Retail Detail

I took the kids downtown Saturday morning of Thanksgiving weekend to
window shop, see the holiday shows, and take the pulse of retail in
2008. Prognosis: not good.

It was scarily deserted at the Shops at Liberty Place and in general
on the streets of Center City. The Macy's light show was hopping, and
a lot of people checked out the holiday video show at Comcast Center;
but that was it when it came to lots of people milling about.

I'm trying to figure out if this means Philly is not quite there yet,
if urban shopping is well past its hey day, or if the recession is
really that bad. Given the stories about long lines at suburban malls
during the wee hours of Black Friday, I'm thinking that it's reason
number two. But I'm afraid of how much it might be reason numbers one
or three as well.