06 February 2013, a just released Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) report revealed that 98 people working at a Kmart in Naperville will soon be unemployed.

Also, in New York, a Kmart in Depew will cease to exist by April. 68 people out-o-work.  The reason is the new mantra for shutting down retail businesses: “This store is being closed because the lease was not renewed.”-Howard Riefs,  Kmart spokesman

In Fort Collins, Colorado, the new mall owner wants everyone out, including Sears.  Sears Holdings owns the building and land where their store is, and they’ve said they want that store to remain in business.  However, Alberta Development Partners say the store has to go, as part of their plans to tear everything down and build a new shopping plaza.  Stay tuned.

Here’s my updated list of 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).

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).

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).

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).

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 on 03 February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost).

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost).

Indiana:  Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 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).  Recently revealed Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost). 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 (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).

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).

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost).

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

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).

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart.

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line.

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line.

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials.

North Carolina: 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).

New Jersey:  Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost).

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost).

New York: Recently revealed Depew Kmart (68 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).   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).

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).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 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, Irmo Kmart (no info on how many 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).

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.

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).

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).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 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).

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 will be closed, see above)

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (will be closed, see above)

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

Minnesota: Apache Mall

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center

In Idaho, and with almost no notice, Boise based Honk’s $1.00 filed chapter 11 bankruptcy around 16 January 2013.  However, and despite what Boise media reported, they started closing down stores weeks earlier, like the one in Pocatello.  It’s reported that the dollar store corporation just can’t sell enough of the crap they have, and in Utah they owe tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid sales taxes and rent!

A Minnesota steel frame manufacturer will layoff 17 employees. Crenlo blames the bad economy.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services is consolidating 13 offices.  State officials claim the move will save $2 million per year, and they will somehow not lay off any affected employee.  Famous last words.

Ohio’s Bowling Green State University will layoff 100 of its employees by Fall 2013!  University officials gave no explanation as to why so many people will be let go.

Another college feeling the pinch.  University of Hartford, in Connecticut, will layoff more than a dozen employees to try and keep their tuition costs for students down. Work hours for some other employees will be reduced.

The Long Beach City College to layoff 18 employees. They laid off employees last year as well.  The California college is dealing with a $6.4 million USD deficit. College officials also cut programs that are ironically what U.S. manufacturers say are lacking in this country, such as aviation maintenance, welding, automotive technology, HAVC and diesel mechanics among others. A few weeks later the college president said “…at no time have I been more confident about our direction and ability to meet the demands before us.”-Eloy Oakley

The Build A Bear store in Santa Rosa, California, closing down.  It’s part of the company’s plan to close down 60 stores across the United States over the next two years.

Also in Santa Rosa, a Gap Kids clothing store is closing down.

Women’s magazine publisher, Merideth, ended 60 jobs, mostly in New York, some in Iowa and other locations. The company says they are integrating operations.  They publish Better Homes and Gardens, Parents, Fitness, and own Allrecipes.com, EveryDay with Rachael Ray and FamilyFun brands.  The cuts come at a time when the company recently increased quarterly dividends to stockholders, by 6.5%.

New York Blower cut 12 people, blaming crashing sales.

By the end of March 250 contracted employees will be out-o-work at the Letterkenny Army Depot in Pennsylvania.  Depot officials said most were short term contracts that are ending.

The Bottom Dollar Food stores in Montgomeryville and Chalfont, Pennsylvania, closing down.  They’re owned by the same European company that is shutting down grocery stores in North Carolina, Florida and Virginia.

In Washington, reports say the “vast majority of Gas Powered Games‘ staff” were laid off. The video game maker spent all their cash on their last game, called Wildman.  Company officials say they literally bet their company on its success or failure.

Also in the Evergreen State, the city of Spokane laid off two employees, and more could be in the works. Last year they eliminated 80 positions. They blame it on not enough revenue for the city.

Floyd Central Thriftway food store in Kentucky closing down.  20 employees out-o-work.  Older customers liked their delivery service.  The owner was talking about opening another store, but the reality was that sales kept going down and operating costs kept going up.

Meat packing company, Cargill, announced 2,000 layoffs for operations in Texas!!!  Two packing plants will be closed due to a lack of regional cattle for beef, and company officials blame that on the ongoing drought.  Get ready for beef prices to go up even more!

Gerber baby food maker moves production from Michigan to Arkansas. 44 people in Michigan out-o-work.

General Motors to close down its Weld Tool Center in Michigan. 343 GM employees out-o-work! The closure will also affect dozens of independent operations that rely on orders from GM.  Other local businesses said as much as 90% of their sales went to GM Weld Tool Center employees.

Standard Insurance company to cut at least 100 jobs across the United States.  Basically the company is expecting to lose money this year, and is trying to stay ahead of the curve.

The Pewter Rose restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina, shut down just short of its 25th anniversary.  Sales were down, and water damage to the building was the final straw.

One month ago Hatteras Yachts announced layoffs for 150 employees at their North Carolina operation.  Now, local media reports say another 40 people were let go. It’s part of the plans of parent company Brunswick to sell off their Hatteras and CABO Yachts brands.

Also in North Carolina, mortgage insurance company United Guaranty laid off an undisclosed number of people.  Company officials say they’re trying to anticipate near term “business needs”, meaning they think things are going to get worse!

In South Carolina, the Hippodrome Theater is closing down.  The owner says ticket sales are good, but he wants to focus on his law business.

Boise, Idaho, lost another retailer. California based See Jane Run women’s sports wear closed their only store outside of the Golden State.

The Washington Township Health Care District says it has no choice but to layoff 200 employees at Fremont hospital in California! They blame reduced reimbursement rates from state and federal health programs and private insurance.

