Tag Archives: bain

Business/Economics, Idaho

The lies of economic decline: Pocatello Staples shutdown blamed on the internet!

22 JUL 2017 / 18:56 UTC-07 Tango 06 (01 Mordad 1396/28 Shawwal 1438/01 Bing Wu 4715)

“As customers shift online, we are taking aggressive action to right-size our retail footprint.”-official Staples statement

There are two main lies being propagated by unAmerican corporate America (and the government that supports those corporations): Not enough ‘qualified’ U.S. citizens to fill vacant positions, and internet competition.

Staples on Hurley Drive in Pocatello, Idaho, shutting down in August.

Staples on Hurley Drive in Pocatello, Idaho, shutting down in August.

On 20 July 2017, Mitt Romney co-founded wunderkind Staples announced they will shutdown their Pocatello, Idaho, location in August.  They blame “customers” for shopping online.

Remember, Staples sells online as well as in brick-n-mortar stores.

I’ve pointed out before that online sales aren’t that big.  Just this year Karen Edwards, instructor at University of South Carolina’s College of Hospitality Retailing and Sport Management, stated to local news media that internet sales make up only 10%-15% of all U.S. retail sales!  This is really part of a conspiracy by the retail industry to shift to internet only operations, mainly because the cost of operating a brick-n-mortar store (especially rent and utilities) now outweighs sales at those stores.

Don’t blame the Internet: Idaho internet sales tax collections flat-line!

U.S. RETAIL DEATH SPIRAL: 218% SPIKE IN SHUTDOWNS SINCE LAST YEAR!

U.S. HI-TECH/COMMUNICATIONS BREAKDOWN, MAY 2017: “TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT”

MORE ECONOMIC DECLINE: VANITY DIES IN IDAHO

IDAHO’S ECONOMIC DESTRUCTION 2016: “WE PLAN TO SELL IT DOWN TO THE BONES.” “…IT’S CRAPPY…!” 

MORE ECONOMIC DECLINE: ONE FINAL LOOK AT THE IDAHO POSTAL PROCESSING CENTER MOST EAST IDAHOANS DIDN’T EVEN KNOW ABOUT!

SEARS & KMART CLOSING UPDATE 29 SEPTEMBER 2014: CANADIANS CLAIM STORE SHUTDOWNS PART OF CONSPIRACY!

2012, WHAT ECONOMIC RECOVERY? ALL PART OF REIT PLAN TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU SHOP, AND THEY BLAME YOU THE SHOPPER!

Fukushima

McDonald’s so desperate for employees they turn to Anime!

20 March 2016 (04:04 UTC-07 Tango 01) 01 Farvardin 1395/10 Jumada t-Tania 1437/12 Xin Mao 4714

Five years after the 11 March 2011 disasters began in Japan McDonald’s has been struggling, first with lack of food due to supply cutoff caused by the quake-tsunami-nuke meltdowns, then with fleeing customers caused by contaminated meat from U.S. suppliers using Chinese slaughter houses, now they can’t find anybody to work for them!

https://youtu.be/5e-zAljAgqs

McDonald’s Japan has turned to Anime (cartoons) and the J-Pop group AKB48 Team 8 to recruit high schoolers.  Miyazawa Yasunari, in charge of hiring for McDonald’s, admitted that every year fewer and fewer people apply for a job with the so-called burger joint.  Their new employee recruitment campaign is called Join The Crew.

It’s not just McDonald’s, apparently all U.S. style fast food restaurants in Japan are having trouble finding employees.  Mos Burger has established a call center specifically to recruit potential employees, and

Skylark (sold to evil Mitt Romney co-created vulture capitalist Bain Capital in 2011) is now targeting people over 50 years of age for employment!

Oh, by the way, in January McDonald’s Japan introduced a new version of French Fries covered with chocolate, called McChoco.  Hope you don’t choke on it like the people who ate burgers with human teeth in them!

Currency Wars force foreign investors to flee Japan!

Japan intentionally suiciding teenagers? Or just more gross incompetence by officials!

No more McDonald’s, Japan style? 131 restaurants shutting down due to lack of food? 

Sabotage as McDonald’s investigates food contaminated with metal & even human teeth? 

Report shows that Japanese contracted nuclear plant workers are paid the same wage as McDonald’s! 

McDonald’s, Subway & Starbucks struggle in Japan

Business/Economics

“over-supply in a flat market” Crashing farm industry kills Monsanto? Medicare B rates skyrocketing! 1,400 people get no final paychecks? : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 07 October 2015

 

Arkansas: Marketing company Acxiom laid off 30 people.  25 people were laid off in February. Administrators say they lost $11.4-million USD for their fiscal 2015 year!

Colorado: Book seller Barnes&Noble shutting down their Denver store on New Year’s Eve.

