I am in a "top 20" US city and all of these things are in extreme decline.
I think it’s more likely that your experience is the unique one. Or you’re not experiencing the activities you’re not attending.
More than half of the office buildings downtown are empty, and the ones that do have something only have a business in a handful of offices on a handful of floors.
Because of that, people started moving away because of lack of nearby jobs.
As people moved away, rents increased in both commercial and residential spaces to cover losses.
Library attendance and checkouts are way down.
Public transportation use is down.
Tax revenue in the city is down, which means less support for public services.
It's fucking awful.
If you do actually go to a bar or club, you'll even notice nobody is dancing. People don't even dance anymore.
But if you don't want to believe me, we do actually have statistics. Young people are drinking less than ever and having less sex than ever. Maybe that's a good thing, maybe not, but if people aren't fucking and drinking - why would they be going to bars? To play Scrabble?
More bars and restaurants over all but each sees less traffic still means more people going out than before.
Take any European city. The old core of specialized shops and people working trades has been replaced with social venues.
Where I'm sitting, there are no social places, just corporate hellscapes. You're correct, mom and pop is gone. But it's replaced by big chains, who want you in and out and give nothing to their community.,
