City centers: photography
City centers are changing rapidly. Local services are declining, vacant premises are increasing, and tourism-oriented functions are on the rise. The effect is a loss of quality of life for residents and workers, less social oversight, and a perception of insecurity. Identifying the causes and mapping the levers of regeneration is the first step in bringing proximity, services, and community back to the center.
Local commerce is a lever of urban quality. Where it survives, streets are more lively, perceived safety increases, and property values rise. At the same time, many traditional businesses are declining, while accommodation and catering are advancing, driven by tourist flows and conversions of use. The loss is not uniform: the capitals of the Center-North have recorded more marked contractions than many cities in the South.
The phenomenon in numbers and data
Between 2012 and 2024, almost 118,000 brick-and-mortar stores closed; in 2012, there were over 468,000, and in 2024, there were approximately 350,000. At the same time, tourism, hospitality, and part of the restaurant industry grew.
The sectors experiencing the greatest decline in historic centers are: fuel distributors, bookstores and toy stores, furniture and hardware stores, and clothing stores. Pharmacies and electronics stores are relatively resilient.
There is regional heterogeneity: declines of over 30% in cities such as Ancona, Gorizia, Pesaro, Varese, and Alessandria. Some areas in the south are better able to contain the loss.
The new players: foreign-owned businesses and employment are growing in the retail, accommodation, and catering sectors. A channel for social integration to be considered in policies.
A new form: hybrid spaces
The store is no longer what it used to be. It has evolved into a third place: sales, services, culture, relationships. A hybrid DNA that offers what online cannot: experiences, human contact, roots. The post-pandemic push towards socializing and widespread learning paves the way for multifunctional and community-based formats.
The literature on hybrid spaces suggests integrating commercial functions with workshops, events, neighborhood micro-services, and cultural content. The goal is not to add "events" but to design an ongoing relationship with the community, measuring its impact and sustainability.
Beyond the shop window: designing the customer experience
In-store workshops, micro-courses, neighborhood services, and local editorial content strengthen customer trust and loyalty. Local governments can support this transition by recognizing the social value of such innovations and facilitating permits and small investments.
Applying these solutions means investing in a vibrant and inclusive urban ecosystem. More populated, safer centers that are more attractive to people and businesses. This is where local commerce once again becomes a driver of competitiveness for local areas.
Research developed as part of Upskill Piemonte, third edition, promoted by Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT with Upskill 4.0, in collaboration with Ascom Torino and UniCredit.
Bibliography
Sources: Confcommercio, Tagliacarne Research Center, ANCT, Barcelona Comerç, Vitrines d’Europe, Metropolitan City of Bologna.
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Notes
Fondazione Cariverona is a philanthropic organization that promotes the social, cultural and economic development of the territories of Verona, Vicenza, Belluno, Ancona and Mantua. With a future-oriented vision, the Foundation is committed to supporting initiatives that can generate a positive and lasting impact for the community.
