Incomplete list of announced closings & layoffs.

Computer giant IBM warned (again) of massive layoffs.  It’s part of the company’s quarterly downsizing.

California: In San Francisco, reports that video game maker Blizzard Entertainment is laying off employees.  Two long time successful Whiskey Creek restaurants were shutdown in the cities of Mammoth and Bishop, 100 jobs lost!.  The owner blamed shenanigans by creditors, as well as recent wild fires that killed business.  Local Mammoth and Bishop residents told local news media they were getting tired of hearing bad economic news.  In San Jose, PF Changs China Bistro shutdown, 66 jobs lost.  In Turlock, Emanual Medical Center-Brandel Manor & Cypress of Emanual shutdown, 1354 jobs lost!  In Roseville, Abercrombie Kids shutdown, 55 jobs lost.   In Daly City, Joe’s Westlake Restaurant shutdown, 105 jobs lost!

Georgia:  The Gap clothing store shutdown in the Arbor Place Mall.

Illinois: In Kirkland, Five Star Dollar store shutting down in February.

Indiana: The owner of upscale Hawthorns Golf & Country Club now bankrupt.  The owner claims to be in debt by as much as $100-million USD!  In South Bend, three of the city’s Code Enforcement officers being laid off.  Due to shrinking tax revenues, city offices are being consolidated.

Iowa: What housing market recovery?  In Dubuque window and door maker, Jeld-Wen, shutting down a factory.  52 jobs lost in March.

New Jersey: In Metuchen, To Be Continued bookstore shutdown.  The store owners blame the property owner: “The landlords need a certain amount of money, and we just can’t afford it.”-Sergio Gonzalez, co-owner

New York: In NYC, after 55 years The Famous Oyster Bar shutdown. The restaurant owners pasted a big sign on their door blaming the property owner: “This restaurant has been here since 1959 and will be closing at the end of the weekend due to exorbitant rent prices.”

Tennessee: Green Door Trading shutdown, the owners said they needed to “downsize”.  In Cookeville, God refused to stop the Christian owned Family World Bookstore from shutting down in March.

Texas:  In Houston, Walmart shutdown their Más Club warehouse store, 153 jobs lost!

Vermont: In Brattleboro, after 28 years the town’s last video rental store, First Run Video, shutdown.

Virginia:  In Richmond, after 30 years the Pink women’s clothing store shutdown.  The owner said the economy dictated that the store had outlived itself.

24 January 2014:  Thousands of Sam’s Club jobs killed! 

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.

“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013