As many national retailers we’ve known for years continue to announce store closings, including Payless, Toys ‘R Us and Charlotte Russe, it can’t help but send a shiver of worry across the industry. Almost 5,300 stores have closed in the U.S. in 2019 so far. Is it possible that people are no longer interested in shopping in brick and mortar stores?

Most definitely not. In fact, retail, in particular, physical retail, has never been more robust. To really understand the landscape, one must dissect the root causes of these large chains shuttering their doors. In almost all of the cases, the company funds have run dry for various reasons, causing a severe lack of investment in technology and adapting to how customers now shop.

In a recent article, I spoke with reporter Lindsey Juarez about this changing landscape.