Big-box retail chains were never a solution for America's downtowns − and now they're fleeing back to suburbia
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)
Nicholas Dagen Bloom, Hunter College
(THE CONVERSATION) Holiday shopping is in full swing, but city dwellers may have fewer options for buying in person than they did a few years ago. That’s because many large chain stores are pulling out of central cities.
This trend has been building for several years. Target made national headlines in 2018 when it closed its store in a predominantly Black Baltimore neighborhood after just 10 years of operation. COVID-19 sped things up by cutting foot traffic in city centers and boosting online commerce.
Target has closed additional stores in Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, Oregon. Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens have also closed many urban stores.
Closures have spread to many suburbs and small towns. Retailers saddled with high debt,...