Kellysar, I forgot about Pier 1. Used to love it when I was a poor airman in the 80s. It has gotten quite a bit more expensive but it was one store I loved to browse in especially around the holidays.

I don't know as I haven't been out much to notice. I'm sure dome have closed,

The Sew and Vac shop about 1 mile from me closed this summer. It was so convenient and where I had my sewing machine and vacuums serviced. Several restaurants and cafes and some small independent shops have closed too. I will miss them. DD works for the Kimmel Center in Philly which is the area's largest performing arts venue comprising 6 or 7 theaters and her entire department will probably be out sourced.

My county was hit hard by the lock-down, most of the local stores, restaurants and even some chains have all closed permanently here. There are several colleges in the surrounding counties so I hope that at some point we will have new stores and restaurants open. Until then it's a road trip or online for shopping.

No businesses that I frequent have closed due to Covid-19 that I know of. A good Chinese restaurant near my work that I used to go to a few times a month is down to a staff of just the owning husband and wife. I've gotten lunch there every time I've had the need to venture into my office for some reason which has been only 6 or 7 times since March. I always tip about 50% of the cost of the meal and should probably give more if I want them to stay open. They are still open for indoor dining with 50% occupancy rules but I've always gotten take out even pre-covid.

We've gotten take-out from a rotating list of favorite restaurants that are running lean with just the barest staff, and we tip about 50%, too. One fancier place has shut down forever, a favorite place for more celebratory meals. I know a lot of small shops seem to be shuttered, too, The local township facebook page is very actively promoting the local restaurants and businesses.

We've lost some locally owned restaurants and bars and nightclubs. I eat out very seldom so they didn't affect me.

2 long-time (decades old) consignment shops closed in the first wave. Husband and wife team, who each had a store, hers for women's wear, his men's wear. I've used their stores a number of times.

One of my favorite restaurants, Mayfield, and it's sister bakery closed in my town. The problems with that business were not necessarily Covid related. We have a high minimum wage law amd that particular landlord is known for being less than reasonable. Plenty of other restaurants and small shops have closed, but Covid was simply an accelerant. The cafe next door to the bookstore, which is open only due to a concerted philanthropic effort, is in danger. It is a beloved spot to hang out. It will be very sad if it does not make it and will sure negatively affect the bookstore.

My favorite, go-to gift shop in town closed. It was a combination of factors including the owner’s health, but the pandemic was the real issue. During the spring shutdown as well as once they were allowed to reopen, people were doing curbside pickup, bulk gifts (she helped me arrange gifts for my mother’s memory care staff), and delivery.. She would do FaceTime shopping, where she would walk around the store with her phone so you could shop virtually and talk about the items! Or bring things to the window for you while the two of you talk on the phone. But it wasn’t enough. For one thing, when you actually go in and pick out something, or when you are just walking by, you see oh, I need some more of that lotion that only she carries, or those wee rings are so cute and reasonable, or “oh that would be perfect for my sister’s birthday next month”, and that impulse shopping adding $10, $20 + to your tally can add up. But that wasn’t happening. And the market shows didn’t happen, I don’t think, for seeing new vendors to carry.

I‘m so sad, because she really carried some wonderful lines, and supported a lot of home businesses.

Our chocolate shop closed, too. They were my other go-to for hostess and thank-you gifts, a little box of specialty chocolates with exciting flavors in beautiful, petite, gold boxes. The other local candy store is still open, at least.

Yes, to Pier 1 and a favourite shoe store that I bought most of my shoes from. A couple of stores have closed some of their locations and they always seem to choose my community to close a location. So while still open they are now too far away to go to during covid.

I don't know because I don't frequent a lot of businesses, but I am glad to know that my favorite barbecue restaurant is going strong, and when I go back down to where we moved from, I always get an order to go, altho they have eat in now.

The Palmer House in Chicago is shuttered. Not that I've been there in decades, but it's *historic*! I can't imagine what the Loop will look like if businesses do not go back to expecting employees IN offices. Same for city condos and apartments -- if you don't have to commute, and you are working at home, why live in tiny, *pricey* spaces? What will become of all the services and entertainments that catered to 'city people'?

