Incomplete list of announced United States food supply shutdowns for the month of February, 2017: Many food suppliers/distributors are consolidating operations and killing jobs due to the collapsing grocery store and restaurant industries, as well as rising costs of food production, spread of disease and extreme weather.

Alabama:  Wintzell’s Oyster House suddenly shutdown its six years old Huntsville restaurant with only a one day notice, no reason given.

Arizona: Marana Hooters shutdown not by protesters, but by a $148-million USD state taxpayer funded road project.  Local news reports say the road project will block both access points to the restaurant.

California: Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop shutdown its five years old Vista location with only a one day notice to customers, blaming the landlord without giving details.  In Oak Park, after 28 years Louie’s shutting down by the end of March.  The location is for sale to help fund the owners’ retirement.  In Irvine, after more than 30 years Prego Ristorante forced to look for a new location by greedy landlord, affecting 55 employees.  Texas based Whole Foods Market shutdown their store in Davis due to sales failing to improve.  In Los Angeles, Auntie Em’s Kitchen shutdown, the owner went back to catering (because catering has lower operating costs).

Colorado: Broomfield based Noddles & Company conducting yet another round of restaurant shutdowns, this time 55 starting in April, blaming “negative cash flow”. Noodles & Co. also sold-off $31.5-million USD in stocks to raise cash.

Connecticut: In Middleton, after 80 years Cypress Restaurant shutdown. The owners of the oldest locally owned restaurant say they need to retire.

Florida: Bloomin’ Brands announced it will shutdown 43 Outback Steakhouses across the U.S. due to continued crashing sales.  Bloomin’ Brands reported a $43-million USD loss for its 4th quater of 2016! Bloomin’ Brands has been losing money and shutting down restaurants for years.

Georgia:  Texas based Whole Foods Market shutdown a store in Augusta due to sales failing to improve.

Illinois: After 88 years the Swedish Bakery shutdown due to “Changing times”.    In Loves Park, after more than 40 years Chen’s Cantonese Chef shutdown because the owner says he’s too old to keep running it.  In Chicago, restaurant Three Aces shutdown their seven years old Little Italy location.

Indiana:  In Indianapolis, Pizzology shutdown, the owner will supposedly try a new restaurant theme.

Iowa: In Cedar Rapids, BBQ This! shutdown to be replaced with something “new”.  In Des Moines, after six years Patton’s Restaurant shutdown, the owner is focusing on catering.

Kansas: In Manhattan, Rusty’s bar and Rusty’s Outback shutdown, the owners are now focusing on one operation.

Kentucky:  In Louisville, after 59 years Tim Tam Tavern up for sale as the current owner wants to move on.

Maine: After more than four decades of beef, Town & Country Foods suddenly shutdown its Greene location.

Michigan: Battle Creek based food-maker Kellogg’s shutting down 39 distribution centers affecting at least 1-thousand-1-hundred jobs!  Believe it or not, the food-maker blames its failed attempt to stop Donald Trump for crashing sales!  Combination restaurant-movie theater Alamo Drafthouse Cinema shutting down by April due to the new owner not wanting to renew the lease.

Minnesota: In Saint Paul, Asian-Latin food joint Senior Wong Craft Bar shutdown.

Missouri: In Saint Louis, Monty’s Sandwich shutting down its North Broadway location due to being unable to renew the lease.  Condiment maker French’s Food shutting down their Springfield distribution center, 140 jobs gone starting in April!  The state  Department of Economic Development revealed they’ve known about French’s consolidation plan since January.  In Saint Joseph, after more than 30 years Weidemeir’s Truck Stop shutdown after being put up for sale.

Montana: In Billings, iconic 35 years old restaurant Rex suddenly shutdown, supposedly due to being sold to an employee.  The former owner believes the new owner has plans to re-open Rex.

Nebraska: In Omaha, after only two years Grane Whiskey Dispensary shutdown. Local news reports say the owner is fighting legal claims over alleged unpaid taxes concerning a different booze business.

Nevada: Decades old California based Du-Par’s Restaurant suddenly shutdown its six years old Las Vegas location earlier than publicized.  Local news media reported that it was having problems paying expenses.  Du-Par’s became famous for introducing 99 cent booze.

