Economy
In World's Finance Centers, Small Businesses Face a Tough Future
- Flexible office hours hit businesses that rely on foot traffic
- Many are closing down even as companies slowly reopen
Photographer: Hollie Adams/Getty Images
In the world’s financial centers, Thursday is the new Friday.
As ranks of office workers begin to return after months of lockdowns and working from home, the new pattern of commuting is imperiling thousands of small businesses in central business districts that relied on a steady flow of customers from Monday to Friday to cover expensive downtown rents and turn a profit.