This downward spiral has severe economic implications, although some are less apocalyptic than they seem at first. In fact, there’s some evidence that automation and e-commerce actually create more—and better-paying—jobs than they destroy.
But there’s one issue that no one has figured out how to solve: what to do with all those vacant stores. "
I have. I have figured out how to solve it. What to do with all those vacant stores and dead shopping malls? Turn them into "marijuana malls". Recreational marijuana is now legal in many states. The rest of the states will no doubt follow. If the dying and dead shopping malls are turned into marijuana malls, people can go there and buy weed and socialize, while getting stoned and feeding their munchies.
Stores in a marijuana mall might also include tattoo parlors, health food stores, a gym, a Virtual Reality arcade and, of course, an iPhone store.
Mall problem solved. Convert the dying and dead malls into marijuana malls: the evolution of brick-and-mortar mall stores. A cardinal rule of business? Give people what they want. And younger people don't want more "stuff", they want more experiences. And more weed.