Pier 1 went under before Covid. It's been on the way out for years. I could only stay in the forever 'Going Out of Business' Maui Pier 1 for a few minutes before the music drove me away.

Most of the places we frequent are doing fine -- they've adapted their business practices to what they can sustain. Two that I liked did close but not due to Covid -- both were out-competed by larger stores. One didn't adapt, closed, but it had pre-existing issues.

We don't eat out much and I'm not much of a shopper so the only casualty I've noticed is the little gift store near my grocery store. I always enjoyed their displays, especially at various holidays.

I expect that some of the little places that have been forced to close, restaurants included, will come back in various forms when things get back to normal. Some, not all. With the same owners (not necessarily in the same locations) or new ones.

Has anyone else noticed how so many of the voices in this forum who were among the pandemic deniers, who seemed to get off spouting their ignorant nonsense at any opportunity in a very deliberate trolling way, have gone away? Or gotten quiet? Have they learned a lesson? Or, if they practiced what they preached, have they gotten ill?

Chisue, regarding downtowns, that for me started thinking about the pied-à-terres that people had, and if they are not coming in for theatre, concerts, showings, events, galas, they won't need their studios and one-bedrooms. I know it's not a large part of the market, but it's there. My cousin does high-end office design, mostly on the city but also in the suburbs. I wonder how that will go? And then all the support businesses: food, coffee, plants, cleaning, etc.

Elmer - I suspect most of the posters that you are thinking of left with Hot Topics. Not sure where they went as I don't see any of them over on POV either. Maybe Fox news comment section?

Maybe. Some are still around but the ridiculous words have stopped. Maybe they wised up and realized that the obviously false and ignorant comments they persisted in uttering all along have been more than overtaken by stark reality and facts. As was the case from Day One but the garbage spoken daily by the Fool on the Hill persisted and too many lacked the brains to see what were obvious lies. Sadly, many still do.

Yes, the failure of our fellow countrymen to respond to direction and follow rules angers me because they make it worse for others, including innocents.

Lone Jack if that is the Red Dragon it has been a while. It was my husband's favorite. Sad that a couple is now the owners as that older woman who sat in the front was very fierce.

I seldom go out and about but have noticed most of the smaller shops which are still open were doing well before the virus hit. Some that closed their owners were already telling their long term customers that they were thinking about retiring. Every year restaurants here close. Some this year because they did not want to make adjustments to carry out others because they were not viable. While it might just be talk to the local Business Journal some have even increased their business because they now offer carryout.

maifleur - If I am thinking of the same older woman, she was still at Red Dragon at the beginning of 2020 but she could barely walk anymore. The couple that own it now have been there for at least 15 years and I assumed they owned it the entire time but maybe not. The man is Asian and she is Caucasian. Maybe they are the same family and inherited it?

I hope they make it through the storm!

Here's a twist on small business shut down. A popular tavern two blocks away has been closed voluntarily since March. Bars and restaurants are not under city ordered shut-down.

The owner has posted on her Facebook page that especially since her customers include many older people, she does not think it would be safe to serve food and drink. She continues to post personal notes, jokes, and musings on her Facebook page, and to assure people that she is still there, that she intends to re-open when she thinks it is safe. I have seen some people write some pretty harsh things to her. Good grief, it is her business; she doesn't have to cave to demands to re-open so "you" can have your drink in your accustomed happy place.

I really hope that the small corner bar that DS used to live above survives. (DS recently moved half a block away from it.) No food, cash only. When bars were allowed to open for outdoor service only, he was able to use the back courtyard that you can get to from the small gangway (because the gate from the alley is secured, only residents of the building have a key). It would have been protected from much weather back there. But such a small business, and now it's cold, well, we'll see. I use the name of the bar to look up DS's location, so if it closes I'll need to actually remember DS's address!

The historic Cliff House in SF has closed permanently, or so they say. Too bad.

