There was a time in many cities when hatteries, (which made, imported and sold men’s hats), and millineries, (which made, imported, and sold women’s hats), were part of the streetscape. Hats were necessary for everyday wear, not just for the weather or special occasions. And, for wealthier people, many hats were necessary, not just one or two.
As the 20th century wore on, however, and especially after World War II, fewer and fewer people wore hats, until President John F. Kennedy famously “killed the hat.”
Of course, people still wear hats — baseball caps, winter hats, and sun hats. And there are still millineries, especially in cities like New York and London, that cater to women who collect or wear high-fashion headpieces as a matter of course or for an occasion like a wedding or a royal visit.
But hatteries and millineries, like old-fashioned druggists with their soda fountains and candy stores with their barrels of licorice, are no longer retail fixtures.
Which lines of retail, from this day and age, will meet the same fate?
Record stores
Music labels in the 1980s and 1990s licked their chops as fans began to replace their entire vinyl record collections with CDs, priced at $15 a pop.
Now though, the consumer seems to be in control as labels, artists, and even digital purveyors like iTunes all try to figure out how to make money in the era of streaming. First, favorite old record stores went out of business, followed by many independents and even huge chain retailers like Virgin and Tower Records.
The heyday of the indie record store, captured so well in the 2000 movie High Fidelity, may be over. But some independent music shops are doing well, thanks to renewed interest in vinyl records from younger people.
“We never expected the vinyl resurgence to become as crazy as it is,” Josh Bizar, director of sales for a company that sells LPs and turntables, told the New York Times. “But it’s come full circle. We get kids calling us up and telling us why they listen to vinyl, and when we ask them why they don’t listen to CDs, they say, ‘CDs? My dad listens to CDs — why would I do that?’ ”
Tobacco shops
Not so fast: While it's true that fewer people than ever smoke, the number of tobacco retailers in the U.S. doubled from 1998 to 2012, according to Bloomberg. Increased pressure for pharmacies and grocery stores to stop selling cigarettes have boosted cigarette shops, which are largely ignored by anti-smoking activists. And e-cigarettes provide a whole new line of products to sell that are less heavily regulated or taxed — at least so far.
Bookstores
Just as record stores have fallen victim to digital downloads, so have bookstores taken a hit from e-commerce since the days when Amazon first swooped into the landscape and slashed prices on books.
But in the past four years, local bookstores have seen a revival, with more openings than closings.
Even nationwide chain Barnes & Noble’s struggles are largely due to its failed Nook business, and less to the performance of its brick-and-mortar stores.
Bookstores have in part benefited from “buy local” campaigns that bring people in to buy books from sellers they know rather than save money buying online. And, like vinyl records, a significant number of younger people prefer print over e-books, at least some of the time.
And the candy counter?
It may be back. Once a fixture in many downtowns, old-fashioned candy stores and general stores became relics found mostly in touristy areas. But, like cupcake shops, donut shops, and other niche retailers, candy stores are coming back as many cities work to bring retailers of all sizes back to their city centers.
"It's like stepping back in time," Pat Atkinson said of her shop, Patty's Old Fashioned Popcorn — which features candies, chocolates, cotton candy in summer, and 15 varieties of flavored popcorn — in an interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer. "There just aren't that many stores like this around.”