Gold is hot these days. Not so much in fashion or decor (unless, of course, you're a Middle Eastern oil potentate or super classy like Donald Trump), but very much so as an investment or hedge against the approaching paper currency-absent zombie apocalypse. As such, the gold buying business is booming, and bringing a small glimmer of light to the generally dark world of retail real estate. Example: an Atlanta gold-buying operation is going to add 13 new stores in Georgia this year to its current total of 55 already in the state. We're not economists, but the idea that one of the few current areas of retail business growth depends on portions of the American public hocking family heirlooms (or just their last quasi-liquid assets) to hold onto homes or credit or Christmas or life strikes as a wee bit corrosive.
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