Connecticut: What I call Disappearing Students Syndrome is forcing Korn Elementary School to shutdown half way through the current school year! School administrators revealed that enrollment has been declining for the past five years, despite local real estate weenie heads claiming that home sales are bringing in families with children.

Florida: Employees revealed that the Lake Park Kmart will shutdown by Thanksgiving.

Georgia: 14 years old Psycho Sisters consignment store in Sandy Springs shutting down after Xmas. It’s blamed on competition from national chain stores.  Formerly owned by Warren Buffet, World Marketing now bankrupt and eliminated 4-hundred jobs in Smyrna and Atlanta!  Attorneys say final paychecks will not be forthcoming, former employees will have to take legal action!    It’s been revealed that yesterday’s sudden shutdown of almost a dozen restaurants in Atlanta resulted in 1-thousand people suddenly becoming jobless!  And as I reported yesterday, administrators admitted that because the company is broke many former employees will not get a final paycheck!  So between the marketing company and the restaurant company 1,400 people in Georgia basically worked for free in the past couple of weeks!   (been there, experienced that here in Idaho, it’s amazing how many people think it’s illegal not to get a final paycheck)

 

Idaho:  Money crimes are big in Idaho.  A Boise County clerk has been charged with stealing $46,922 in tax & fee revenues (Boise County is not where Boise City is located, that’s Ada County).  Auditors also discovered that the lack of public transparency as to how local governments handle revenues contributed to the theft.  A former CFO for Bonner General Health has turned herself in after being accused of embezzling $225-thousand USD!  She left Bonner General hospital for Montrose Memorial Hospital in Colorado, but is no longer employed.  Investigators allege that she stole the money from her employer by using company credit cards and taking small amounts of cash.   KIFI TV reporting that a committee formed to assist Right to Work (you over) conservative Republican ‘lawmakers’ to create new taxes (under the guise of tax reforms of course) has meet publicly, for the first time! The Gem State is known as a place where politicians can rest assured they can meet in secret 100% of the time, and never reveal their machinations to the public, despite ‘open meeting’ laws.

Illinois: It’s been revealed that US Steel is considering eliminating 2-thousand jobs at its Granite City Works foundry! Last month the Pennsylvania based company announced it would be conducting massive layoffs, but gave no details.  US Steel has been eliminating jobs since last year, blaming China for dumping steel on the market and blaming the oil industry (their biggest customer) for cutting orders.

Kansas: In Wichita, after about 90 years Richmond Electric shutdown: “We’ve kind of struggled over the last … five years. People just use their tools, and then they throw them away. … It’s a very disposable society.”-Trish VanOsdel, owner

Louisiana: Baker School System eliminated 40 more jobs, on top of the 20 already eliminated since May.

Maine: In Bangor, Hammond Street Senior Center shutting down due to skyrocketing costs and declining revenue, affecting 5-hundred members!

Massachusetts: Boston Weak based, Mormon Mitt Romney co-founded Bain Capital liquidating its Absolute Return Capital hedge fund due to long term losses caused by a “challenging” environment.  

Michigan: Too Big to Jail Monroe Bank & Trust shutting down six offices in the name of “efficiency”.  After 60 years flower farm Hamilton Dahlia Farm shutdown.  The business peaked in 2006, now the owner says it’s time for her to retire.

Missouri: Evil Saint Louis based chemical warfare and GMO maker  Monsanto eliminating 2-thousand 6-hundred jobs blaming the crashing and burning global farm industry!  Gee, decades ago Monsanto swore their chemicals and Genetically Modified Organisms were going to save the global farm industry!!!

Nevada: Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority warning of layoffs because they’re short $1.8-million USD!

New Jersey: Argix Logistics suddenly laid off 164 people, one month after announcing a major tech deal with Descartes Systems Group!

New York: In Southampton, Side By Side Child Care Center shutdown due to crashing enrollment after two of its employees were arrested.  NYC based internet shopping website you never heard of Gilt Groupe laid off 45 people.  Is Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) behind Health Republic Insurance of New York issuing of a shutdown WARN?  147 jobs lost right after Xmas!

North Carolina: What was that about ObamaCare expanding access to healthcare? Franklin Medical Center shutting down next week, leaving the entire Franklin County without a hospital!  No thanks to the Affordable Care Act “Despite an outstanding staff, investments in the facility, and a reconfiguration of hospital services last fall, we were unable to create a sustainable model.”

Pennsylvania: Massachusetts based Osram Sylvania shutting down their Wellsboro glass/metal factory by September 2016, 114 jobs lost!  Due to the ‘recovered’ economy the factory is operating at only 50% capacity! 

South Dakota: After 51 years the 151 room Ramada Aberdeen Hotel and Conference Center shutting down due to “over-supply in a flat market”, 60 jobs lost.

