In 1982, independent retailers captured nearly half of all retail spending. Historically, as large chains and franchises have grown, independent retail’s share of overall U.S. spending has declined.
The closures hit hard those “mom and pop” shops, known for unique products, personalized service, and a focus on the local community, compared to large corporations run by central management and often driven by profit.
Those independent stores give the place its charm and character. They have a soul, a story.
By the 2000s, their share had fallen to about 31% and then to 28%, with large chains growing rapidly, according to the Institute for Local Self-Sufficiency, based on U.S. Economic Census data.
These days, even the big chains are struggling, as 20 retail brands are closing stores in a total of 4,100 locations by 2025. Last year, UBS analysts estimated the number of retail store closings in the U.S. could reach 45,000, down from 202 in small businesses. interior
It’s an amazing feat that some independent businesses have managed to survive for decades or even a century. During that time, an independent retailer faced many other challenges, including the Great Depression, World War II, periods of multiple recessions and high inflation, changes in consumer trends, and epidemics.
An independent retailer that managed to survive by offering high-quality service and products—key features that kept customers coming back.
Now one such independent home improvement and gardening specialist retailer with a century-long tradition of serving the local community has been forced to close its doors for good, as national players like Home Depot and Lowe’s continue to dominate the industry.
Downtown Home and Garden has been a community staple for over 100 years.Mulevich/Shutterstock.com” loading=”eager” height=”540″ width=”960″ class=”yf-lglytj loader”/>
Downtown Home and Garden has been a community staple for over 100 years.Mulevich/Shutterstock.com
Ann Arbor’s Downtown Home and Garden welcomed and served customers for the last time on Christmas Eve. Then, it closed its doors to a good, sad generation of customers, WXYZ Detroit reported.
The home improvement and gardening retailer on Ashley Street near Liberty Street opened back in 1906 and has been a staple in the community for decades.
Over time, “it has evolved from a livery stable and feed mill into an urban emporium for garden supplies plants for your home (and plants in season for your garden and home), classic housewares, durable outdoor clothing, quality dog gear, and unique kitchenware,” reads the description on Downtown Home & Garden’s about page.
The store’s history goes back to the 1890s when the building was built for Mann and Zeeb Elevator, a supplier of field seed for farmers and grain for poultry. In 1906, the Hertlers bought it and renamed it Hertler Brothers. In 1975, Mark Hodesh, who started a nearby diner, bought the property and the store. In 1997 Hodesh, who had since sold the business, then reacquired it, renaming it Downtown Home & Garden.
About 10 years ago, Hodesh sold the business to one of his employees, Kelly Vor, but kept the assets.
“In one way or another, it’s always been a general store that serves a great need in the community,” Vore said.
Downtown Home & Garden was popular for its vast offering of different brands in categories such as outdoor and apparel, kitchenware and home brands, outdoor cooking, pet and dog gear brands, outdoor accessories and more.
LL Bean
Mecca shoes
hard hard
Fox River Socks
Stormy Kromer
the crucible
Twin JA Henkels
get up
Big Green Egg
Kingsley Bate
Fermob
Local Home Depot, Lowe’s rival, announced it would close in August 2025, writing on its Instagram page, “to echo the message of another beloved Ann Arbor small business that closed in May, ‘The financial burden has become unbearable.’
The owner, Kelly Vore, explained in a post that the pandemic has had a major impact, and that the business is “facing pre-pandemic volumes with post-pandemic expenses. This makes a tough formula even tougher.”
Rising rental prices and changing consumer spending were key factors in the store closures.
“When I opted for the 2025-2029 rent renewal, I was given one year (2025) with conditions: the situation had to improve to absorb rent increases of 26% in 2025 and +12% in 2026. So, even with progress we have worked to reduce market costs and reduce debt-expenses. Rising rental rates, not sustainable.”
Vore told WXYZ Detroit that “that doesn’t mean this type of business can’t be successful in other places but the way things are here right now, it’s the natural path.”
The owner added that community support over the last several months leading up to the closure went better than he expected.
“People’s affinity for this place and all our knowledge of what we do is about a million times greater than we thought,” Bhor said.
Instead of focusing on the sadness surrounding the closing, Vore chose to express gratitude for the century-long successful operation, saying goodbye to longtime customers and loyal employees.
“It’s very hard for everybody. And especially with us being as empty and cavernous as we are right now, a lot of times people come in and it’s kind of like a tear,” Vore told MLive.
Ron Pisoni, a longtime customer, came to say goodbye, sad to see it close.
“It’s always been such a welcoming place,” Pisoni told the outlet. “It’s a really unique place,” he said, adding that the store and the people who made it special will be missed.
Staff at Downtown Home & Garden also shared their gratitude for the historic building and the value it brings to the community.
“The physical building itself is amazing. It has served so many people for so long. It brings so much to the city and it will be sorely missed,” said staff member Daryl Strong.
Vore said that over the past two weeks, she’s had memorable encounters with longtime shoppers.
“The customers have been phenomenal. The response to our exit has been the whole range you would expect. Everyone is going to give us a big deal,” Vore told MLive.
Hodesh, the property owner, said the location will likely become home to a new bar or restaurant.
The announced closure quickly spread on social media, where longtime customers and locals expressed their disappointment with the news. In the Reddit thread, several commenters expressed the feeling that the closing is a loss for the community, and expressed frustration that the current economic situation is making it impossible for local shops to survive.
“Oh no! DHAG is my favorite place to shop downtown, I go there all the time…everyone there is so lovely and helpful. It’s a real loss to the community,” user We_Four said.
Groggu was one user who wasn’t too happy about the idea of seeing another bar or restaurant instead of a garden and home store. “Almost the last of the old downtown businesses. We always bought plants, containers, clothes, and pets there. Now next spring there will be another failed bar, sadness.”
Many users just wrote “Nooo,” “disastrous,” or “terrible,” while others focused on trying to figure out who to blame for it.
User holyd1ver83 wrote “Heartbreaker. Bad loss for the city. That fare increase should be illegal.”
Additional closures:
E-commerce has given a significant boost to many industries, including home and garden retail.
According to Deborah Wenswig, CEO of Coresight Research, “Inflation and a growing preference among consumers to shop online to find the cheapest deals will impact brick-and-mortar retailers in 2024.”
“Last year we saw the highest number of closures since the pandemic. Retailers who were unable to adapt supply chains and implement technology to cut costs were significantly affected, and we’re seeing consumers choose the path of least resistance,” Weinswig said in a statement.
This trend affects both small independent stores and large chains. Business Insider reports that retailers including Party City, Big Lots, Walgreens and Macy’s have announced major closings this year, illustrating that economic pressures and changing consumer habits are reshaping the retail landscape.
Smaller independent stores often can’t match online prices or offer the seamless omnichannel experiences offered by larger retailers, making their struggle for survival even more challenging. As consumers increasingly turn to online shopping for convenience and lower prices, independent retailers face increasing pressures that directly affect their ability to serve local communities.
Beyond economics, small independent stores play an important role in the consumer experience. They not only maintain a closer relationship with their customers than corporate chains but also offer specific, unique products. As these businesses close, consumers lose access to original goods and personalized services that cannot be easily replaced by large retailers or online shopping.
The loss of independent stores such as Home and Garden downtown marks a significant loss of diversity, heritage and character for the local community.
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This story was originally published by TheStreet on December 26, 2025, where it first appeared in the Retail section. Add TheStreet as a preferred source by clicking here.
