Commenter Deirdre notes there is one area where downtown is thriving:
One business that seems to have launched itself spectacularly is the frozen dessert phenomenon on Shattuck. First Gaia, then Milano Gelato (now called something else, I believe). Then Tully’s introduced its ice cream cones. Then the $1 John’s Ice Cream place got going (always a line after BHS lets out….) And now: the march of the frozen yoghurt stores. There’s at least two on Shattuck and I think a third is coming. It ain’t exactly skilled blue collar manufacturing jobs, but anything that fills a store front on Shattuck is good by me. And I do loves me my fro-yo.
Photo by love janine on Flickr