> stores ... that also serve as community centers ...
Historically, public markets have also provided a platform for important non-commercial informal civic interactions. The review section of e.g. Amazon doesn't seem to cut it.
Yes and no. When my family immigrated to US when I was a teenager, I was struck by the role played by the local 7/11 (!) and strip mall as the hang out place for the suburban kids. There was literaly no where else in the suburbs. So yes, not exactly an "agora" but better than nothing.
