Architecture and nostalgia share a special relationship. Designs trends and building techniques that thrived during their heyday may not receive the same response decades later. However, one must not underestimate the following of these seemingly "outdated" designs. As the world continues to transition into a hyper-digital world, can nostalgia save the livelihood of retail shops and of retail design overall?

Kelsey Lawrence of The New York Times recently wrote an article addressing the public's attempt to preserve and cherish the quickly vanishing presence of retail spaces and big-box stores. According to Lawrence, forums and private discussion groups on Reddit and Facebook have attempted to catalog and archive these fading brick-and-mortar spaces. In addition to highlighting curated images and stories, forums like "Off the Rack" on Facebook and "r/RetailNews" on Reddit also present a display of forgotten or dwindling existences of big-box retailers, fast food restaurants, and other retail shops. 

"Now many of us shop from the comfort of our homes, a shift that has in part led to retailers shutting their doors across the United States," Lawrence writes, adding, "Industry professionals and analysts say the physical retail space shows few signs of growth, which means some rites of brick-and-mortar commerce could also be lost."

Throughout the article, Lawrence highlights the comments people have shared and their reactions to the new wave of digital marketplaces and re-designed shops. Grady Ellis, creator of All Retail on Facebook and blog Ellispedia shares with Lawrence, "If you notice now, just about all of these restaurants and shopping centers look the same."