Texas: Dallas based upscale retailer Neiman Marcus revealed it laid off 5-hundred people last week!  It’s the result of taking over competitors and trying to come up with money to pay for building new stores.  Kansas based resin company Invista laying off 75 Texans in Orange, administrators WARNed there could be more layoffs saying “The Orange unit is no longer competitive.” 

Washington: The Black Bear Diner in Olympia shutting down right before Thanksgiving.  45 jobs lost because the Gott-Damned landlord jacked up the rent by 60% and refused to make necessary building improvements!

Washington DC: For about 7-million U.S. citizens on Medicare part B their costs are expected to go up by 52% in 2016, for some their monthly payments will hit $509!  So much for taxpayer funded healthcare!  Apparently the old fogies on Medicare part B are now considered too wealthy.

06 October 2015: Burger King dethroned

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.” 

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart update, 21 January 2015: Sex Trafficking & Property Deals! Sears Holdings is not your daddy’s Sears!

The slow death of Sears and Kmart is a sign of a fundamental, and possibly irreversible change in the once ‘great’ society of the United States of America.

A man who works for evil finance institutions Morgan Stanley, Crédit Suisse and Goldman Sachs (Simeon Gutman) has already announced who will benefit from the death of Sears and Kmart.   Apparently electronics store Best Buy would benefit most, followed by home improvement stores Home Depot and Lowe’s.

It should be noted that Crédit Suisse has been the most vocal in claiming Sears Holdings is already dead.   But it turns out the main motivation of these financial investment institutions is real estate.  In my tracking of the housing market debacle it’s become clear to me that the main reason for the artificially created property market crash is so property speculators, mainly REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) can get their hands on a lot of properties real cheap and even get taxpayers to fund the rebuilding projects, in other words it’s the classic Snidely scheme.  (read: “Everybody wants a better outcome, everybody but the landlords.” and The biggest Scam in U.S. History and Snidely the illegal forecloser returns)

One of the driving motivations for Eddie Lampert and the vulture capitalists who created Sears Holdings is to shutdown stores only to carve up them up into smaller commercial spaces, or to lease them out to competitors (they can actually make more money that way).  For the properties they don’t own Sears Holdings has actually been making millions by getting the property owners to end lease agreements early!

This brings me to my next point that Sears and Kmart are not your parent’s Sears and Kmart.  I’ve read commentaries which boast that Sears has come back from disaster before.  That was not the same Sears.  I’ve recently read articles about Sears out of Washington state in which the author still refers to Sears as “Sears Roebuck”.  Sears Roebuck died in 2005!   Today’s Sears-Kmart is controlled by a company created by Mitt Romney-Bain Capital  style vulture capitalist known as Eddie Lampert.

Sears Holdings was created in 2005, after Kmart emerged from bankruptcy in 2003 (newly named Kmart Holdings) and suddenly took over Sears.   This was accomplished easily because the controlling stockholders of both retailers were actually on the same team!

Eddie Lampert, the man driving Sears Holdings now was also the man driving the newly created Kmart Holdings in 2003 (via his ESL Investments fund)!  In other words Sears Holdings was known for a short two years as Kmart Holdings.

Many analysts have stated that the way Lampert has been running Sears Holdings will destroy the company, it now looks intentional: “The way it’s being managed, it doesn’t work. They’re going to continue to deteriorate.”-Mary Ross Gilbert, Imperial Capital

Are Lampert and his cronies capable of bullshit?  Eddie Lampert worked for evil Goldman Sachs (that should be proof enough).  In 2003 Lampert was kidnapped, and claimed that his kidnappers said they were hired by AutoZone executives to kill him!  Lampert was also the largest stockholder in AutoZone, and an executive director at the time!  The FBI concluded that Lampert’s story about AutoZone executives trying to kill him was bullshit: “The AutoZone story was just a hoax.”-unnamed investgator

But there was a result; the president of AutoZone resigned and guess who took over?  Eddie Lampert!  AutoZone has been documented to use prison labor. 

In other signs of Failed State decadence, increasingly many Kmarts have been the sites of crimes including murder.  Another despicable crime involves the sex trafficking of teenagers in Tennessee.  A man described as an up and coming rapper has just been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after being convicted of selling a 14 years old girl that he met at a Raleigh Kmart in 2013.

Today’s Sear-Kmart is not your daddy’s Sears and Kmart!

20 JANUARY 2015: ANOTHER KMART GOING DOWN!

Selling fake jewelry?

admits stock market shenanigans!

Executive officer involved with killing off other retailers?

screws over Goodyear for at least $20-million?

Catholics, Mormons & Jews conspiring

Sears stores leased to Ireland!

Store leases worth more than the stores themselves! 

 

 

 

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart closing update, 22 October 2014: NFL kills Kmart? Catholics, Mormons & Jews conspiring or is it just about the money?

