Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
United Airlines announced it will end flights from Chicago, Illinois, to Topeka, Kansas, in September. It’s blamed on not enough passengers to financially justify the flights.
California: Golden State based Broadcom warned it will layoff at least 25-hundred people in September, most of them Californians! Company officials have been trying to sell off their cell phone service, but nobody wanted to buy it, so now they’re shutting it down. In Fremont, Germany founded scientific equipment maker Bruker Daltonics warned of 78 layoffs in September. In Antioch, decades old Lamothe Cleaners shutdown. The owner says that despite updating to the latest technology, working six days a week and even offering free services, his sales have crashed and burned: “It just became too much.”-Tom Lamothe
Florida: What housing market recovery? In Coral Springs, condo builder Lauren Enterprises now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. In Miami, after 60 years iconic Jumbo’s restaurant shutdown. It was the area’s first ‘white’ owned restaurant to serve ‘black’ customers. Despite surviving years of riots, bad weather and even drunk drivers, the owner says the bad economy finally did him in: “I thought I could get the neighborhood redeveloped, and I couldn’t. I thought because I knew politicians, I thought I could be an influencing factor in getting this neighborhood to turn. It might, now that I sold. I’ve worked seven days a week for 47 years. It’s time.”-Bobby Flam, second generation owner
Idaho: In Boise, Italy owned highway and airport food service company HMS Host (Host Marriott Services Corporation-Autogrill S.p.A.) issued a WARN saying they will kill 79 jobs by the end of September.
Maryland: After 36 years of selling food, Stop Shop Save announced it is shutting down all its Baltimore grocery stores! At one time there were 16 Stop Shop Save stores. Company officials say their sales have crashed from $69.4-million USD in 2004 to $28.1-million in 2013! Despite several dozen gorcery stores in the city, The Balitmore Sun says 1 in 5 residents lack easy access to food shopping, as 40% of the city’s poor have no means of transportation. “It all started so good, was so convenient…..You’re shocked at how things just ended.”-Yvonne Epps, loyal customer
Minnesota: In Twin Cities, nine Roundy owned Rainbow Foods grocery stores shutdown, with little notice. Officials from Roundy said the economy is so bad it can’t support all the grocery stores that are out there.
Missouri: Overland based Build-A-Bear Workshop reported a $4.3-million loss for its 2nd quarter 2014, and they’re happy about it! That’s because at the same time last year they lost $6.2-million! Florida based for profit Anthem Education warned of massive layoffs and the shutdown of its Missouri medical technician campuses if they cannot find new debt financing, or a new owner with lot-o-money! College officials blamed it on a surprise “rapidly deteriorating financial condition”. There was no explanation.
Ohio: In Cleveland, California based Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo shutdown a commercial real estate office.
Pennsylvania: Coraopolis based Dick’s Sporting Goods killed 478 jobs at its Golf Galaxy operation! It’s blamed on crashing sales for golf stuff.
Texas: More Obama Care BS as United Regional Health Care System laid off 14 employees. An anonymous letter to a local newspaper said the affected employees were “certified phlebotomists”. In Dallas/Fort Worth, Bonchon Korean style chicken restaurant shutdown. Reports said it seems there aren’t enough fans of Korean style food in Texas.
Utah: In Salt Lake City, after 13 years two Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill restaurants shutting down at the beginning of August. Company officials blame the bad economy and competition: “It’s based on more competition in the downtown area. We appreciate every one of our guests, but unfortunately over the past few years, there have been fewer and fewer.”-Kennedy Turner
Virginia: What real estate market recovery? In Reston, the largest electrical contractor in the region, Truland Group, now chapter 7 bankrupt busted after ending operations without notice and failing to pay employees (filing for bankruptcy will mean those employees are shit-outa-luck for getting their paychecks). Local news reports said the sudden demise of the company shocked the “commercial real estate industry”. More than 1-thousand jobs lost!
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.
“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