President Trump’s sweeping new tariffs—including a 145% duty on Chinese imports—have already pushed retailers like Shein and Temu to raise prices, while major chains like Walmart, Target, and Home Depot are warning of looming supply shortages and higher costs for American shoppers. As retail businesses brace for disruption, many of the fastest-growing areas for brick-and-mortar stores may also be the most vulnerable.
A recent analysis from Printastic and released by constantcontact.com spotlights the U.S. cities and states where physical retail is growing (and shrinking) <https://jejfpv5ab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f9BQLBrgm2YPquuJiUa43J8yJj_ecNzbCkprFdVlrVl2_mbk_Yyf4KOqfqw7tlFt2p6wdL-1f–tnTQ3DV8xsyxsB4J-4WCKOcyEKo37nZcd2b2bNq7A2sH5fP4P4Eo7wGyXQY7kQZOIFBCCnsXE6yRz9Qn3DurFhi8ATWeLkl_WM-VKeh4SfM8gUJDtZ8vWYA8hDfEuSSyVdwPLJ51p_vTC4dP8abAGwqFaOsR22GA=&c=ZR_5bv8PooJMy_ysXuwbWSPFLPcL3xIRcPIotd2wLFSUEqETPfrSTQ==&ch=Kyx_13Pr3CNm52htjodHnWwokrF8W7PrzxsvfaHGzyfoj9-qOoUHHw==> fastest, and which locations could face new headwinds just as in-person shopping was beginning to recover.
Gainesville data takeaways:
Between 2020 and 2024, the Gainesville metro gained 66 retail establishments—an increase of 10.9%, the 11th highest of any small metro. Meanwhile, retail employment increased by 730 workers (+8.4%) during that span.
The study also showed that Southeastern and Western states lead in retail growth: States like Idaho (+18.8%), Tennessee (+14.5%), and Georgia (+12.5%) posted the highest retail growth since 2020, while parts of the Northeast and Midwest posted declines.