New York: Christian agnostic Warren Buffet owned Kraft-Heinz issued a shutdown WARN for their cheese ops in Campbell, 380 jobs lost starting at the end of May!  After 91 years Will Foods shutting down the distribution ops in Buffalo, 71 jobs lost between February and the end of March.  “Perishable Prepared  Food” maker Sabra Dipping shutting down their Farmingdale operations, 22 jobs lost between May and June.  Gormet Guru-United Natural Foods issued a shutdown WARN for their Bronx-NYC ops, 77 jobs lost by mid-May.  In NYC, Craftbar Restaurant shutting down at the end of April, 70 jobs lost due to “economic” reasons.  NYC based International Flavors & Fragrances warning of as many as 370 jobs lost over the next two years, because expected sales will not generate enough profit.   In Rochester, after more than a hundred years (surviving the christian imposed prohibition by pretending to be a cigar shop) Dicky’s Bar shutdown.  In Amherst, 27 years old Tandoori’s Royal Indian Cuisine and 17 years old Palm’s Banquets suddenly shutdown. Local news media speculated that the shutdowns are connected to a co-owners 2013 conviction concerning falsified tax returns.  Also in Amherst, TGI Fridays shutdown its decades old Transit Road location, no reason given.  In Brooklyn-NYC, Flatbush Farm shutdown blaming “floods, pests, drought, land use.”

North Carolina:  In Charlotte, after almost 20 years Phat Burrito shutdown, apparently due to losing customer parking spaces due to property re-development.

Ohio: In Fairfield, after 37 years Moon Garden restaurant shutdown, the owners are in their 70s and want to retire. Maumee based agribusiness and farm retailer Andersons shutting down all four stores, laying off 920 people by the end of April!  It’s blamed on millions of U.S. dollars in losses over the past eight years.

Pennsylvania: The Meadville based operator of area Burger Kings and Perkins restaurants, Unique Ventures Group, now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Local news reports says Unique Ventures Group owes $1.8-million USD in state and federal taxes! In Factoryville, Ray’s Supermarket shutdown, it was the only grocery store in the town.  The store manager lamented that doing business in a small town doesn’t pay the bills, saying “This building itself is too small to compete, we`re just too small. For 12 years we`ve been trying to do something to expand in town and there`s not much available, and what is available just is not feasible.”   France based food service contractor Sodexo issued a shutdown WARN for their ‘christian’ Temple University operations, 454 jobs lost by mid-May!   Soda pop seller ShopRite laying off 3-hundred people because sales crashed by 50% due to the city of Philadelphia’s 1.5 cents per ounce tax (on top of existing food taxes)! New Jersey based Canada Dry Delaware Valley eliminating 20% of its jobs in Philadelphia, because their soda sales crashed by 45%, again, due the city of Philadelphia’s 1.5 cents per ounce tax (on top of existing food taxes)!

Tennessee: After only one year and U.S. taxpayer funded incentives to build a $22-million USD factory in Kingsport, British empire Canada owned Pure Foods now chapter 11 bankrupt busted!  The company also promised to hire 275 Tennesseans, but local news media reported that food production at Kingsport was suddenly halted in October 2016 after the Canadian owners suddenly decided to consolidate operations.

Texas: In Houston, Luv Me Tenders shutdown its brick-n-mortar eatery saying it “didin’t make sense” to sign a five years lease.  Luv Me Tenders food trucks will continue to operate.  Austin based Whole Foods Market shutting down at least nine stores due to crashing sales, in stark contrast to last year’s hopeful claim of opening hundreds of new stores!   Without warning Austin based My Fit Foods shutdown all 50 stores! One local news report said some store managers were bold faced lied to about the shutdowns: “Despite other stores closing earlier in the week, upper management had assured Quiroz that her stores selling healthy prepared meals in The Woodlands would remain open. Saturday’s call felt out of the blue, but there were warning signs.”–Houston Chronicle

Vermont:  It was revealed that state tax collectors forced Flanders Market/North Tunbridge General Store/Chelsea’s Pizza House to shutdown in November! The owner of the stores re-opened them in December after settling the taxes, but then suddenly shutdown them all down in January/February, saying “Everything is financial”.

Virginia:  In Lynchburg, the TastyKake Bakery Outlet on Hollins Mill Road suddenly shutdown due to crashing sales.  University of Richmond shutting down its Center for Culinary Arts by June 30, blaming skyrocketing operating costs and crashing student enrollments.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

U.S. Food Crisis, January 2017: “IT’S GETTING TOUGH OUT THERE.”