I've noticed a lot of nail salons, barber shops, cheap takeout places, and similar somehow managing to stay afloat despite being located in low-income areas wit

I've noticed a lot of nail salons, barber shops, cheap takeout places, and similar somehow managing to stay afloat despite being located in low-income areas with little foot traffic (in Manhattan). They're also usually empty. Is there some common situation where store owners can enjoy extremely low rent? Or is it common for people to inherit commercial space? Or perhaps these places are changing owners behind the scenes. *The author does claim these businesses thrive because "you won’t find their services on Amazon", but he's probably referring to the shops with customers.