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”-1 Timothy 6:10 King James Version

Jewish Eddie Lampert is credited with creating Sears Holdings in 2005.   But in 2011 I wrote how Vornado Realty Trust (connected to Catholic/Mormon created Bain Capital, connected to Coldwell Banker and Carlyle Group) was really behind the creation of Sears Holdings.  All these ‘holding’ companies and ‘trusts’ act more like  Real Estate Invetment Trusts (REITS) in that they seem more concerned about shutting down the retailers they take over, then selling off or renting out the property.

The claims to religion made by the founders and managers of these ‘investment’ companies probably have nothing to do with their wanton job killing, it’s more about the money.  Remember, Bain Capital co-founder Mitt Romney once posed for a photo that was titled Greed is Good.  (the original Greek version of the Bible quote above says “Greed is the root of all evil…”)

In Louisiana, the currently open Kmart in Metairie was quietly sold for $16.5-million USD to property speculators in Hawaii.   Nobody knows if the Kmart will be shutdown.

In Wisconsin, NFL football team Green Bay Packers now owns an abandoned Kmart, and will tear it down.  The football team is also shutting down other businesses on property they’ve recently taken over.  It appears the Green Bay Packers are looking to make money by become a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust).

Florida losing another Kmart!

Ohio losing a Sears in time for Xmas!

Michigan losing a Sears and a Kmart in January!

update 20 October 2014

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, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost), Dothan Sears (68 jobs lost), recently revealed Huntsville Kmart (73 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 (more than 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) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears repair center (75 jobs lost), San Mateo Kmart (82 jobs lost to an apartment building connected to public transportation), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown. Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why? Yuba City Kmart (63 jobs lost), Rocklin Kmart (at least 63 jobs lost, the store had just posted “Now Hiring” signs).

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), Fort Collins Sears (67 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart, Torrington Kmart (73 jobs lost), Enfield Sears Optical (no word on jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost).

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), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost), Clearwater Sears Auto Center (21 jobs lost), Zephyrhills Kmart (70 jobs lost), Winter Springs Kmart (69 jobs lost), recently revealed Naples Kmart (72 jobs lost).

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, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost).

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

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

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears going’ down in November (the remaining 28 jobs lost). Across the street, in Pocatello, the property where the Kmart is located has a “pad site available” sign, posted ever since the Kmart bankruptcy. The Kmart building takes up most of the “pad”. Latest news from inside sources say Sears Holdings will not comment on any plans to expand the small amount of Craftsman products already being sold at the Kmart, or shift the Kenmore products line, from the closing Chubbuck Sears to the Pocatello Kmart. In fact all plans for the Pokey Kmart are in a ‘holding pattern’.

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?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, 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, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost). 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.

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), Muncie Kmart (59 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on Coliseum Boulevard North (69 jobs lost), Decatur Kmart (49 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Madison Avenue (131 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Washington Street (139 jobs lost), Bedford Kmart (62 jobs lost), Indianapolis Sears at Washington Square Mall (91 jobs lost), Greenwood Kmart (78 jobs lost).

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), Clive Kmart (at least 49 jobs lost), Ames Kmart (44 jobs lost), Fort Dodge Sears (no job loss numbers made public, yet. The Auto Center was secretly shutdown in September).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown), Wichita Sears store & Auto Center (103 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), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart, Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost), recently revealed Metairie Kmart secretly sold off, no word if it will be shutdown.

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost),  Presque Isle Sears (63 jobs lost).

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears rebuild & call center (115 jobs lost), Baltimore Kmart on Wabash Avenue (107 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost).

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, Saginaw Kmart on Bay Road, Flint Kmart on Dort Highway (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), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost), Waterford Township Sears (no word on how many jobs lost), Rochester Hills Kmart (77 jobs lost), ‘perfect Kmart town’ of Port Huron Kmart (188 jobs lost), Flint Kmart on Miller Road (81 jobs lost), Burton Kmart (85 jobs lost), Madison Heights Kmart (179 jobs lost), it’s now obvious the last remaining Saginaw Kmart on Gratiot will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January, Ann Arbor Kmart (59 jobs lost), recently revealed Iron Mountain Kmart (54 jobs lost), recently revealed Bangor Township Sears (47 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, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost), Oakdale Kmart (77 hourly wage employees losing their jobs, unknown how many salaried employees will become unemployed), Winona Kmart (67 jobs lost), Minneapolis city officials trying to shutdown profit making Nicollet Avenue Kmart, to make way for a new road. Anoka Kmart (47 jobs lost), Blaine Kmart (60 jobs lost), Burnsville Kmart (62 jobs lost), Waite Park 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), South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost), Florissant Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost), Great Falls Kmart (closed “until further notice” due to fire, 63 jobs on hold), Great Falls Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), Bozeman Kmart (37 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost), Omaha Kmart near West Maple Road (50 jobs lost).

