Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
Arkansas: In Paragould, after 33 years The Treasure House being forced to shutdown by August, the owner lamented “…how I will now make a living?”
California: In Oakhurst, popular Grocery Discount Center shutting down in August. It’s blamed on the death of one of the owners. Locals say the business will be missed: “I have watched them feed the poor, pray for the hurting … it’s like a family here …”-Debra Burnett
Colorado: Premier Bank has been seized by the FDIC, assets turned over to United Fidelity Bank.
Connecticut: Fairfeild based GE (General Electric) has eliminated hundreds of jobs since the beginning of the year on the grounds that revenues are going down, as well as selling off its financial ops, yet that hasn’t stop it from paying ‘investors’ $50-billion in dividends and buybacks, and now GE is about to spend $13.5-billion USD on the take over of electricity generation from France based Alstom: “We like this deal. It is our intention to really close the deal.”-Jeff Immelt, ceo
It sounds like GE’s true reason for eliminating hundreds of jobs and selling off sections of the company was all about raising cash to buyback stocks and takeover other companies.
Illinois: In Lincoln Park, after 36 years iconic dance club Neo lost its lease and is looking for a new home. However, don’t blame the club owners, the property owners swear they offered Neo a “big drop” in rent in exchange for the dance club cleaning up its act: “You would go in and there was all kinds of dust and cobwebs and there were rats coming up in the floor behind the bar. I’ve got tenants upstairs who pay quite a lot of money in rent. You can’t have a shit-hole downstairs! It’s not fair to everybody else in the building.”-John Crombie, property owner
Louisiana: After 52 years clothier Belk Tallywood shutdown, 27 employees are supposedly being transfered to other Belk stores.
Minnesota: In Saint Paul, after 30 years the 7th Street Tavern shutting down by the end of the month. It’s blamed on crashing sales due to crashing customer traffic at the mini-mall location. Near Hastings, after about 60 years The Point restaurant shutdown. It’s been sold to convenience store/gas station operator SSG, who already owns the surrounding land. Maplewood based 3M just eliminated another 51 jobs across the country, but this time it’s not military contract jobs. 3M is consolidating their filtration products business.
New York: In Elmsford, Pets Alive announced they must shutdown their animal shelter, blaming rising costs of operations and crashing revenue. In Potsdam, after 37 years outdoor clothing and equipment store Wear On Earth shutting down by August. Co-owner Shannon Klein said current business laws/regulations now work against mom & pop stores: “The business [Wear on Earth] is based on being owner-operated. There is no business left when the owner can’t do it anymore. What was transferred to us cannot be transferred to a future owner due to changes in the industry during the time we owned the business…”
Ohio: In Genoa, after 61 years family owned Samsen Furniture and Design shutdown, it’s being replaced with a new franchise operation. In Merle Hay, the 45 years old Earl May garden center forced to shutdown due to “…we lost our lease and will not be able to continue at this location.” On Buckeye Lake, both The Copper Penny and the Sailor Joe’s restaurants shutting down. The owner blames it on crashing water levels in the channels that feed the lake, caused by state administrators who supposedly did it to make repairs to a dam. The owner regrets buying the restaurants just a few years ago: “They didn’t take away just the boating; they’re messing with people’s lives!….80% of our business is boats…”-Jeff Reed
Texas: In Corpus Christi, supplier to public and private schools Rainbow Books shutting down after 31 years. The owners are selling it to help fund their retirement, but they hope they can find a buyer who will continue the business.
Wisconsin: In Superior, Too Big to Jail banks forcing Norm’s Beer & Brats to shutdown by refusing to renew the mortgage (debt financing). The owner hopes to find a new location soon.
17 July 2015: “…it’s all about money now.”
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”