Mom-and-pop describes a small proprietor-owned store employing only a few workers. Historically, these stores are operated by a husband and wife, typically with no branch stores or maybe just one, and located in large and small communities. In the 1980s, during a wave of large retail store consolidations, many mom-and-pop stores closed. As large retailers turned to private label merchandise to boost profitability, the 1990s ushered in the commoditization of fashion which was the demise of "fashion-oriented" merchandise. Today, the Internet has created a new version called the "online mom-and-pop."
Historical Dictionary of the Fashion Industry. Francesca Sterlacci and Joanne Arbuckle.