CLOSINGS

August 10, 2020

My husband came home yesterday after taking a walk around Stanford Shopping Center. He reported that some of the big stores and restaurants are open. But two of my favorite stores have closed permanently: Marimekko and Mujii. And apparently there are other closures as well.

This is sad but not unexpected news. As the Covid-19 pandemic continues without let-up and the shut-down is now approaching six months, many businesses have not been able to survive. 

I've been trying to see a pattern. I can understand that some small, family run places were at the ends of their lives anyway. These are places that Mom and Pop have run for years, doing most of the work themselves. They're ready to retire and the younger generation has gone on to other things. Some businesses catered to a limited clientele. I suspect the Marimekko and Mujii fall into that category; they both had unusual merchandise and their prices were high. At the other end of the spectrum are businesses like Fast Fashion: cheap, disposable garments made in Asian sweat-shops. 

What will the long-term effects of this economic slow-down be? One assumes that weeding out marginally profitable or ecologically questionable businesses will not be a bad thing. But of course, the people who earned their living in these businesses will need to find other jobs. Until now, Stanford Shopping Center has had the reputation for high-end and luxury shops. What kinds of businesses will fill the vacant stores now? Perhaps more service-oriented businesses like medical clinics, libraries, business offices?

Some businesses have been nimble enough to adjust to new circumstances and fulfill new needs. For example, grocery delivery has become common and popular. As a retired couple, we're benefitting from Stanford Cartering's turn-about from feeding students to delivering well-prepared meals to those of us who don't want to go out or can't go out. Will these business practices continue after the pandemic is no longer a major threat? We won't go back to the way things were, but it will be interesting to see what the new normal will be. 


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