A thoroughfare with empty shop fronts adorned with faded 'For lease' signs is a clear indication of ill-health.

Stroll down the main street of almost any town in the Riverina at the moment and you will be shocked at the number of vacant premises.

For some towns it simply represents their decades-long decline as people flock to larger centres in search of better jobs and services.

These once-bustling towns have long battled shrinking and ageing populations, with little hope of ever returning to the glory days of years gone by.

For others it is a relatively new phenomenon largely explained away by the recent drought.

Rain will bring money and money will bring investment, giving these towns a chance to bounce back before the damage is terminal.

You expect these smaller places to be susceptible to such seasonal vagaries as the weather or commodity prices, resulting in boom and bust cycles.

But what about Wagga? 

Just why is Wagga's main street filled with so many empty shop fronts at the moment?

A cursory count last week revealed 19 commercial premises listed for rent in the CBD precinct.

Over the last two years there has a worrying number of Baylis Street and Fitzmaurice Street traders close their doors for good.

No doubt there have been a variety of reasons behind their closures.

Some were franchisees who discovered the hard way there are flaws in a one-size-fits-all business model that often makes them ill-suited to operations outside the major cities.

Others simply got squeezed out as consumers changed their buying habits or found a competitor they preferred.

Roll Viet owner Harry Ly has no doubt the drought is impacting on his Baylis Street business, but he also identifies other reasons such as high rents as a significant factor.

There is no easy solution to this dilemma but fortunately we have state and federal elections on the horizon so we can judge which parties have the best policies to attract new businesses and support existing ones. 

One thing is for sure, no one wants to walk up and down a desolate main street.

All the best for the week ahead, Ross.