Retail Therapy

I know this is one of my favorite subjects about London, so please excuse me if I'm boring you, but it is truly astounding.
My God, the Brits are a nation of shopkeepers.
Especially compared to the US, where nobody even gives it a second thought. (Too risky, not enough money, way way too much competition from big-box stores.) Cities not conducive to shopping is the no. 1 reason though.
Here, at least three new shops have opened up on the High Road and surrounding streets around us (within a couple miles, let's say. Like I told you, the High Road goes on as long as a piece of string here).
It's the new upmarket artisan bakery that really stands out for me though. And the bistro. But let's do the bakery.
Gail's.
Took a big, prime, corner position on the High Road.
Can't even remember what was there before now.
Gorgeous store. Completely done already. Looks like it's been there for years.
Big deep baskets full of freshly-baked bread loaves of all shapes and sizes in the tall gleaming front windows, which are painted red. Gail's has a red theme.
Cute wood tables and chairs with red gingham cushions and cloths.
Full of people already. Families with strollers. Friends chatting over lattes and pastries.
When did Gail's come into being?
In the two weeks, okay maybe three weeks tops, that I haven't been to that corner?
Were lots of industrious people scurrying around planning Gail's while I was at my son's graduation and then in Florida on the beach?
But I hardly got a tan.
Wow.
It's the speed with which they can put together an established-looking store here that astounds me. The sheer optimism of their shop-keeping.
I worry for the new butcher's, though.
Remember last time I was away, a gleaming new butcher opened up right next to the bus stop, which is right across the street from Gail's. (Busy location). We all know butchers are suffering because of supermarkets.
But there it was. Like Gail's, looked like it had been there a decade or so.
For a few weeks, the butcher was full of people too. And four guys in big white butcher hats smiling behind the counter.
Today, there was nobody there.
And only one guy with the hat on. Barely smiling.
Uh oh. Could close soon.
But not for long, I'm thinking.