The holidays could make or break struggling stores by Anne D'Innocenzio, The Associated Press Posted Dec 21, 2020 2:57 pm EDT Last Updated Dec 21, 2020 at 2:58 pm EDT NEW YORK — Clothing stores and specialty retailers are offering big discounts and heavily promoting curbside pickup in hopes of rescuing a lacklustre holiday shopping season in which surging coronavirus cases have kept many shoppers at home. For some, it could be their last chance at survival. And even a last-minute sales boost could be too late to save them. The holiday season, which accounts for about 20% of the retail industry’s annual sales, has always been make-or-break for struggling stores. But it’s even more important this year as they look to make up for sales lost since the pandemic forced them to temporarily close locations.