[jaxn]

I am not knowledgeable enough to know whether or not a business is viable just from looking in the storefront.

Though I would argue that as the owner of two retail locations, I am probably better equipped to make that judgement than most.

In my experience, most retail leases are for 5 year terms. I can't imagine that the default rate on those is anywhere near 50%. Most business "failures" likely never got far enough to sign a lease.

[carguy1983]

My gist was you don't have to be able to know, just walk down the street, then walk down the same street 6 months later, and many of the shops will have changed.