Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
California: In Korbel, California Redwood issued a WARN saying they will shutdown in February 2015, at least 106 jobs lost! In Burlingame, Mills-Peninsula Health issued a WARN saying they will render 67 employees jobless by February 2015. Ireland based drug maker Actavis took over California based Allergan, then issued a WARN saying 200 people in Corona will become jobless! Freedom Communications halted publication of its five months old Los Angeles Register. Company administrators refused to say how many got laid off, but an unnamed employee said at least 20 people are now jobless. In Auburn, the owners of pet supply store Pet Xing announced they’re shutting down in January 2015. They described the suck-ass economy thusly “Sometimes life throws you a curve ball.”
Colorado: Denver based WOW cable jacked up service rates then eliminated 270 jobs across the country! At least one irate customer in Kansas was happy, posting online “Hopefully that means they are about ready to sell out and leave Lawrence. It would be too good to be true that another company with better service and lower rates were to come into the area. Competition would be good if more than one company were available for customers to choose from.”
Florida: In West Palm Beach, transportation and warehousing company Metro Mobility issued a WARN saying they’ll layoff 286 people in January 2015!
Illinois: A Panera Bread store shutdown. Company administrators said the city’s recent minimum wage hike, to $13 per hour over the next five years, was the final straw that broke their Beverly store’s back. Rumors say the company will simply open a new store just outside city limits. The owner of Beverly’s Original Rainbow Cone warned she is contemplating a similar decision. In Urbana, after only one year a Kroger owned Ruler Foods discount grocery store shutdown without notice. For some reason Kroger built three Ruler Foods stores in Urbana in the space of two years, apparently that was one too many. Company administrators refused to talk to local news media.
Maine: After 184 years (surviving the Long Depression and the Great [deflationary] Depression, plus numerous recessions) iconic shoe store chain JL Combs now dead! Stores across several New England states to close by January 2015. JL Combs was the oldest shoe store chain in the U.S., company administrators posted this humorous reason why they’re shutting down: “It’s just too damn hard with all this new fangled competition everywhere. And I’m starting to feel a bit tired of working 7 days a week. After all, I’m 184 years old!”
Michigan: After suddenly shutting down all 136 operations in 25 states and Puerto Rico, American Laser Skincare (formerly known as American Laser Centers) now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and liquidating. Some employees reported they were threatened by armed security guards that they had less than two hours to get all their gear and vacate the premises! Many customers pre-paid for skincare services worth thousands of dollars, and will not be getting refunds! Southwest Regional Rehabilitation Center shutting down and killing off 96 jobs due to reduced inpatient care caused by Obama Care: “We wish we weren’t writing the final chapter, but the changing healthcare environment has left us no alternative.”-Jim Hettinger, Board of Trustees
The CEO of the Oaklawn Hospital, Ginger Williams, said people should have seen this coming before Obama Care became law, saying it’s “…an unfortunate, but entirely predictable, consequence of health care reform.”
Minnesota: In Rochester, Big Lots is shutting down in January 2015. Local news reports say company administrators refuse to say why. I say Big Lots is a ripoff because I’ve found many of the items I price checked to be much cheaper at first run retailers (at least here in Idaho)! By the way, Big Lots exited the Canadian market in 2013, a portent of things to come for U.S. retailers wanting to do business in the Great White North?
Missouri: In Kansas City, 65 years old Golden Ox steak restaurant shutdown. News reports said the owner wanted to retire, but could his retirement have been influenced by the skyrocketing prices of beef?
Nevada: Not even one month after re-opening, the Laughlin River Lodge laid off 10% of its employees, blaming the suck-ass economy: “Once we opened up, the gaming was solid but it’s not been solid enough to overcome the shortfalls on the hotel and somewhat on the food and beverage side. We’re just not getting the occupancy we need to make those parts of our division able to pay all that payroll.”-Steve DesChamps, general manager
New York: In NYC, Aéropostale announced they are shutting down 75 stores before the end of 2014! That’s about 25 more than what was originally planned. Administrators blame their crashing-n-burning sales. Also in NYC, restaurant operator RA Herald Square-Patina Restaurant Group issued a WARN saying they will close in February 2015, supposedly for remodeling, 89 jobs affected. For the second time this year State Department of Labor administrators announced they must render their own employees jobless. The number of people being laid off in this latest round of job cuts was not disclosed, but news reports say in the first round 67 people lost their jobs and 215 were pushed to part time work only. State administrators blame “cuts in federal funding”.
North Carolina: British empire United Kingdom based legal drugs pusher GlaxoSmithKline announced 900 job losses at the Research Triangle Park! Morehead Memorial Hospital laid off 22 people, and reduced the work hours for another 160! WFMY News 2 reported that hospital administrators directly blame Obama Care. Sykes Enterprises issued a WARN saying they’re consolidating call centers, 226 jobs lost!
Ohio: In Waverly, 78 years old Lake White Club restaurant shutdown. After months of spending money on renovations, the bad economy forced the current owners to put the restaurant up for auction in October, but nobody bid on it. In Trotwood, the Hara Arena announced layoffs due to the suck-ass economy. Local news reports say the 50 years old arena now has only 12 employees.
Pennsylvania: After 80 years, female clothing chain store Deb Shops (aka DEB) now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.
Texas: Wiley College laid off 16 employees and furloughed others due to DSS (what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome) and crashing donations. The Woodlands based Huntsman Corporation announced it will eliminate 900 jobs! It’s connected to the takeover of competitor Rockwood Holdings.
Virginia: In King George, after 18 years the owner of Howard’s Bakery & Restaurant announced they will shutdown after Xmas. Local news reports said the owner blamed the past three years of suck-ass sales.
Wisconsin: In Madison, after 22 years Jolly Bob’s Caribbean restaurant shutdown. The owner, Tim Erickson, blamed the lack of economic recovery: “The last five years have been really difficult, not that the first 17 years were easy, but especially the last five years have been really tough. And I’m not a young man anymore.”
01-02-december-2014: …kills off 30-thousand+ jobs joins mass-exodus from obama’s home state…
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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.