Sure, today's commercial market is different than the past's go-go days. It's tougher, causing some people to get so caught up in swirling waves of pessimism that they are blinded to the abundant opportunities. They forget about commercial. Which is a big mistake. Commercial still has life in it for retailers/contractors who work smart and adapt to the changed conditions.
"Spotty" -- that word most often describes the commercial market. Some retailers are matching or even beating last year and the year before. Some are holding even. Others are down. One city is the pits, while less than 100 miles away commercial is thriving. With it all, everything points to the importance of not forgetting about commercial. For numerous short- and long-term reasons, it represents a good profit center today and it will be even more so as the economy strengthens.