Try to patronize local merchants, reader. Spend a few extra $$$. The walk-in traffic has evaporated, even with the world open again. I made a sobering left turn onto a major arterial yesterday, after picking up my grilled chicken sandwich and fries at around 5:00 PM. That turn was effortless. The traffic has picked up, but still remains nowhere near pre-pandemic levels. Where are the cars of yore? Not the Edsels, Studebakers, or Aston Martin DB5s — but the boring little boxes of 2019 that crawled nose to tail between stoplights at peak hours.
The world is quieter. Amazon trucks form a fair amount of the traffic in my neighborhood. At this time, I suggest we make it a point to patronize the little tea shop, the indie bookstore and the local smoothie outlet.
When we shop independents, we are helping to rescue dreams.