The 1990s and 2000s were probably the last gasp for the high street as we know it.
That 20-year period was a transitional time during which online shopping went from non-existent in 1990, to niche in 2000, to commonplace by the end of 2009. By the dawn of the 2010s, near comprehensive online-only stores like Amazon and virtual marketplaces like eBay had taken a vast share of high street trade.
High street businesses, whether chain stores or independent shops, have always come and gone. But the impact on centrally located shopping centres has been profound and permanent. High street businesses have been forced to provide a service which cannot be provided online or cater to an ageing demographic that doesn't shop online.
