The fact the store is closing but, not the market isn’t something you can pretend away.
The guy has no control over pricing of books and mags.
He does have control over pricing on food and will keep that business a going concern so long as.....wait for it.......
“So long as it is profitable”.
Without profit you cannot keep the doors open.
It’s mathematically not possible.
What does an employer end up paying for an employee to get the $15/hr min wage? Gotta be around $19 an hour, with their “contributions” to payroll taxes.