The Demise of the Local Retailer? ONCE I OWNED A PRETTY SUCCESSFUL HARDWARE/GARDEN SUPPLY STORE, WHICH I SOLD IN 1987.  IN TODAY'S DOLLARS SALES PER SQUARE FEET AVERAGED ABOUT $ 600; THE OVERALL AVERAGE IN 2015 FOR HARDWARE STORES WAS $ 176. Of course, the store was situated in an affluent market, but other influences … Continue reading Bill Britton: “Retail’s Seismic Shift.”