Nevada: Sparks Kmart distribution center (100 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost), Claremont Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost), Randolf Kmart (91 jobs lost), Paramus Kmart (74 jobs lost).

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost), Rio Rancho Kmart (59 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), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 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), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost), Gastonia Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), Kinston Kmart (64 jobs lost), Cary Sears (66 jobs lost).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost), Dickinson Kmart (41 jobs lost, despite a “Now Hiring” sign on the front of the store).

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 at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost), Columbus Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost), also in Columbus Sears Product Rebuild Center (112 jobs lost), Marion Sears Auto Center (at least nine jobs lost), Springfield Kmart (68 jobs lost), Fairborn Kmart (66 jobs lost), recently revealed Solon Sears & Auto Center (at least 53 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), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost),  Enid Sears and Auto Center (at least 38 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), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice), Albany Sears (57 jobs lost), BBN reader warns that Oregon City Kmart quietly shutting down.

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), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost), Sanatoga-Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 jobs lost, the store was also advertising for new hires!), West Mifflin Sears store & Auto Center (88 jobs lost), Rochester Kmart (78 jobs lost), Frazer (Pittsburg Mills Mall) Sears and Auto Center (97 jobs lost), Bloomsburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Frackville Sears and Auto Center (84 jobs lost), North Cornwall Township Sears (51 jobs lost), King of Prussia Sears and Auto Center (no word on number of jobs lost), Lebanon Sears (51 jobs lost),  Chambersburg Sears and Auto Center (62 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), Myrtle Beach Kmart (59 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), Dickson Kmart (65 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 controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they reported that the building was demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported), Woods Cross Kmart (54 jobs lost).

Vermont: Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost).

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), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 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), Everett Kmart (65 jobs lost), Marysville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost), Bluefield Sears store & Auto Center (64 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), Ashwaubenon Kmart recently revealed now owned by Green Bay Packers, will be torn down (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (55 jobs lost), Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost), Glendale Sears store & Auto Center (86 jobs lost), Janesville Kmart (70 jobs lost), Glendale Sears Rebuild center (67 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, U.S.

Corporate Evil: More evidence the demise of Sears & Kmart is all part of Romney/Bain style vulture capitalist scheme to intentionaly run the business into the ground!

“You make Sears sound like a liquidation play, not a retail recovery.”-from Fortune magazine

“The retail recovery is a potential upside. Regardless, you’ll see gigantic cash flows from the closing of locations, the pulling-out of the cash from inventory, work in process, and distribution centers. They’re not idiots when it comes to real estate. They understand that today’s standalone store can be tomorrow’s multi-use hotel/residential-retail center. I think Eddie Lampert [chairman of Sears Holdings] will end up being one of a few unbelievable case studies on what it means to be a long-term investor.”-answer from Bruce Berkowitz, a major stockholder in Sears Holdings

Fortune published a recent interview with Bruce Berkowitz, in which he basically said Sears and Kmart could make more profits for investors by being closed down and selling off their inventories and real estate.  I warned of this last year.

An InvestorPlace contributor, Will Ashworth, explained how the Romneyesque scheme is actually working.

For real estate, Ashworth says Berkowitz values the land property owned or leased by Sears Holdings to be about $17 billion USD.  Then there’s inventory.  Berkowitz estimates that a net profit of $2.5 billion could be made by selling off inventory. Ashworth himself is more conservative, thinking it be about a $1 billion net gain for investors.

Of course you can only sell off land and inventory by closing down the stores: “Many see Lampert using Sears as the next Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B), taking the proceeds of assets sales and reinvesting them elsewhere until Sears, the retailer, ceases to exist. It might take awhile, but Berkowitz is willing to patiently wait because deep down he knows Sears is worth far more dead than alive.“-Will Ashworth, InvestorPlace

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Updated list as more Kmart and Sears closings announced! $45,000 in Jewelry stolen! Parts & repair centers to be closed! Canadians love Sears! Business is good for Kmart, in Australia!

30 October 2012, since my last posting (on 21 October 2012) about the ongoing Sears Holdings shut downs, there have been more store closings announced.

Also, Sears Holdings just announced they will be closing two parts and repair centers, both located in The Woodlands, Texas.  At least 117 Texans will lose their jobs by 23 January 2013.

In Washington, on 23 October 2012 Bellingham Sears employees were notified that they will lose their jobs in January, however, the store management has known for months about the closing: “We’ve known since March of this year.”-Noelle Jorgensen, store manager

The latest announcements will mean 654 jobs will be added to the thousands already lost due to the Sears/Kmart closings.

