“we were hit so hard…we can’t recover”: U.S. retail/banking/service sector collapse, December 2018

Incomplete list of U.S. retail/banking/service sector job loss WARNings and store shutdowns made or announced in December 2018:

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

ALABAMA: After 20 years Hobby Town of Auburn shutting down: “I know it’s the sign of the times, but the internet has not helped us much. I can’t blame it all on that. The economy for a while wasn’t good; cellphones, Amazon, mail order. It wasn’t helping us much.”-Steve Ziegler, owner

ARIZONA: Taxpayer owned Glen Lakes Golf Course shutting down as the city leaders need to sell the land

God’s own YMCA to close downtown Mesa location amid The Rapture, I mean declining membership

ARKANSAS: Lane’s Gifts and Collectibles shutting down due to the health problems of the owners

CALIFORNIA: Interviewing Service of America issued a shutdown WARN for its ops in Lancaster, 58 jobs gone by February 2019. BARD Associates issued a layoff WARN, 76 jobs in Torrance gone by February 2019. Renovate America issued a layoff WARN, 71 jobs in San Diego gone by February 2019. Tahoe Club Employee Company issued a shutdown WARN, 277 jobs in Truckee gone by February 2019 (local news reports say the owner has pumped $14-million of his own money into trying to keep the money pit open, but is now broke)! Bridgeview Bank Mortgage revealed it eliminated 43 jobs in November. Gas station Aisle 1 issued layoff WARNs for six locations, at least 74 jobs gone by February 2019. Abercrombie & Fitch issued a shutdown WARN for its Rolling Hills store. Debt collector Account Control Technology issued a layoff WARN for its Bakerfield ops, 88 jobs gone by the end of February 2019.

San Francisco’s oldest department store, Gump’s, is closing its doors after 157 years in business

San Francisco based Gymboree shutting down all its Crazy 8 childrens’ clothing stores

The Gap is closing its store in downtown SLO

Marshalls Jewelers is closing after 129 years in SLO

Petco closing at the Santa Barbara Plaza

Plato’s Closet shutdown in Bakersfield

Randolph Jewelers closing after 166 years

Oklahoma based Gateway Mortgage Group is closing eight retail outlets in California and laying off 25 employees “due to the complexities and uniqueness of the California market”

CONNECTICUT: After 14 years in Cheshire, Pier 1 Imports shutting down

FLORIDA: HotelBeds issued a WARN, 16 jobs gone by February 2019. H.D. Smith issued a WARN, 20 jobs gone by February 2019.

Habitat ReStore is closing 2 Orlando locations

Payless ShoeSource shutdown its Destin location one day before xmas

GEORGIA: Historic Marietta Trolley Company shutting down, the final straw was “Our insurance went up significantly”

Parsons gifts announces closing after 142 years

IDAHO: Shopko closing Boise store not on official shutdown list

Plastic bag ban coming to a store near you?

ILLINOIS: Marshalls issued shutdown WARNs for two Chicago stores, more than 1-hundred jobs gone by February 2019! Bridgeview Bank Mortgage suddenly eliminated 116 jobs due to selling-out to the competition!

After 30 years Little Shop of Papers shutting down, blamed on the internet

Hartley’s Cycle Shoppe will close after 60-plus years, the owner bemoaned “The expenses are greater than the revenue.”

After 30-plus years, Mole Hole closing at Eastland Mall

INDIANA: Debt collector PMAB issued a shutdown WARN, 82 people in Greensburg unable to pay their debts because they’ll be unemployed by March 2019.

Eagle Valley Golf Course being replaced by a school

First Merchants Bank closing 2 Branches

The Dress Barn in the Honey Creek Mall shutting down

USA Gymnastics files for bankruptcy after hefty lawsuits

Interior Objects closing its doors indefinitely.

KENTUCKY: Camping World-Gander Outdoors shutdown its Paducah location without warning or explanation

MARYLAND: Marshalls shutting down its Mondawmin Mall store, no reason given

Ann Marie’s Hallmark, in the Perry Hall Square shopping center, shutting down when the inventory is gone

After 30 years Fast Break Sports shutdown

MASSACHUSETTS: Big Lots shutting down its Greendale Mall store

Berkshire Blanket shutting down an outlet store

Payless Shoes closing at Swansea Mall

After 70 years upscale Shack’s Fine Clothing shutting down

MICHIGAN: Alutiiq Professional Services’ new state taxpayer funded contract will result in 25 people losing their jobs (according to the WARN).

The Hobbit Place lawn and garden business shutting down after 40 years

Upscale clothing store The Broadway shutting down when its high-end $1-million worth of merchandise is sold, or whenever the new property owner demands it

McFarland Foss funeral home closing after 87 years

MINNESOTA: Cherrydale Fundraising eliminating 20 jobs in January 2019. Shopko issued layoff WARNs for three locations, at least 45 jobs gone between now and March 2019.

