Small Business Closures

Discussions focus on small businesses, particularly restaurants and mom-and-pop shops, closing due to COVID-19 lockdowns, restrictions, and low margins, with debates on their viability and economic ripple effects.

📉 Falling 0.3x Startups & Business
3,634
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#6689
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
2
2008
5
2009
25
2010
33
2011
47
2012
44
2013
58
2014
76
2015
86
2016
113
2017
135
2018
175
2019
204
2020
1,116
2021
399
2022
315
2023
357
2024
220
2025
205
2026
19

Keywords

PPP US OK moneywise.com SF COVID CBD restaurants businesses business shops downtown stores restaurant property covid owner

Sample Comments

DougN7 Dec 9, 2022 View on HN

I suspect this refers to small mom-and-pop shops and restaurants that couldn’t survive the lock downs. Much bigger chains seem to have survived better.

buboard Mar 17, 2020 View on HN

arent local businesses closing?

MerelyMortal Nov 4, 2021 View on HN

Many small businesses have gone out of business.

LZ_Khan Dec 2, 2025 View on HN

well this will probably cause an exit of businesses

brobinson Jul 1, 2021 View on HN

Restaurants and other low margin businesses would cease to exist under this plan.

xwdv Apr 10, 2020 View on HN

It sucks for your friends yes, but to be honest most restaurants fail and the only thing notable about the present situation is many of them are failing all at once.It’s not like a restaurant failing and putting entire families out of business is some surprising event. I’m sure it happens everyday.You have to look at the other side, when your friends restaurants fail and move out, new ones will move in with the same optimism as your friend originally had, except this time it may be better

smabie May 16, 2020 View on HN

What's wrong with them wanting to keep their stores open?

matz1 Dec 11, 2020 View on HN

Thats what you get when business are being shutdown / not allowed to open at their full capacity.

jlarocco Jul 20, 2021 View on HN

Then maybe restaurants aren't a viable business?I know it sounds crazy because we've had them for so long, but maybe it's not sustainable to have so many of them?In any case, this seems like a great area to let the market figure it out. If restaurants go out of business the owners and employees will find something else to do.

jrockway Aug 4, 2021 View on HN

Don't worry. If you don't kill your favorite local business, some startup will eventually do it for you.