It is my opinion that most shops are working as "business as usual" and not working to offset the economy and the way customers have changed their buying practices. I know some who say "i can't afford to have sales" yet the merchandise sits on the shelves taking up space and earning no money.
Another has hunderd's of bolts of one type of fabric but the style trend has moved away from that style/pattern. Yet there it sits taking up rent space. Another has walls of notions of every kind because the praceice is when anyone comes in and asks for a specific ruler, it is ordered and two hang on the rack never to be sold. Many are mom and pop type stores but they should be operated business wize like a big box store.