The decline of the American corner store (1980s-present)
Small independent grocers and corner stores have been closing for decades as chains and big-box retailers expand. The number of independent grocery stores fell from roughly 30,000 in the 1980s to under 15,000 by the 2010s.
Neighborhoods lose their closest source of groceries and prepared food.
Many urban areas become food deserts with no walkable grocery option.
Phoenix Market is a corner store in a dense Saint Paul neighborhood; its loss would follow the same pattern.
