Answer:
My impression would be that it is a run down or poorer area. Closed shops give off a feeling of unfriendliness and find of a small town feel. With no chain stores there is probably no one who needs them or they didn’t think it would be a good idea to put one in. Building proper up would make you think that they don’t have the money to get it repaired or it’s abandoned. This usually means it doesn’t have rich or well off people living in them. Probably students or people without good jobs in an expensive city like Seattle or Los Angeles.