It seems that the decrease in retail jobs, which has been dubbed the “retail apocalypse,” has not improved. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of nonfarm jobs has decreased by 501,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are 146,400 fewer retails jobs than the bureau previously thought. These job losses can possibly be attributed to private equity, increased automation, and the push to raise the minimum wage.
See "Gloomy labor statistics show that the retail apocalypse was worse than we thought", Business Insider, August 23, 2019