In February, The Sag Harbor Express talked to Main Street business owners in the village and made a startling discovery.

While the summer of 2024, post-COVID, was generally considered the busiest in Sag Harbor’s history, with crowds of people flocking to the business district daily — the businesses did not experience a similar boost. Sales were largely flat, or even slightly down from historical levels. Even some restaurants are struggling.

Foot traffic used to be gold for businesses in a village like Sag Harbor. Why are people not shopping like they used to?

It’s a symptom of a larger trend: More and more businesses, including many in Sag Harbor, are moving from a brick-and-mortar retail operation to more of an online presence — in some cases, exclusively. Is that the future of retail in villages like Sag Harbor?

Our Express Sessions event on April 24 brought together business owners and others to discuss the trends to make sense of both the future for storefronts and the possible digital future of many businesses.