Directory Distributing Associates shut down its Merced, California, operation and laid off 42 people.

Avon closing down its Pasadena, California, distribution center. 170 jobs lost! The center was opened in 1946. Avon will also close a distribution center in Atlanta, Georgia.  250 jobs lost there! Operations will move to Ohio.  Avon officials say they need to reduce costs by $400 million per year!

Little Dipper restaurant in Dalton, Georgia, closed down. It was famous for chocolate cobbler. The family that owned it would not give details about why they closed the popular restaurant, but said it was time to move one, and that another restaurant was moving in.

In Alaska, the Anchorage school board revealed they are short $25 million USD!  They will have to layoff school employees, although they have yet to pick who becomes unemployed.

In Louisiana, the Jefferson Parish School Board will layoff 20 employees at two alternative schools. They blame lower enrollment due to fewer troubled students (I guess that’s a good thing).

Despite making profits, Massachusetts based custodial bank State Street will layoff 630 employees around the world, 260 just in the Bay State!

Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Massachusetts to shut down its detox unit. About 24 staff affected. Hospital officials say they’re changing the way they handle certain types of addictions, which will render the detox unit unnecessary.

In Arkansas, the architecture and engineering company, Benchmark Group, laid off at least 23 people.   Company officials blamed the bad economy.

More reason to hate Verizon.  The New York based telecommunications company will layoff 201 people around the country!  Company officials say there is no need for those employees as a result of technical upgrades.  However, a union rep said that was BS: “These layoffs are not needed. We have enough work to cover every one of them.”-Ed Cocliff, Local 827 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Broadway Brew Pub & Grill in Troy, New York, closing down.  Apparently pub owners were threatened by city officials, after several incidents of violence in the pub.

The Vermont Law School has laid off two people, and bought out the contracts of ten others. School officials blame declining enrollment.

Virginia based Computer Sciences Corporations confirmed they will layoff an undisclosed amount of employees.  They say they need to become more efficient. I worked for CSC in the early 1980s, no comment other than even in the 1980s they were highly inefficient, but that’s par for the course for companies dependent upon government contracts.

Pennsylvania based TE Connectivity laying off 137 workers across its medical products division! The company blamed it on a $0.5 billion drop in sales.  Want some cheese with that whine?  They only had $13.3 billion in sales during fiscal 2012!

Investment company Legg Mason to layoff an undisclosed amount of employees, due to the merger of two of its divisions.  (no pity for investment companies)

Illinois based metal and plastics distributor, A.M. Castle, will layoff 180 people!  It’s all about increasing their profits even more!

In Skokie, Illinois, a Best Buy is shutting down. 58 employees out-o-work.

Busey Bank will close four branches in Illinois. Bank officials say it’s part of their plan to transition to mobile and electronic banking.

Laurel Hill Healthcare closing its nursing home in Connecticut. It’s part of the growing nursing home closings due to parent company Spectrum Healthcare’s bankruptcy.

A Catholic school in New Albany, Indiana, shutting down.  Saint Mary’s Academy will close for good in May, due to more than $1 million of debt!

Massachusetts based Hologic, maker of medical diagnostic tools, to close its Indiana factory. 140 people out-o-work!

Ohio media reporting 100 people will be out-o-work when Superior Fibers moves operations to Mexico.  The company specializes in air filters for HVAC, and fiber glass reinforcements.  Company officials blame their move to Mexico on increased competition, and the high cost of ongoing environmental clean up operations at their Bremen, Ohio, factory.

An Alton, Illinois, insurance company, Millers First, laid off 12 people.  Company officials blame drastically low interests rates which have severely affected the company’s investments, and they credit more automation which replaces people.

A ‘collectibles’ store in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, closing down.  The owner of Tilburys Knob says business would be better if there were more variety of stores in the area: “Business is pretty good, but it could be better. I felt there should have been more shops down here. There would be more shoppers if there was more opportunity to buy things. There have been a lot of nice people and good customers, but not enough.”-Stan Nowak

Rhodes Bake-N-Serv is closing its Caldwell, Idaho, bread factory and moving it to Wisconsin.  Production will end in April, leaving 49 Idahoans out-o-work. The Caldwell factory has been in operation since 1962.

In Santa Cruz, California, headset maker, Plantronics, is laying off 41 people, and moving some production to its Mexico factory.

American Esoteric Laboratories laying off 65 people in Memphis, Tennessee. The company provides doctors and hospitals with lab services. Company officials said the layoffs are the result of a drastic change in how payments for lab services are being reimbursed.

The 100 years old Denis Sport Shop in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, announced it is closing.  Company owners blame climate change, the bad economy and local road construction which cut off the store from customers.

Another irony, the Waccamaw Economic Oppurtunity Council laid off eight employees, and cut social help programs.  This affects Georgetown, Horry and Williamsburg counties in South Carolina.  Council officials blame big cuts in the federal government funding.  The biggest programs they offer involve helping people pay utilities and rent.  In Georgetown County alone, they’re currently helping 100 people.  They expect double that in Horry County, but will be hard pressed to help due to the funding cuts.

The Aubuchon Hardware in Bangor, Maine, closed without much warning.  Faithful customers were still showing up after everything was shuttered up.  Employees were inside moving inventory. The hardware store had been in business since 1969.  The manager said he couldn’t compete against the big box national hardware chains, and the only reason he stayed open this long is because the landlord gave him a break on the rent: “It’s been something we’ve been thinking about for a year and a half. In fact, we got a reprieve a little over a year ago when the owners of the building decreased the rent to allow us to stay here.”-Fred Stewart