I have a home business where I sell flowers. It's at rank 7 and I think this weirdness started after rank 3 or so. The problem is that the customers just stand in the street and don't come in. There's usually only 1 sim that comes in and buys something, and there might come another one after him, but never one of those who just stand there.
It's not just this business, it has happened to me earlier on other businesses. I don't know about community lot businesses though, never tried those. And if it helps anything, I only have Pescado's hacks.