Introduction

While numerous countries around the globe imposed severe restrictions on their people's freedom of movement in response to COVID-19, the world watched as Sweden took a different approach. Sweden avoided a nationwide mandatory lockdown, choosing instead to formulate a response strategy relying more heavily on individual responsibility and expert knowledge from government agencies (Regeringen, 2020). This unique strategy may have benefited the economy in a variety of ways; however, public life on the street has changed dramatically. As a consequence, a large proportion of street-based economic activities have been significantly affected. The impact of this anti-lockdown strategy for already vulnerable small business owners in the inner city of Stockholm may deepen urban inequalities.

The Minister of Finance expects the economy of Sweden to shrink, although the economic establishments that require physical contact or social interaction, such as hairdressers, hotels, and restaurants, should be ultimately less affected compared to other countries (Erdbrink and Anderson, 2020). As Swedes are able to roam freely while following their country's guidelines, the economic damage has been expected to be somewhat limited. The elevated death toll raised concerns about whether the strategy was chosen to prioritize economic benefit over public health (Goodman, 2020). Sweden's GDP for Q2 2020 turned out to be more positive than that of other European countries. However, other Scandinavian countries that have enforced stricter lockdowns are currently less economically affected (Eurostat, 2020). In Sweden, these strategic responses have been led by health authorities and experts, granted independent power to make decisions usually in the hands of politicians. Culturally, Sweden has a tradition of communicating recommendations rather than imposing restrictions. Sufficient support for government's decisions on the part of Sweden's population reflects high trust in the authorities as well as in its fellow citizens (Erdbrink and Anderson, 2020).

Inevitably, the recommendations for people to stay home, keep distant, and work from home have greatly impacted smaller independent businesses (Lifvendahl, 2020). These businesses are of particular interest because they contribute to a neighborhood's identity and are celebrated for generating socio-spatial value as ‘third places’. Therefore, Stockholm serves as a unique case to study how the anti-lockdown strategy has challenged business owners who operate through storefronts. For instance, the solidarity initiative to ‘support your local’ has created a paradoxical tension with the government's instructions to ‘stay home’.