Category Archives: Business/Economics

Business/Economics

Exceptional Failed State: More Sears & Kmart closings! Roll on 2014! Obama regime gives Sears an award! Sears isn’t even the tip of the iceberg in store closings!

14 April 2014 (01:42 UTC-07 Tango)/13 Jumada t-Tania 1435/25 Farvardin 1393/15 Wu-Chen 4712

A 48 years old Kmart to Sears back to Kmart in Kentucky will close in May.  Two Michigan Kmarts closing, one in May and one in June.  A Minnesota Kmart closing in May.  A Pennsylvania Kmart closing on 01 June 2014.  Things aren’t so ‘Niceville’ as a Florida Kmart shuts down in July.

The ignorant environmental NAZIs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have recognized Sears Holdings with a 2014 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award, for reduced electricity usage.  Yeah, if you shutdown enough stores you’re going to use a lot less electricity, it’s a no brainer you EPA dipshits!

But wait, there’s more! Even though Sears holdings is shutting down stores left & right, they’re ranked only number seven out of the top nine companies shutting down stores across the U.S. for 2014.  The top six are: Abercrombie & Fitch, Barnes & Noble, Aeropostale, JCPenney, Office Depot and RadioShack.  Number eight is Mitt Romney’s wunderkind Staples. Number nine is Toys “R” Us.

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings since the end of 2011:

Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost),  Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart.

Delaware:  Dover Kmart (almost 100 jobs lost).

California:   El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (at least 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart,  Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost),  Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost).

Colorado:  Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost),  Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost).

Connecticut:  Waterbury Big Kmart.

Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost),  Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart.

Guam:  Sears Hometown Store.

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost),  Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost),  Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost),  Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), recently revealed Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost).

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost!!!),  Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost),  Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Vacant bedroom/bathroom section.

One corner of the half vacant Chubbuck, Idaho, Sears. No official closing announcement was made.

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost).  No official announcement, but it’s painfully obvious the Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears going’ down. Or, maybe it’s preps for Shop within a Shop, or one of those domestic spy data storage centers?  On 07 November 2013, GGP sold off the Pine Ridge Mall for a paltry $9 million USD.

Ever since the Kmart bankruptcy, this pad site for sale sign has been seen in the Pocatello, Idaho, Big Kmart parking lot. The Kmart is the only building on the lot.

Ever since the Kmart bankruptcy, this pad site for sale sign has been seen in the Pocatello, Idaho, Big Kmart parking lot. The Kmart is the only building on the lot.

Indiana:  Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost).

Illinois:  Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost),  Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost),  Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost),  Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance.   58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale.  By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state.  The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Iowa:  Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost),  Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!),  Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), recently revealed Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart.

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost).

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Sears (80 jobs lost).

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears (115 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed.

Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials,  Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Flint Kmart (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost),  Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), recently revealed Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), recently revealed White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost).

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost),  Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, recently revealed Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost).

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost),  Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall.

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials,  Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost).

New Jersey:  Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart.

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost).

New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost),  Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost), Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost).

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost),  West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost).

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard,  London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost),  Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost),  Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost),  Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost).    Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), recently revealed Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost).

South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost),  both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two),  Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin CoolSprings Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost).

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors.

Utah:  Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon control news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they’re reporting that the building has just been demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost),  Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost).

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost),  Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost),  Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost),  Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost).

On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.

Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)

Minnesota: Apache Mall  (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center (see update above, GGP closing store)

Business/Economics, Idaho, U.S.

More Economic decline for Idaho: Coldwater Creek now busted! All remaining stores to shutdown!

14 April 2014 (00:59 UTC-07 Tango)/13 Jumada t-Tania 1435/25 Farvardin 1393/15 Wu-Chen 4712

On 11 April 2014 (and as I warned back on 11 February 2014) Idaho based women’s clothing retailer Coldwater Creek went Chapter 11, meaning it is now toast, the show is over, all stores to close down!  6-thousand jobs across the United States lost!

It’s blamed on the suck ass economy: “While we are extremely disappointed with this outcome, the company’s declining liquidity position and the challenging retail environment, together with the fact that we have exhausted all other possibilities, requires that we take this action.”-Jill Dean, CEO

More from the slow crash-n-burn of Coldwater Creek:

shuts down first store in 2014!

Coldwater Creek up for sale!

