The corner shop is also a cornerstone of pop culture: The cosy setting of a corner shop is often part of soap operas, sitcoms and movies as the centre spot for gossip.

The corner shop also shows the vital role of immigrant shopkeepers. TV newsreader Babita Sharma's book, The Corner Shop, is a real account of her own British Asian family owning and running a Reading shop.

Under 'normal' circumstances, the family-run corner shop often provides groceries, hardware supplies, a deli, a video rental, and a newsagent. When the pandemic began, these mom and pop stores were part of organising supplies and provisions for those in need.

"The things ...