In Canada, the newspaper, Calgary Herald, announced the winner of their 2012/13 Readers’ Choice Awards: Department Store, Appliance Store, Carpet Cleaners and Floor Coverings contest.  According to the newspaper Canadians picked Sears!

This despite the fact that Sears stores are being closed in Canada as well.  On 07 October one of the largest Sears stores in British Columbia was closed. 300 people lost their jobs (at it’s height of operation it once employed 800 people)!

Also in Canada, Sears Holdings announced it will reduce its 95.5% stake in Sears Canada, by selling its stocks to common stockholders.  Sears Holdings wants to reduce its stake in Sears Canada to 51%.

Kmart has reported a 3.1% increase in sales, in Australia and New Zealand: “This is the 11th period in succession of solid comparable growth in transactions and units for Kmart as customers respond positively to its market leading pricing strategy and improved merchandise offer.”-Richard Goyder, Wesfarmers

Don’t you Yankees get your hopes up, Aussie and Kiwi Kmarts are not owned by Sears Holdings.  They’re owned by an Australian company called Wesfarmers.

Here’s an updated list of Sears/Kmart closings:

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart, Mobile Sears Grand/Essentials, Auburn Kmart.

California:   El Monte Sears Grand/Essentials, two San Diego Sears Grand/Essentials, Pleasant Hill Kmart.

Colorado:  Broomfield Kmart, Glenwood Springs Kmart, Lone Tree Sears Great Indoors, Longmont Sears, Pueblos’ South Side Kmart.

Georgia: Macon Sears, Buford Kmart, Douglasville Kmart, Atlanta Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Jonesboro Kmart, Cartersville Kmart.

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart, Callaway Kmart, Orange City Kmart,  Deland Sears Grand/Essentials, Stuart Sears Grand/Essentials, West Palm Beach Sears Grand/Essentials, Port St. Lucie Sears Grand/Essentials, Crystal River Sears, New Smyrna Beach Kmart, St. Augustine Kmart, Pompano Beach Kmart,  Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011,  Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard and recently revealed second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), and the Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart to be closed by 03 February 2013 (69 jobs lost).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears.

sears chubbuck
Floundering Sears at the GGP owned
Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck, Idaho.
Kmart Pocatello
Floundering Big Kmart in Pocatello, Idaho.
Are they next to go in Idaho?

Indiana:  Anderson Sears Full Line, Saint John Kmart, Indianapolis Kmart.

Illinois:  Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center, Fairview Heights Kmart, Freeport Kmart, Pontiac Kmart.

Iowa:  Cedar Rapids Kmart, Davenport Kmart, Burlington Kmart.

Kansas: Lawrence Sears Full Line.

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears Hard lines, Winchester Kmart, Hazard Kmart.

Maine: Lewiston Sears.

Maryland: Ellicott Sears Grand/Essentials.

Michigan: Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials,  Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart.

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.

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

North Carolina: High Point Sears Full line, Moorehead Sears Full line, Rocky Mount Sears Full line, Statesville Sears Full line.

New Jersey:  Lawnside Kmart.

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart and recently revealed Zanesville Sears (67 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.

Oregon: Roseburg Sears Full line.

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears.

South Carolina: Sumter Sears and recently revealed Orangeburg Sears (approximately 50 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears Full line, Cleveland Sears Full line, Oak Ridge Sears Full line, Hendersonville Kmart, Morristown Sears Full line.

Texas: Two recently revealed Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands north of Houston (117 jobs lost).  Update; I forgot to mention the ‘rebuild’ center in Garland northeast of Dallas (58 jobs lost).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears Full line,  Midlothian Kmart, Richmond Kmart and recently revealed Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost).

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line, Lacey Kmart, Kelso Sears, and recently revealed Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost) and Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears Grand/Essentials, Rice Lake Kmart.

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

It was recently announced that the Provo, Utah, store will continue operating as a Sears.  Sears Holdings announced that GGP made a lease deal they couldn’t refuse, so they will continue running the GGP owned store.

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

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall, and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall

Minnesota: Apache Mall

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center

In a side note, the Sears in Yuma, Arizona, was robbed of $45,000 USD of jewelry on 26 October 2012.  According to Yuma Police, the early morning burglars also caused approximately $70,000 in damage breaking into the Sears.

Also on 26 October, a Detroit, Michigan, Kmart store reported thousands of dollars worth of jewelry as stolen.  Police say it was a theft, not a burglary (in other words no body broke into the store).

In Greeley, Colorado, a man stole a car and smashed it into a Sears, then stole automotive tools. It was one part of the man’s larger smash and grab burglary spree.

Sears holdings is also suing a former executive for $700,000.  They claim she breached her contract.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Media Incompetence & What Economic Recovery? Sears & Kmart not ‘closing’ stores, just not gonna renew their leases. Misleads lazy media, dozens more stores being shut down before Xmas, due to expired leases!

