While thinking about retail trading hours the other day, it occurred to me again that the relative decline in traditional corner stores means that arguments in favour of maintaining trading hours restrictions are much less compelling. Across Australia there has been a general trend towards incorporated enterprises and there are fewer unincorporated small businesses with employees, such as the traditional mum-and-dad corner store (see chart for Queensland below). It’s much harder to be sympathetic towards the IGA chain than it would be to be sympathetic to a traditional corner store.