Yes: there was a shift to both shopping and working from home underway before the virus manifested as a pandemic. Along with an associated migration out of big cities, closing of brick and motor retail outlets. Including various familiar chain stores. With shopping online expected to increase 25% during the next year.

Otherwise as this point it is well past time for people who do not live together to stop getting together in person, for non essential interactions. And because millions ignored this fact and traveled for Christmas gatherings, the virus is soon going to be hugely more prevalent than it was before then. On top of which more aggressive strains are continuing to appear.

There is at least one highly rated local restaurant that has not survived here. We seldom went there because it was quite a drive for us, but it was always voted #1 or 2 in the ‘best’ polls. I do miss Pier 1 and know they were probably going under before the pandemic. Still miss being able to shop there and see the goods.

The Pottery Barn near us is closing. It has been in a mall that is floundering. I hear they plan to reopen in another location, further from us unfortunately, but at least there will be an option to return in-store. Williams Sonoma is likely next.

Several restaurants that I loved.

A couple of restaurants that I know of. In normal times I make a lot of day trips and have my favorite lunch spots, but since I'm working from home I don't know how those places are doing.

Several restaurants, several equestrian based businesses, schooling, boarding, and my favorite little ranch and farm supply, a fitness club that a relative worked for, the list goes on. California has been hit hard. I didn't lose my hairdresser but she had to move to a different place, now it's wait and see. I expect a lot more places to close down if they can't reopen soon. They were hanging by a thread before this latest shut down.

I lost my friendly barbershop. It closed permanently. It was a place you could go to on Saturday morning to catch up on the male gossip, fishing stories, and get a recommendation where to buy a garage door opener.

My Optomitrist was close to retiring and did so over the summer with little notice. Pier One and Tuesday Morning were on their way out before the pandemic but I miss them both. I haven't been out and about much since March to notice empty storefronts.

Embothrium - wrong, a hard lock-down started before we had a single case in the county. When the lock-down was lessened in the summer we still had very low numbers. The business owners just couldn't survive being closed and still paying their employees, rent and other obligations.

Pier One "revamping" to just online was before the Pandemic. I just checked and Tuesday Morning did close many stores, but many are still open I hardly ever went there, and remembered there was one about 20 minutes from me. When I checked, of course that one closed. There are others probably 30 minutes away from me. Not sure if I will bother.

I think lots of retail was on such shaky ground before this anyway, but for restaurants, I really don't know how the ones who are still around are managing. We did go to some when outside dining was done and that was fine. To me, though, I just find having the masks and gloved servers to be so unappetizing. I totally appreciate it, but it really curbs my enthusiasm to go out to eat. We do some bringing in, and it's surely a nice change, but lots of foods do not travel so well. I really feel for that industry.

There have been a few businesses which closed down, one was my favourite sandwich shop by my office. Limited seating or takeout only just doesn’t pay the bills. Not to mention local retail having to compete with Amazon. Lineups outside a store is inconvenient enough, but in winter, not an option.

It’s too bad. Many have worked years to build their businesses, invested their savings, maybe just finally paid off their business loans, and they lose it all. Gone. All their hard work, all their savings...

No hard lockdown here except for up close and personal businesses like hair and nails. Restaurants were told to close if they could not do carry out. Bars that did not sell food could not open but the mayor allowed carry out for bar drinks at restaurants that were open. Many businesses did close but that was because they did not think they could survive with the reduction of the number of people who could be in a business at any time. Bars have reopened with reduced hours. With this latest surge they and restaurants must close by ten and some have been sited and closed by the health department for having paying guests after that time or too many people in them. Before now there few checks but the businesses were allowed to self police. Our mayor has been working with the various groups in the city and this area to keep the businesses open but with the safety of the citizens being first.

One of the things that I have found interesting is a return to what used to be called personal service with the need for every customer to be important.

I am hoping I am just wrong, again, but I find the concern over the new variant interesting especially if as some believe that many of the population have had it and were asymptomatic.

Salvona, I just checked and the Tuesday Morning closest to me is still open, so that is good. I like going in there sometimes, or did.

I don't know if any businesses around here have gone under or not. Possibly some have but if so, they're not businesses I give a darn about.