02 October 2012, the local media in the state of Maine reported that “Unlike last winter’s mass closings……Lewiston’s Sears is the only one closing now.”-Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine

That’s a big FAIL Sun Journal!!!  There’s at least a handful of Sears and Kmart store being shut down for the same reason as the Lewiston, Maine, store: Sears Holdings is not renewing leases!

The people of Morristown, Tennessee, were shocked to learn their local Sears is not renewing their lease, and as many as 72 employees will be laid off!  Sears Holdings hopes to have the store shut down by January 2013.

The local mayor said Sears gave them no warning: “It was a surprise to us. Also, it’s disappointing. Although we have a lot of good news going on in our city with new jobs, it’s disappointing to lose 72.”-Danny Thomas, Mayor of Morristown

A resident of Morristown is pissed off: “…people havin’ trouble findin’ jobs, I mean it’s gettin’ close to Christmas and stuff, what’s these people gonna do?”-Nicole Harbin

Another store closing (which could have been part of the June announcements) is the Sears at the Liberty Fair Mall, in Martinsville, Virginia.  Even if it was announced back in June, folks around Martinsville say it’s news to them.

Officially the Liberty Fair Mall Sears is being closed due to “…failing to come to terms on a new lease…”-Martinsville Bulletin, 16 September 2012

That wasn’t the reason given in the June announcement, anyway, another 75 employees out of work by Xmas!

Here’s a store closing that definitely wasn’t on the June list: Village Mall Sears in Auburb, Alabama.  “We’re expected to exit the building by the end of December. The lease is not being renewed at that store.”-Kimberly Freely, Sears Holdings

This is the second Sears Holdings store closing in Auburn.  The local Kmart was shut down back in April.  Sears had been in operation in Auburn since 1951!

At the end of 2011, Sears Holdings said they would close up to 120 U.S. stores in 2012 alone.  They even established a store closing list, which recently disappeared from their website (I checked again this morning, 02 October 2012)!

So far, since the end of 2011, Sears Holdings publicly announced at least 102 closings (on their now missing store closing list) and also announced the possible sale of 11 stores to major mall owner General Growth Properties (GGP).

What the mainstream media doesn’t tell you is that Sears Holdings has been aggressively closing down stores since 2010.  At least 174 stores closed with the result of 13,920 people losing their jobs!

Sears Holdings continues quietly closing Kmarts as well.  Recently the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry was notified that a Kmart store will be closed at the Pittsburgh Parkway Center Mall.  54 employees out of work by 06 January 2013!

In Florida, local media surprised that yet another Kmart is closing, despite the fact that it’s probably part of the June announcement.

A Jacksonville Business Journal article talks about the two Florida Kmarts mentioned in the December 2011 announcements, and seems ignorant of the 2012 announcements: “In December 2011, Sears Holdings released a list of 79 stores it was closing. But the company planned to close between 100 and 120 in total. On that list, two local stores were closed…”-Jacksonville Business Journal, 17 September 2012

I guess they weren’t paying attention to my postings in Blind Bat News!!!

Another Florida media source, Jacksonville Daily Record, does not mention the June closing list, but did say the Jacksonville (on Beach Boulevard) Sears is not mentioned on the Sears Holdings website (as I stated above, the closing lists have disappeared).

Don’t expect things to get any better, recently Sears was ranked 5th out of 12 companies with the Least Valuable Employees.  And don’t forget the Mitt Romney/Bain Capital/Carlyle group connection!

Just to help out those mainstream local media sources, and to give you an idea of the impact this is having across the United States, here’s a list of known store closings/closed stores for 2012.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart, Mobile Sears Grand/Essentials, Auburn Kmart.

California:   El Monte Sears Grand/Essentials, two San Diego Sears Grand/Essentials.

Colorado:  Broomfield Kmart, Glenwood Springs Kmart, Lone Tree Sears Great Indoors, Longmont Sears.

Georgia: Macon Sears, Buford Kmart, Douglasville Kmart, Atlanta Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Jonesboro Kmart.

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart, Callaway Kmart, Orange City Kmart,  Deland Sears Grand/Essentials, Stuart Sears Grand/Essentials, West Palm Beach Sears Grand/Essentials, Port St. Lucie Sears Grand/Essentials, Crystal River Sears, New Smyrna Beach Kmart, St. Augustine Kmart, Pompano Beach Kmart, and recently revealed Jacksonville Kmart.

Idaho: Lewiston Sears.

sears chubbuck

Floundering Sears at the GGP owned Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck, Idaho.

Kmart Pocatello

Floundering Big Kmart in Pocatello, Idaho. Are they next to go in Idaho?

Indiana:  Anderson Sears Full Line, Saint John Kmart, Indianapolis Kmart.

Iowa:  Cedar Rapids Kmart, Davenport Kmart.

