The draw of big cities, like New York, London, LA, or Tokyo is that they are made of a series of distinct, colorful neighborhoods, each with their own identity, vibe, and demographic. What makes them different are the small, local, mom-and-pop shops—not the chains of identical mass retail stores.

Social and cultural poverty is tightly linked to economic poverty. The U.S. Small Business Administration estimates that smaller retailers drive 44 percent of the economy. Allowing them to fail, writes Retail Dive, “would be a blow to the country’s general welfare.” The big, mass, and vertically integrated retailers are undoubtedly hurting. They... See more

The fate of the urban environment itself, along with the restaurants and retail that it comprises, will depend upon government interventions at every scale. Without sufficient aid to individuals and small businesses (and even with that aid, to a lesser degree), widespread closures will create a void in commercial real estate demand. Urban... See more