Bargain Bilge Gone

That's the problem with consumers.....they want to buy things over the internet to save a few bucks, don't value quality, or service like they used to.....it's a shame really.

Yes, let's be honest with ourselves on why small businesses shut down. First, the consumers choose not to patronize them enough as they are to provide them income to survive. Second, the store doesn't adjust to market changes adequately to survive. I'm not familiar with the store but doubt they had an ecommerce site, or a complete one. Things change constantly.

Seldom to stores close due to some major outside force. It's the market not requiring them and them not changing as the market does. The pandemic has been extremely tough on retail, but almost every retailer I'm familiar with closing had serious issues before the pandemic.

Still, I hate to see them close. I love small businesses. Do I go out of my way to patronize them? Difficult to answer as I patronize some but then I also use the retailers of convenience.

I do not know the area and do not the business. BUT, if the business was very profitable the owners would've sold the property and moved to a cheaper area perhaps. Maybe they just got to the age that they wanted to retire and the offer was enough to indeed do so.

What about hardware stores?

Actually yes, In fact a new Ace hardware just opened about a mile from my place in Ft.Myers.
I think many people would prefer to go to a hardware store than a big box. But that's just me.

Not just you:
We are lucky around here: Got an Ace hardware with more fastener selections than God right here in the neighborhood: Found SS nuts for my engine mounts at Ace: 36 MM, $12 a piece but still a bargain.

Well, as I own quite a few in four states, yes. Also, Ace, True Value and Do It Best all had record years with sales in stores up 20-30% plus online sales. Between the three of them there are nearly 15,000 hardware stores and these are not franchises, just cooperative buying groups, but stores all individually owned. They consist of both multiple store owners and owners of only a single store. There are also other hardware groups so even greater numbers, groups like Bostwick-Braun and other totally independent stores.

Small business isn't dead. Brick and mortar isn't dead. Apparel isn't dead. Malls are not dead. Now all are having to address their best ways of going forward and will continue to have to change to the market.

I assume you shop at the one on Cordova?

Actually they value their time. They don't want to drive all over and sit in traffic chasing something down. And I assume you are aware that a lot of stores on the internet are small businesses right? I buy most of my stuff on line and a lot of it is quality, not cheap and I get service when I call.

Yes there's a lot of cheap crap on the internet. But there's also a lot of people putting kids through school selling their decent wares on line.

But making sweeping statements full of platitudes is easy.

So then why is every store chock full of parts and goods "made in China", and it's really hard to find a quality consumer good that is made in North America or Europe? Quality goods, made in a 1st world country are the exception and not the norm. Because most people in current generations want the cheapest good, instead of the quality good. It's a race to the bottom, even in the marine industry.

Look at Rule.....Super (float) switch used to be the gold standard and last for years and years.........then they switched production to Costa Rica for a decade.....lots of issues the first year or two.....then they became somewhat decent quality.......now made in China.....LOTS of failures on the most important thing that keeps your boat afloat. Many other companies that produce pumps, engine parts, hulls parts are manufacturing them in third world countries and the quality has definately gone down.

Nope, I shop at McDonalds Hardware on SR-84, or Marina Mile as it is also called.
The best selection of fasteners in town, and within a few minutes if my house.
All good.

I agree and disagree with both of you involved in this argument. We often lump the US consumer into one demographic and type.

I'm familiar with it.

I agree and disagree with both Capt J and Oscarvan. We often think of the US consumer as one mindset or demographic. They're not. There are so many different consumers. Some are willing to pay for quality but the majority still seem to chase price as clearly reflected by the dominance of Walmart and Amazon. Now quality, good or bad, can come from anywhere. It's not based on where the manufacturing is done as much as it is the standards of the company and their quality control. For every example either of you might cite, I can easily cite an opposite.