Our Pier One, Tuesday Morning, and Applebys closed. I only went to one of these , Tuesday Morning but it had declined in recent years. Small restaurants have closed and whether they reopen will depend on how long the virus is driving away customers. It has been 10 months since I had a meal in a restaurant and we ate out every Saturday night year-round.

Quoting myself above:

""a hard lock-down started before we had a single case in the county. When the lock-down was lessened in the summer we still had very low numbers."

Where in the country are you that there are so few cases? "

Another case of hit and run, no response. Made up "facts"?

Alternative Reality, denialist thinking still much in evidence - and not just on this forum. On the way to the bank I had to pee so I ducked into the green grocery I like. Shoppers everywhere (as in too many to maintain adequate distance) even though they had a roped entrance with an employee sitting there, supposedly limiting and regulating the number of people in the store at any one time. After hitting the restroom thought I would grab a few items while I was there. Nope, checking the deli section I saw a tallish man leaning on the bussing station looking at his phone with his mask off his nose - this put him in a position where he was exhaling out into the main walkway through that part of the store. And so on - I soon fled without doing any shopping.

Walking back to my car I saw three people standing and talking at close quarters not far from where people coming from all over the lot converged to enter the store. No sign of masks on the talkers, I got the impression they might not have been wearing them the whole time since the pandemic started - there actually are people around that still refuse to wear them at any time. And the body language of these three projected an attendant attitude, as though they had gone there intending to walk in without masks only to encounter the mask required signage and the woman in the chair.

Our county will start vaccinating people over 80--good start for 2021.

Next day driving out of another grocery store parking lot I saw a swarthy bodied, white haired main come marching out with no mask, a six pack and one other item. And a "Yeah? What about it?!" look on his face.

Last time I saw another No Masker at a grocery it was also a middle aged/elderly man making a tiny purchase. In this case a bottle of pop.

I didn't see the lack of protection until after I had been standing in the checkout line behind them for a time. And had absent mindedly gotten closer than 6' at first.

It's as socially inappropriate as if the parties doing so are completely naked in these settings. Worse, in fact, because the involved issue is an ever more contagious disease that is killing thousands of people.

Of course if a body believes there is no reason for them to mask - or a reason for them to make a point of not masking - then there is no reason for them to not risk their own health and the health of others moving around inside stores during comparatively busy times to make tiny, non essential purchases.

Has it ever dawned on you that the people you see without mask already had the virus, are recovered and have protective antibodies or that they have a legitimate medical reason that they can't wear a mask?

This sounds like a convenient assumption in the absence of facts. What are you basing this wild speculation on?

Has it dawned on you that the people who continue to get ill are often those who haven't been wearing masks nor following public health guidelines?

Well. It is amazing that people have not read on here the various people who had family members who had the virus twice but still believe that having it once is protection even after all the medical reports that it is unknown how long the antibodies last.

On a side note I have found a couple of news stories interesting. Unknown if it is the new variant but there have been several reports of people who have attended parties in WDC/NYC who have developed severe enough conditions within 3 days to require hospitalization. If it is true they contracted the virus at those parties and did not have it before then it means that the virus is more virulent. But the good part, if it is true, they have only been spreading the virus for three days rather than a week or so before seeking medical help.

I bought an oximeter months ago because there was an item in the media about an ER doctor's experiences with numbers of COVID patients coming into the facility he was working at still talking on their cell phones etc. And being dead a few days later.

His point being that everyone should be self monitoring with oximeters so they are warned ahead of time (by falling off oxygen levels) they may be infected, seek medical help before it is too late.

Again this was months before the current talk of more virulent strains.

The new mutation is more infectious not more virulent. It does NOT cause a more severe illness.

Just like other viruses, reinfection can only occur in those that didn't mount an effect response to the first infections. So only those with weakened immune systems are in danger of having another case.

Are you a physician or a specialist in infectious diseases? Many of your comments over past months suggest many misunderstandings and reliance on non-factual information.

Alternative Reality School of Medicine. Where the Dean is a Dr. Fox.