Blames it on climate change

stores to be closed, bankruptcy near

Store closings will continue!

and on and on and on…….just search BBN for Coldwater Creek.

Business/Economics, Idaho

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 26-31 December 2013. Massive shutdowns in New York! Massive fuel refinery shutdowns! Massive healthcare job cuts!

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

California: What housing market recovery?  Property management company Topa laid off at least 13 employees.  Fuel refiner Philips 66 continued its refinery shutdowns, this time 222 people laid off!  School bus contractor Atlantic Express laid off 467 people!  Berkeley Heartlab laid off nine people.  RAS Medical laid off 43 employees.  In San Diego, Phil’s BBQ shutdown, 144 jobs lost!  Moondoggies laid off 52 employees.  Legal drugs pusher Optimer laid off 10 employees.  In Playa Vista, video game maker Electronic Arts (EA) laid off 59 employees.   In Thousand Oaks, biopharmaceutical company Amgen laid off 68 employees.  In Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Convention Center laid off 621 people! Delaware Hospitality laid off 42 employees.  Shoedazzle.com laid off 52 employees.  In San Francisco, Goodby Silverstein & Partners laid off 47 employees.  In Simi Valley, Avnet Integrated laid off 68 employees.  In Gardena, Chromalloy shutdown, 108 jobs lost!  In Burbank, health insurance company Kaiser Foundation laid off 31 employees.  In Irvine, Labcorp laid off six employees.  Insurance company Metlife laid off 53 employees.  Rushmore Loans shutdown, 101 jobs lost!  Suntrust Morgage laid off 89 employees.  In Sunnyvale, taxsucker Lockheed Martin laid off 70 employees.   In Loma Linda, ObamaCare killed 177 jobs with Loma Linda University Medical!  In Rosemead, Monterey Care Center laid off 100 people!  In Pacoima, Natural Balance Pet Foods laid off 92 employees.  In Vacaville, legal drugs pusher Novartis laid off 36 employees.  In South San Francisco, legal drugs pusher Onyx laid off 58 employees.

 Connecticut: In Bridgeport, KGI laid off 98 employees.

Florida: In Boca Raton, Global Tower Partners laid off 15 employees. In Orlando, Bostwick Laboratories laid off 19 employees.   In Kissimmee, Arabian Nights dinner show shutdown, 224 jobs lost!

Idaho: In Meridian, taxsucker pistol holster maker ATK/Blackhawk! laid off 75 employees.  Their biggest customers were the U.S. military and cops.  In Caldwell, food company Simplot shutdown, 262 jobs lost!

Indiana: New Age Healthcare shutdown, 100 jobs lost!  In Terre Haute, Multi Packing Solutions shutdown, 150 jobs lost!

New York:  In Buffalo, Will Poultry shutdown, 113 jobs lost!  In Gouverneur, ObamaCare shutdown E.J. Noble Hospital, 210 jobs lost!  In NYC, Focus Features shutdown, 42 jobs lost. Bloomberg Law also shutdown, 95 jobs lost.  Kaye Scholer also shutdown, 48 jobs lost.  In Rouses Point, legal drugs maker Pfizer shutdown, 47 jobs lost. In Utica, Xerox shutdown, 31 jobs lost.  In Vestal, Eco International shutdown, 82 jobs lost.  In Walden, Circor Flow Technologies shutdown, 55 jobs lost.  In Brentwood, Too Big to Jail Capital One shutdown, 26 jobs lost.  In Skaneateles Falls, Clear Edge Filtration shutdown, 79 jobs lost.

Ohio: In Bedford, medical supply company Boehringer Ingelheim/Ben Venue Laboratories shutdown, 1500 jobs lost!  The company is now ranked 7th out of the top ten biggest job killers in the U.S.!  company officials blame crashing sales.

South Carolina: In Walterboro, South Carolina Electric & Gas shutdown, 67 jobs lost.

Tennessee: In Chattanooga, Team Centers shutdown.  In Knoxville, Luxottica Optical shutdown, 303 jobs lost!  In Martin, IFCO shutdown, 40 jobs lost.  In Memphis, Pinnacle Airlines laid off 491 people!  In Lenior City, SECO Tools shutdown, 72 jobs lost.  Also, ObamaCare shutdown Odyssey Medical.

