice I didn't include QVC, in fact I just purchased Father's Day and Graduation presents but did not go to QVC, because I cannot trust getting the products on time.

Re: will it ever be this way again

On It — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 13:47:43 GMT

As long as people continue online shopping habits established during the COVID months, the small stores will not return as they once were. They simply cannot pay rent, buy merchandise, and support employees and themselves with hit or miss sales. A constant cash flow is essential to keeping the doors open.

Re: will it ever be this way again

proudlyfromNJ — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 13:52:42 GMT

We have a huge mall here. Last time I went by the parking lot was packed.

Re: will it ever be this way again

Imaoldhippie — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 13:55:00 GMT

IMO the small owned stores will never return just like the mom and pop business's disappeared. I do not feel badly about the huge corporations that are going belly up or closing multiple stores. They are the reason the mom and pop stores closed.

Everything has its hay day and mall's are no different. If they do return it will be in the far future.

Re: will it ever be this way again

hopi — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 14:23:12 GMT

There are so many people in the stores and the traffic is ridiculous.

I already miss the pandemic.

Before the barage of attacks only being facetious

Re: will it ever be this way again

occasionalrain — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 14:59:15 GMT

We used to have family owned corner grocery stores then the super markets with lower prices and younger generations moving away they closed. Now convenience have taken there place.

It's unfortunate for children who learned money management, at least I did, since my allowance only went so far and at six years old, I didn't qualify for a credit card.

Re: will it ever be this way again

Sooner — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 15:05:14 GMT

I think people won't be having excess money to shop, and I think inflation is coming (judging from when inflation was rampant in the past), and I think there will be shortages of goods rampant. More like Russia.

I think the whole model of this country has changed where we will not have what we had.

Re: will it ever be this way again

RetRN — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 15:05:14 GMT

I guess we will have to take a wait and see approach.

Re: will it ever be this way again

SunValley — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 15:30:06 GMT

I live in an urban area that is growing, and our stores and streets are busy again. A few places didn't make it; however, new ones are opening everywhere. Many people still wear masks, but they are certainly not staying home. I hope the sanitation regime stays as the stores (and restaurants) look so much cleaner. I'm still wearing my mask as quite a few places still have signs. The vaccine has given many people confidence to get out of the house, including me.

Re: will it ever be this way again

ValuSkr — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 15:45:12 GMT

Yes it will. Mall stores are closing en masse while small shops in downtown areas are returning. It's a good trend.

Re: will it ever be this way again

deepwaterdotter — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 15:46:32 GMT

Like Sooner, I'm wondering if there will be a lot of disposable income around in the future. And inflation is fast becoming a factor in a budget.

As an older American, I'm finding that I only shop for groceries and cleaning supplies on a regular basis. Non-trendy style clothing seems to last quite a while with proper care. I find myself eliminating more decorative household goods when I can, they're just dust-catchers. I aspire to a simpler lifestyle that requires less accumulation of non-essentials.

Re: will it ever be this way again

drizzellla — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 15:59:59 GMT

It is sad the drive past stores that are permanently closed. You know they are not coming back.

The company that I retired from did not make it. It was in business for over 50 years. And it was doing very well when I retired. They had 50+ employees and 3 different offices when I retired.

Sad to talk to friends who worked for companies that went out of business.

I worked for Disney in the past. They have closed 63 stores so far and plan on closing 10 stores every month. And Disney furloughed many castmembers at the Parks. Most of them have not been asked back and it doesn't look like they will be asked back.

Re: will it ever be this way again

CelticCrafter — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 16:03:13 GMT

@Imaoldhippie wrote:
IMO the small owned stores will never return just like the mom and pop business's disappeared. I do not feel badly about the huge corporations that are going belly up or closing multiple stores. They are the reason the mom and pop stores closed.

Everything has its hay day and mall's are no different. If they do return it will be in the far future.

What about the lost jobs?

Re: will it ever be this way again

suzyQ3 — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 17:49:10 GMT

I have no such fears about inflation. I see the latest news as rather promising. And although when it come to the economy, only a fool thinks he knows the future, I certaintly don't ascribe to the gloom and doom theory.

Re: will it ever be this way again

Twins Mom — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 18:04:55 GMT

I loved going to the malls, stopping at shops that appealed to me at that moment. Perusing racks, touching fabrics, seeing trends, trying on shoes, etc. brought me joy as a teen and adult. I doubt things will go quite back to the largeness and variety we had but some store shopping will return. I miss it greatly.

Re: will it ever be this way again

Porcelain — Sun, 06 Jun 2021 00:27:05 GMT

The fun mall experience we all remember is from pre-internet-shopping times. Malls and department stores were the only game in town for one stop shopping back then.

As to downtowns and shopping streets, I think new small retailers will replace the old ones. I think towns should zone strategically to keep major chains out of certain areas (not all areas, of course, just certain zones. and probably with some exceptions). That can allow small boutique enterprises to flourish and attract customers.

Downtown Franklin near Nashville is like that and everyone loves to go there.

Re: will it ever be this way again

SeaMaiden — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 18:54:07 GMT

@newname0 Things will never be the same... especially after a pandemic....as is with life in general....nothing stays the same.

I would not plan on Saturdays being shopping and eating like before.