The conclusion here is : The locations where discount shops have opened will not stay vacant for long because the shops will close down.

Reasoning: Every time a non-discount store opened, it closed down because of competition from Colson's - a non discount store.

But hasn't a discount shop opened right now?

(A) Many customers of Colson's are expected to do less shopping there than they did before the
SpendLess store opened. --> less shopping from a discount/non-discount store? In any case, less shopping does not mean that the shop will close down. - Not so strong a weakener.

(B) Increasingly, the stores that have opened in the central shopping district since Colson's opened have been discount stores. - Ah, what happened to them? have they closed down? No, because the competition here is only from Colson's - a discount store.

(C) At present, the central shopping district has as many stores operating in it as it ever had. --> Wow, Thanks for the info. Does not help weaken but.

(D) Over the course of the next fi ve years, it is expected that Goreville's population will grow at a faster rate than it has for the past several decades. --> Ok. So? Does not mean that they will all shop. - Does not help.

(E) Many stores in the central shopping district sell types of merchandise that are not available at either SpendLess or Colson's. --> Ok. Thanks for the info again. But no help.

So, IMHO, (B)

What is the OA?

OA B

1 Doubt against OG
E) Many stores in the central shopping district sell
types of merchandise that are not available at
either SpendLess or Colson's.
OG says this sttmnt doesnt say whether stores will close or not
But if stores sell types of merchandise that are not available at
either SpendLess or Colson's , why would they close down.
I eliminated E because of the presence of `Many