Virginia: In Grundy, Minova laid off 65 employees.  What automotive industry recovery?  In Radford, metal maker for the automotive industry, Grede, laid off 264 people!   This after years of taking over competitors and expanding operations.  It’s blamed on declining revenues and a destructive furnace fire.  In Petersburg, medical device maker Boehringer Ingelheim laid off 63 employees.

Washington: In Bellevue, Pacific Construction Systems shutdown, 103 jobs lost!

Wisconsin: In Green Bay, APAC Customer Services shutdown, 282 jobs lost!

Challenger, Gray, and Christmas reports 30,623 “planned” job cuts were announced in December 2013.

21-25 December 2013. Largest nursing home in Wisconsin shutdown by ObamaCare!

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 shut down.

“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

Business/Economics

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 01-02 January 2014. What economic recovery? No more Revlon? More housing market shutdowns! Massive restaurant shutdowns!

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

Alabama: After 56 years the Lyric Hotdogs & Grill shutdown.  The property owner refused to renew the lease.

California:  Taxsucker Boeing laid off another 105 jobs across the state!  In San Jose, ObamaCare killed 35 jobs at the El Camino Hospital.  In South Gate, baby furniture maker Kids Line shutdown, 50 jobs lost.

Florida: In Fort Walton Beach, Edwin Watts Golf Shops laid off 83 employees.  In Sunrise, CoreLogic Services laid off 68 employees. In Tampa, Sweetbay Supermarkets shutdown, 346 jobs lost!

Indiana: Cord Camera shutdown another six stores.  They once had 30 stores in Indiana and Ohio, now they just have two in Ohio. The owners blame smartphones! In Pekin, Fabri-Form shutdown, 37 jobs lost.

Kentucky: Floyd County Sheriff’s Department laid off seven employees.  The payroll budget was cut in half.

Maine: The taxsucking Bangor International Airport warned of massive layoffs.  Turns out the airport was making most of its money off U.S. military flights.

Minnesota: In Edina, Three Rooms boutique shutdown.  The owners said they can’t compete anymore.  After 14 years, scrapbooking chain store Archiver’s shutdown all 33 stores: “The economy has changed, our industry has changed and our customers’ needs have changed.”-company statement

New York:  Cosmetics maker Revlon announced it will abandon its China operation, killing 1100 jobs!  Revlon has even been buying up competitors to stop crashing sales, but it looks like the bad  economy will also affect Revlon’s U.S. operations. In NYC, Park Avenue Café shutdown, 135 jobs lost! Bice Ristorante also shutdown, 66 jobs lost.  Pastis Restaurant also shutdown, 200 jobs lost! In Forest Hills, the Ann Taylor clothing store shutdown.  Employees said they were not told why. In Utica, popular Toma’s deli shutdown.  The owners said the economy is so bad most of their regular customers stopped showing up.  In Buffalo, Alcohol and Drug Dependency Services warned that it will shutdown due lack of funding.  53 jobs lost.

North Carolina: In Fort Bragg, Rite Aid pharmacy shutdown. The lease was not renewed.

Oregon: Taxsucking U.S. government contractor Evergreen International Airlines now bankrupt. 

Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Mentor laid off more than 200 people across the state!  What housing market recovery?  In Plymouth, after more than 100 years Fainberg’s Furniture shutdown: “We are directly impacted by the housing market. If people aren’t buying homes, they aren’t buying furniture either. People are just not getting the financing anymore.”-Jonathan Preston, manager

South Carolina: In Aiken, the Booklovers Bookstore shutdown their brick-n-mortar ops, switching to internet sales only.

Washington: In Bellingham, Mayberry Sporting Goods shutdown. The owner said sales have crashed and they want to get out before their debts pile up.

Washington DC: After 12 years the gift shop Pulp shutdown.

26-31 December 2013. Massive fuel refinery shutdowns! 

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 shut down.

“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

Business/Economics

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 21-25 December 2013. Largest nursing home in Wisconsin shutdown by ObamaCare! Massive pharmaceutical layoffs! More bank job cuts!

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

California:  Too Big to Jail Bank of America laid off 307 people across the Golden State!  In Inglewood, the Hollywood Park Racetrack shutdown, 539 jobs lost!  In Ventura, Vista Honda laid off 87 employees.  In Glendale, Technicolor laid off 60 employees.

Michigan: In Dearborn, Allied Systems Holdings laid off 68 employees.

New York:  In White Plains, Legal Sea Food shutdown, 41 jobs lost. In Walden, Circor Flow let go 55 employees and blamed the bad economy.