Traditions Classic Home Furnishings is closing after 31 years

The Goodwill store that has served the Cloquet area for 30 years shutdown three days before xmas

Plymouth based womens’ clothing store Christopher & Banks closing up to 40 stores

MISSISSIPPI: Tupelo Automobile Museum plans to sell all 178 vehicles

MISSOURI: Kansas City based Beauty Brands shutting down 25 stores: “This year has proven to be a tough year for our business despite our efforts…”

NEBRASKA: Beauty Brands closing Lincoln location

NEW YORK: Bankrupt Clarus Linen System issued shutdown WARNs for several locations, 340 jobs gone by March 2019! Fitness company Iowa Consultants-Manhattan Plaza eliminating 146 jobs by March 2019!

British empire United Kingdom based Barclays issued a ‘second wave’ layoff WARN, 367 jobs gone by the end of March 2019, as part of the Too Big to Jail bank’s plans to Escape from New York (once Barclays finally clears out to New Jersey, New York City will have lost several thousands of jobs as a direct result, apparently Barclays employs more than 5-thousand people at its NYC locations)!

After 42 years Gee’s Auto Repair shutdown due to the owner’s health problems: “We are still trying to get someone to buy the business. It is up for sale at this time and we’re ready to negotiate.”

After 15 years Comic Depot shutdown due to not being able to find a new owner

After 68 years Costa’s gift shop shutdown due to the death of the owner

An eight years old Party City store shutting down

Bong’s Jewelers closing its doors after 126 years

dance music club Output shutdown with a complicated explanation essentially blaming everything for negatively affecting the economy: “A confluence of factors contributed to the club’s misfortune; rapidly shifting social trends, unfavorable market conditions, and weakening financial outlooks coincided with the simultaneous emergence of multiple existential challenges…”

After 62 years iconic used car dealership John C. Miller shutdown, the owner saying saying “The competition’s heavy”

Musical instrument String Shoppe closing after 52 years

California based clothing store GAP shutdown in Colonie Center

Stage Stores shutting down four Peebles stores in New York

NORTH CAROLINA: Chapel Hill based Performance Bicycle closing 102 stores

Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo closing a Cameron Village branch

OHIO: Bridgeview Bank Mortgage suddenly laid off 97 people.

After 29 years Blue Manatee Children’s Bookstore could be forced to shutdown

God’s own thrift store Disciple Shop shutdown, saying “we do not have the financial capacity to continue”

OREGON: Ollie Damon tackle shop shutdown after 73 years

PENNSYLVANIA: After 37 years Dallas Centre Hardware shutdown, the past couple of years of ‘recovered economy’ were the worst they experienced: “Financially we were hit so hard that we can’t recover from it.”-Michele Geise

Burlington Coat Factory to close at Uniontown Mall

After 69 years Moyer Jewelers suddenly shutdown

Carpenters Corner Antiques shutdown after 14 years

God powerless to stop three churches from shutting down

SOUTH CAROLINA: Sexist female only bike seller Pedal Chic halting brick-n-mortar ops and selling online only

Iconic Stroman Appliance closing after 47 years: “We are closing because of retirement and dwindling economy…”

SOUTH DAKOTA: Gustaf’s Greenery shutdown, the owner blamed health problems and the internet, adding that “42 years slips by real fast”

TEXAS: Bankrupt Samuel’s Diamonds shutting down

VIRGINIA: Janitor contractor Southeast Services Corporation issued a shutdown WARN, 134 jobs gone in Richmond, by the end of January 2019!

Co-founded by husband and wife international dance team American True Value Hardware Store, in Chesapeake, shutdown after 45 years

Family Dollar in Lynchburg is closing.

Petco to close in Danville

WISCONSIN: Ashwaubenon based Shopko to shutdown 39 stores

Blick Art Supplies East Side shop forced to shutdown by property re-development

Laacke & Joys sporting goods store closing after 170 years in business

Abercrombie & Fitch suddenly shutdown its massive store in the center of the Fox River Mall

U.S. RETAIL/BANKING/SERVICE SECTOR COLLAPSE, November 2018:“YOU DON’T REALLY MAKE A LOT OF MONEY”

Sears-Kmart death spiral, December 2018: “NOW THEY NEED A JOB.” “EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!”

U.S. HI-TECH/COMMUNICATIONS BREAKDOWN, December 2018: “UNFORTUNATELY OUR RENT IS TOO HIGH”

U.S. FOOD CRISIS, December 2018: ‘BRINK OF EXTINCTION’

U.S. INDUSTRIAL/LOGISTICS/MINING LAYOFFS, December 2018: “THE YOUNGER GENERATION…THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND”