Here’s my initial list of things that will largely disappear in the next decade. Sure, you can still find buggy whips in certain places, but they don’t permeate the market like they did 100 years ago.
- Wristwatches – who needs them when everyone carries a cell phone?
Alarm clocks – ditto- Video rental stores – Can you say, “bye-bye Blockbuster?”
- Film – remember Fotomat’s? Forget largely any kind of film for photography and the equipment that goes with it.
- CDs – the music and data storage disks, not the investment option. Not sure if I am thrilled about his one. Seems like every time I get all my crap transferred onto a new storage medium it goes out of date. Everything’s going digital or to the cloud, wherever the heck that is?
- Chain bookstores – personally, I am sad about this one. Love wandering through a good bookstore. Used and niche bookstores will remain, but the chains are being replaced by electronic options.
- College bookstores – same reason, but I won’t miss the price ripoffs, especially on returns.
- Daily newspapers - neighborhood-oriented and specialty ones may remain, as well as national publications like the New York Times, but most small to mid-sized cities will have none.
- SUVs – the sooner the better for these gas hogs.
- Schedule planners and non-photographic calendars – who needs them in our electronic world?
- Dial-up internet – sorry AOL hanger’s on, time to join the 21st century.
- Phone books – despite how many they pile up at your doorstep.
- Land lines for homes. Haven’t had one for a year myself. Still may be necessary for work.
- Keys – with electronic door locks, keys may all but disappear for many uses. This prediction will not be true for Florida where they have many lovely keys dotting its coastline. : )
- Key chains – ditto.
Rick Brown