Oregon: In Portland, Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo bank laid off 92 employees.

Pennsylvania: In West Point, legal drugs pusher Merck laid off 500 people!  It’s part of the druggy company’s plan to kill 160-thousand jobs around the World through the end of 2014!

Texas:  In El Paso, Precision Camera laid off more employees, this time 32.

Wisconsin: In Milwaukee, Kindred Transitional Care and Rehabilitation (aka Mount Carmel) shutdown, 397 health care jobs lost!  Obama Care does not support such large scale long term nursing home operations, so the operators are drastically downsizing their operations.

Challenger, Gray, and Christmas reports 30,623 “planned” job cuts were announced in December 2013.

16-20 December 2013. Fuel refinery layoffs! Airline layoffs! Health insurance layoffs! 

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 shut down.

“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

Business/Economics

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 16-20 December 2013. Fuel refinery layoffs! Airline layoffs! Health insurance layoffs!

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

Alabama: In Fairfield, Steelscape shutdown, 62 jobs lost.

California:  Fuel refiner, Phillips 66 laid off 58 people at two of their refineries. Computer chip maker Broadcom restructuring, laying off 260 people statewide (1150 globally)!  DirectTV laid off 90 people across the Golden State. In Northridge, videogame maker 2K Games laid off 48 employees.  In Los Angeles, NBCUniversal laid off more employees, this time 14.  In El Centro, International Paper laid off more employees, this time four.  In Ontario, JC Penney shutdown a large JC’s 5 Star Outlet store, 136 jobs lost!  In Burbank, Kaiser Foundation Health insurance laid off 58 employees. In El Segundo, Xerox laid off 47 employees.

Georgia: In Peachtree City, World Airways laid off 118 people! North American Airlines laid off 16 employees.  Global Shared Services/Global Aviation Holdings laid off 54 employees.

Illinois: In Chicago, Bennigans shutdown, 88 jobs lost.

New York: In Pearl River legal drugs pusher, Pfizer, laid off 70 employees.  In Williamsville, Allstate Insurance shutdown, 48 jobs lost.  In Bronx NYC, The New York Botanical Garden shutdown, 66 jobs lost.  Loehmann’s shutdown, 63 jobs lost.  In Syracuse, Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services shutdown, 80 jobs lost.  In Frewsburg, special metal recycler Keywell shutdown, 49 jobs lost.  In Rochester, Eastman Kodak laid off four employees.

Tennessee: In Clarksville, Contech Casting shutdown, 64 jobs lost.

Texas: In El Paso, State Farm Insurance shutdown. 162 jobs lost!  In Kilgore, Caterpillar shutdown, 41 jobs lost.

Virginia: In Martinsville, JC Penney shutdown their JC’s 5 Star Outlet.  31 jobs lost.

Challenger, Gray, and Christmas reports 30,623 “planned” job cuts were announced in December 2013.

11-15 December 2013. More health care cuts! More bank jobs slashed! 

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 shut down.

“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

Business/Economics

More Sears & Kmart closings: Lampert stops lending Sears money!

04 April 2014 (22:10 UTC-07 Tango 03 April 2014)/03 Jumada t-Tania 1435/15 Farvardin 1393/05 Wu-Chen 4712

A 32 years old Ohio Kmart is being closed in June, it’s blamed on a landlord who supposedly won’t fix property problems.  Nearly 100 jobs lost as Delaware joins the Kmart shutdown club in July.  In Illinois a Sears Appliance and Hardware store shutting down, just as soon as they sell out of merchandise.

In another sign that the end is nigh for Sears Holdings, reports say CEO Eddie Lampert stopped lending his company his own money!  Since 2010 Lampert has been making short term daily operations loans to the company, through his hedge fund known as ESL Partners.  At last count, Sears Holdings owed Lampert’s ESL Partners $285-million USD.  Supposedly Lampert himself is owed $169-million.  Interesting that the demise of Sears & Kmart begins when Lampert starts loaning them money.

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings since the end of 2011:

Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost),  Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart.

Delaware: Recently revealed Dover Kmart (almost 100 jobs lost).

California:   El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (at least 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart,  Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost),  Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost).

Colorado:  Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost),  Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost).

Connecticut:  Waterbury Big Kmart.

Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost),  Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart.

Guam:  Sears Hometown Store.

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost),  Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost),  Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost),  Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost!!!),  Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost),  Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Vacant bedroom/bathroom section.

One corner of the half vacant Chubbuck, Idaho, Sears. No official closing announcement was made.

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost).  No official announcement, but it’s painfully obvious the Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears going’ down. Or, maybe it’s preps for Shop within a Shop, or one of those domestic spy data storage centers?  On 07 November 2013, GGP sold off the Pine Ridge Mall for a paltry $9 million USD.

Ever since the Kmart bankruptcy, this pad site for sale sign has been seen in the Pocatello, Idaho, Big Kmart parking lot. The Kmart is the only building on the lot.

Ever since the Kmart bankruptcy, this pad site for sale sign has been seen in the Pocatello, Idaho, Big Kmart parking lot. The Kmart is the only building on the lot.

Indiana:  Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost).

Illinois:  Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost),  Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost),  Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost),  Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), recently revealed Orland Park Sears Appliance.   58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale.  By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state.  The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Iowa:  Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost),  Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!),  Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost).

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Sears (80 jobs lost).

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears (115 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed.

Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials,  Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Flint Kmart (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost),  Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost).

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost),  Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul.

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost),  Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall.

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials,  Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost).

New Jersey:  Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart.

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost).

New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost),  Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost), Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost).

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost),  West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost).

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard,  London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost),  Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost),  Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost),  Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears, recently revealed Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost).    Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost).

South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost),  both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two),  Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin CoolSprings Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost).

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors.

Utah:  Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon control news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they’re reporting that the building has just been demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost),  Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost).

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost),  Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost),  Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost),  Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost).

On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.

Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)

Minnesota: Apache Mall  (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center (see update above, GGP closing store)

Business/Economics

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 11-15 December 2013. More health care cuts! More bank jobs slashed!

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

California:  Too Big to Jail, Wells Fargo bank, laid off 47 people. American Medical Response laid off 107 people! Taxsucker Boeing laid off 31 employees.  In Irvine, Discover Card laid off 74 employees.  The Hyatt Regency hotel shutdown, 327 jobs lost!  In Modesto, Post Foods laid off 49 employees.  In Lancaster, Corelogic Tax Service laid off 74 employees.  In Santa Anna, PSS World Medical laid off 10 workers.  In Riverbank, Silgan Containers laid off another four people.

Florida:  In Jacksonville, for unknown reasons Swisher International laid off 172 people!

New York:  In Medina, Worthington Cylinders (formerly BernzOmatic) shutdown one of their hand tool factories.  155 jobs lost!  In NYC, LIR Management Corp/Food Court shutdown, 124 jobs lost!

Pennsylvania: In Allentown, Westfield Hospital and Westfield Surgery Center laid off 70 employees.  In Wilkes-Barre, Travelocity laid off 77 employees.

Texas: In San Antonio, Travelocity laid off 62 employees.  In El Paso, vacuum maker Eureka shutdown, 72 jobs lost to production in Mexico.  Visiting Nurses Association laid off 845 nurses!  (so much for ObamaCare) In Irving, Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo bank laid off 125 people!

Wisconsin: In Appleton, Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo bank shutdown, 51 jobs lost.

Challenger, Gray, and Christmas reports 30,623 “planned” job cuts were announced in December 2013.

09-10 December 2013: God allows more Christian businesses to shutdown! 

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 shut down.

“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

Business/Economics

Exceptional Failed State: U.S. job losses & store closings 09-10 December 2013. More housing market cuts! More health care cuts! God allows more Christian businesses to shutdown!

Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs:

Food crisis: Corporate food provider, U.S. based Kellogg’s, shutting down a 90 years old Canadian food factory in 2014, killing 500 jobs.

California: More proof the internet is not stealing brick-n-mortar business; in San Francisco, digital music store Beatport shutdown.  It was taken over by SFX Entertainment.   Also, mobile payment processor Clinkle laid off 16 employees.

Colorado:  More proof the internet is not stealing brick-n-mortar business; in Denver, digital music store Beatport laid off 20 employees.  In Colorado Springs, Little Market & Deli shutdown.  In Fort Collins, the Christian god refused to save the Bible Superstore from shutting down: “….because of financial reasons, I am no longer able to keep the store open.”-Ron Carroll, owner

Georgia: In Marietta, utility engineering company STS shutdown, 153 jobs lost!  In Monroe, after 79 years Sanders Furniture shutdown.  In Macon, TailSpin pet supply store shutdown: “We found it very hard to make ends meet.  We love the location, but we just can’t make it work.”-Jusak Yang Bernhard, co-owner

Kentucky:  First MED ambulance service shutdown, hundreds of jobs lost! The company went bust.

Massachusetts:  Another jewelery store bites the diamond dust.  After 46 years Chalet Jewelers shutdown.  Video game maker Harmonix warned of layoffs, blamed on “future projects”.

New Jersey: What housing market recovery?  In Newark, E-Showings real estate shutdown their call center.  The CEO was convicted of stealing money from the company’s payroll.  Employees had no notice of the shutdown, finding out only after their long commutes to the call center.  Some employees say they’re owed several months of pay! (I’ve experienced that , and the Idaho Department of Labor was no help)

New York:  Time warned its employees it will kill more jobs in 2014, on top of the 500 jobs they’ve already killed!

North Carolina: First MED ambulance service shutdown, hundreds of jobs lost! The company went bust.

Ohio: What housing market recovery?  In Toledo, after 51 years Bedland furniture store shutdown.  The owner blamed the drastic slowdown in the housing market.  First MED ambulance service shutdown, at least 1500 jobs lost!

Oregon:  In Reedsport, American Bridge Company shutdown one of their fabrication shops. 51 jobs lost.

Pennsylvania: In York, British empire company BAE, laid off 135 Yankee jobs! It’s blamed on the end of upgrades to the Bradley IFV (that’s right, the British empire makes U.S. weapons systems, how despicable and traitorous of our ‘elected’ officials).   American Bridge Company shutdown one of their fabrication shops. 77 jobs lost.  In Honesdale, the 60 years old Weniger Variety Store shutdown: “….the last few years have been tough. The economy hasn’t been great.”-Don Weniger, owner

South Carolina: First MED ambulance service shutdown, hundreds of jobs lost! The company went bust.

Texas: In Fort Worth, legal drug pusher Galderma warned of layoffs.  In San Antonio, Trinity Mining & Construction Equipment shutdown, 86 jobs lost.

Virginia: Crony capitalist Virginia based, NII Holdings (aka Nextel), laid off 1400 people from the U.S. to Argentina!  For some reason the company expects to lose a lot of customers, 400-thousand in Mexico alone! Bertie County declares state of emergency because First MED ambulance service shutdown, at least 200 jobs lost!   “The company is no longer in business. At this time they are not giving any explanation for their sudden closure. No further comment.“-company statement to WVEC news

West Virginia: First MED ambulance service shutdown, hundreds of jobs lost! The company went bust.

07-08 December 2013: Hallmark shuts down without notice! 

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 shut down.

“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

Business/Economics, International

World War 3: Brazil, China, India and South Africa join Russia against G7! Russians laughing their asses off because Obama sanctions against Russia will backfire!

24 March 2014 (17:39 UTC-07 Tango)/22 Jumada l-Ula 1435/04 Farvardin 1393/24 Ding-Mao 4712

“G8 is an informal organization that does not give out any membership cards and, by its definition, cannot remove anyone. If our Western partners believe that this organizational format has been outlived, so be it!”-Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia

The members of the anti-G7 group, BRICS, have stated their economic support for Russia.  Specifically, they blasted threats by the U.S./U.K. led G7, which threatened to kick Russia out of the G20: “The Ministers noted with concern, the recent media statement on the forthcoming G20 Summit to be held in Brisbane in November 2014. The custodianship of the G20 belongs to all Member States equally and no one Member State can unilaterally determine its nature and character.”-BRICS statement

It’s becoming clear that U.S. and British empire led sanctions against Russia are going to backfire: “The position of officialdom and business is that these sanctions aren’t hitting Russia very hard, while harsher economic sanctions are problematic for Western countries themselves.”-Dmitry Danilov, Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences

There are already reports that people are actually increasing deposits into the Obama sanctioned Bank Rossiya, hundreds of new accounts have been opened.  This is despite Visa and Mastercard suspending their services with the bank.

Russia is striking back, imposing sanctions against 13 British empire Canadian officials.  They are banned from entering Russia.

Nine U.S. falsely elected member of Congress are also banned from entering Russia.

“We have repeatedly warned that sanctions are a double-edged instrument and would hit the United States like a boomerang!”-Russian Foreign Ministry