
The collapse of small business: How the shutdown could change the face of San Diego’s neighborhoods
In San Diego’s South Park neighborhood, the doors of small shops are typically thrown open. Dogs strolling past tug their humans into the open doorways, collecting treats from the business owners up and down Fern Street.
Like most local neighborhoods, the shop owners here are the stewards of their streets. They keep the sidewalks clean; the trash cans emptied; the water bowls full for their resident pets. The storefronts, meticulously cared for, are uniquely San Diegan, as chains are rarely welcomed.