The study of Main Street is the study of commercial real estate and the study of commercial real estate is the study of human nature. Where people go for what particular commerce and why they go there. All this tends to get very scientific when it's really just about people.
People go shopping for a pastime.
It's in part a leisure activity. Matter of fact, that's the problem - they're hanging around the mall, or the new four corners, when they could be hanging around Main Street, at least when it's not raining. But they aren't. Most Main Streets on the Cape are still alive when a lot of small town Main Streets are defunct. There's quite a few people walking around them on summer nights and not much street parking even on winter days.