Over time, these three large retailers went bankrupt and closed.

"But retailers are going to be pulling their hair out."

"The quality of the space dictates where some retailers will go," he added.

Breakage can be total when a retailer goes out of business.

Indeed, almost every retailer that reported strong sales yesterday went up against very easy comparisons.

"If that proposal goes through, many small retailers are going to have real trouble surviving."

Indeed, retailers themselves sometimes go to great efforts to preserve an area's atmosphere.

"If we have a hot summer, retailers are not going to get all they want."

But that's not to say that the local retailers are going to roll over.

"A retailer or a bar isn't going to have room for all of these."