I hate people and crowds, but I enjoy a trip to Target/Walmart/Costco when they're not busy. Hell, I even like going to the mall every so often. It's nice to just go and see things in person, especially combining it with a nice beverage/snack/meal. I am a dedicated Amazon shopper, but I don't see myself giving up on retail anytime soon. As fast as Amazon is, it is not instant, and that gratification is important to many folks.

I think HN commenters aren't your typical shopper, so I'd be wary of believing the echo chamber. I bet the average HN commenter also doesn't fall for "luxury" brands or the related "mating displays" which seem to be so important to many people. But there are a lot of people who do like those things. They like to dress up and show off among other members of their species. Retail may shrink, but it isn't going away unless human psychology suddenly undergoes a fundamental change.

My wife just got back from target and remarked how good it felt to be in a store actually browsing. She hasn't really done that for 9 months, aside from quick targeted trips in/out while a bit stressed. She is very excited to just be out next year.

Now, how many retail businesses won't ever open again is the real question. Plenty of small businesses closed and won't re-open and there might be strong hesitation for new businesses to spring up in their place. Sure, target will be fine, but the mom and pops could potentially never come back to the same level. They were already barely making it.

It depends wildly on what the category of item is. Clothes are probably going to a big return to store once things reopen, since fits can be all over the place between or even within stores. (Yes, online experiences offer relatively hassle free returns, but I still consider waiting for a few days only to get something with poor fit or cheap and then waiting for it to be received at returns more painful than just trying on clothes in person.)