AOL had a great feature today on ten industries that will probably go extinct within the next ten years. As I scrolled through these industries, it made me sullen to realize that a lot of childhood memories revolve around some of these and it will be sad to see them go. Some will transition into antiques, and some into eBay collectibles, but the days of the internet-free industries are numbered. See what I mean (as originally provided by entrepreneur.com):

1. Record Stores: Record stores are closing in, well, record numbers. One of the most prominent music retailers, Tower Records, shut down all 89 stores last year after concluding it couldn't withstand online music stores and chains like WalMart, which can offer lower prices and sell other items to offset the smaller number of CDs being sold.
Odds of Survival in 10 Years: Great, if you consider WalMart a record store.

2. Camera Film Manufacturing: From May 2006 to May 2007, the volume of prints made from digital cameras grew by 34 percent. Film camera sales fell by 49 percent, while digital camera sales continued to grow – by 5 percent. Of American Internet users, 70 percent own a digital camera.
Odds of Survival in 10 Years: Some entrepreneurs who specialize in making camera film for amateur photographers could possibly make a living.

3. Crop Dusters: The number of crop dusters is dwindling, and the profession can be dangerous. Just several weeks ago, an Arkansas crop dusting company was ordered to stop flying in Iowa after spraying farm workers with a fungicide.
Odds of Survival in 10 Years: Farmers say they'll always need crop dusters, but commercial airlines are increasingly taking business away from the small, independent companies.

4. Gay Bars: Around the country, gay bars have been going out of business as gay men and women have been gaining greater acceptance in society. What used to be a hangout for people who felt unwelcome elsewhere is becoming less necessary.
Odds of Survival in 10 Years: As with many industries, the very best of them will endure; the rest won't.

5. Newspapers: The numbers have been falling precipitously since the 1990s when the Internet came on the scene. In the past year, the Audit Bureau of Circulations twice has posted drops averaging 2.1 and 2.8 percent over six-month periods. Newsrooms across the country have been hemorrhaging staff.
Odds of Survival in 10 Years: They won't disappear; they'll be on the Internet.

6. Pay Phones: In 1997, there were more than 2 million pay phones in the U.S.; now there are approximately half as many. There are probably always going to be certain places like airports and hotels that offer pay phones, as long as there are people who don't own or can't afford cell phones.
Odds of Survival in 10 Years: They'll be around, but won't be anything to call home about.

7. Used Bookstores: Those that are still open are relying on what's making them obsolete: the Internet. A used bookstore used to be the place to find that beloved, out-of-print children's book you used to read 17 times a day. Now just type that title in a search engine and order it within minutes.
Odds of Survival in 10 Years: Some of them will still be eking out an existence, but the handwriting is on the wall.

8. Piggy Banks: You may chuckle, but as we continue gravitating towards a paperless society, it's not difficult to imagine a day when piggy banks no longer exist.
Odds of Survival in 10 Years: Sure, there will probably still be a few around – in antique shops.

9. Telemarketing: The good news is that the industry may finally be dying; the bad news is that it may take a while. Telemarketing has been hit hard by the national Do-Not Call list that was established five years ago. However, this is set to expire in 2008, unless you remember to register again.
Odds of Survival in 10 Years: They'll be here. Humbled, more impotent, but probably still here.

10. Coin-Operated Arcades: For those of you who thought arcades were already dead, they still exist – at movie theaters, miniature golf courses and other touristy spots – but it seems only a matter of time before they vanish from the landscape. Ten years ago, there were 10,000 arcades in the nation, and now the number is close to 3,000. Odds of Survival in 10 Years: Game over.

My conclusion to this blog: If you like arcade games, piggy banks, records, or anything of that sort, it might be time to head to your local antique store and find some great items that might not be as common in the foreseeable future. Be sure to show them off on iTaggit!