Kansas: Lawrence Sears Full Line.

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears Hard lines, Winchester Kmart, Hazard Kmart.

Maine: Lewiston Sears.

Maryland: Ellicott Sears Grand/Essentials.

Michigan: Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials,  Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart.

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.

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

North Carolina: High Point Sears Full line, Moorehead Sears Full line, Rocky Mount Sears Full line, Statesville Sears Full line.

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart.

Oregon: Roseburg Sears Full line.

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, and recently revealed Pittsburgh Kmart.

South Carolina: Sumter Sears Full line.

Tennessee: Antioch Sears Full line, Cleveland Sears Full line, Oak Ridge Sears Full line, Hendersonville Kmart, and recently revealed Morristown Sears Full line.

Virginia: Norfolk Sears Full line,  Midlothian Kmart, Richmond Kmart.

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line, Lacey Kmart.

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears Grand/Essentials, Rice Lake Kmart.

Don’t forget, this is the 2012 known list of closings, there were closings in 2011 and 2010 as well, and they’ll be more for 2013.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Mitt Romney’s Staples to close 75 stores! Downsize 30 more!

26 September 2012, Staples, considered an example of success for vulture capitalist Bain Capital (Mitt Romney sat on Staples’ board of directors for more than a decade), is in big trouble.

On 25 September, officials with Staples announced they will close down 75 stores worldwide (at least 30 in the United States with 15 of those being accelerated closings, 45 stores and delivery businesses in Europe).  Staples will also downsize/relocate another 30 stores in the U.S.

Will the Pocatello, Idaho, Staples make the new closings hit list?

Common sense tells you that means more job losses, even though company officials are claiming that won’t happen.

Sales at Staples are crashing, especially for computers.  Company officials say they are shifting to more internet based business.

For the quarter ended July 2012 Staples reported an overall 6% decrease in sales, compared to the same time in 2011: “Our second quarter results fell short of our expectations due to softer than expected sales trends in North America and ongoing weakness in Europe and Australia.”-Ron Sargent, CEO

In North America sales decreased 3%, but around the world Staples saw a 10% decrease!

Staples has also revised its future sales outlook downward, and is expecting hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in costs just to close down all those stores!

Mitt Romney, and others with Bain Capital, once called Staples their prime example of success.  Here’s just a sampling of other companies that Bain Capital is involved with: AMC Entertainment, Aspen Education Group, Brookstone, Burger King, Burlington Coat Factory, Clear Channel Communications, Domino’s Pizza, DoubleClick, Dunkin’ Donuts, D&M Holdings, Guitar Center, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), Sealy, The Sports Authority, Toys “R” Us, Warner Music Group and The Weather Channel.

Once you start investigating all the companies that Bain Capital is involved with, or affiliated with, it becomes clear that it is unAmerican Corporate America’s vulture (venture) capitalist investment companies that are killing our economy.

And Mitt Romney says as President of the United States he’ll do for the country what he did for Corporate America!

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Report shows Romney’s Bain Capital was typical crony capitalism from the very start. Included investors accussed of murdering their fellow countrymen!

“Over the years, these Latin American friends have loyally rolled over investments in succeeding funds, actively participated in Bain Capital’s May investor meetings, and are still today one of the largest investor groups in Bain Capital.”-Harry Strachan, former Bain Capital partner

According to the latest reports, at least 40% of Bain Capital’s initial funding came from investors who were accused by the U.S. government of murdering their own people!  Mitt Romney personally appealed to those investors, who were living in Florida.

Also, many of Bain’s initial investors were corporations registered in Panama. By being registered in Panama they avoided paying taxes, and they were able to hide information, such as the details about how they were making their money.  These corporations are sometimes called “shell companies”, because they really don’t produce a product or service, they’re simply used to hide money from governments.

Regarding the investments from death squad overlords, the U.S. government accused many of the Florida investors of being directly related to El Salvadoran officials, and/or directly funding the brutal civil war and mass killings that took place in the Central American country from 1980 to 1992.

Harry Strachan, a one time partner in Bain Capital, stated that Romney, and others, knew where the money was coming from, and were initially “…terrified of bringing in Central Americans. They were afraid of drug money.” Strachan admits that he convinced Romney to take the money.

The names of at least three investors, accused of funding death squads, have been released by the U.S. Department of State.  Romney has even named several investors, but claims he investigated them for such crimes against humanity. Another investor, Orlando de Sola, is now in an El Salvador prison, convicted of fraud.  Interestingly, he says he did not make any money off his family’s investments into Bain Capital!

Romney is still getting money from many of these same elitist Central American families. In fact they are major supporters in his campaign for President of the United States!

The latest reports connecting Romney to death squads and warlords in Central America, can be found in the Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, Boston Globe, Associated Press and others.