I think the city as a whole would only start worrying if businesses start closing up shop and are not quickly replaced. I’ve made this assertion before but its important to reiterate. The recent national downturn in the economy will inevitably knock out the businesses in town that were only scraping by last year. We certainly morn their loss, as the closing of any small business in town represents the personal hardship of a member of our community, but in most cases it was because they’re concept hadn’t caught on. Not because the city’s in economic crisis. As long as at least some of the replacements are successful, then we (as a city) are moving in the right direction.

I think the other part of it has to do with the recent evolution of Decatur blogs. Because there is now a one-stop-shop (of sorts) for all things development in town, its readers are much more cognizant of most changes. Even a year ago, places could have been going under and replaced at the same rate as today, and we just might not have been aware. A city official said as much in a recent AJC article that played heavily off of our reporting of Decatur restaurant closings.