Incomplete list of announced United States food supply shutdowns for the month of January, 2016: Many food suppliers/distributors are consolidating operations and killing jobs due to the collapsing grocery store and restaurant industries, as well as rising costs of food production, spread of disease and extreme weather.

Alabama: Earth Fare shutdown two grocery stores; one in Montgomery and one in Hoover (Birmingham).  In typical Orwellian double-speak company administrators said the shutdowns were necessary “…for continued expansion.”   No word on how many people will become unemployed.  In Selma, the Winn-Dixie grocery store shutting down in February, apparently due to low sales.  Local loyal customers are pissed off, Gracie Bennett exclaimed “I don`t want to hear that! I won`t like that at all! It is just an inconvenience.” referring to the long drive she’ll have to make to go to the nearest grocery store.

Arkansas: Kroger shutdown one of four of their North Little Rock grocery stores blaming low sales.  Good Food by Ferneau shutting down because the owner-chef is taking a job working for somebody else.

Arizona: In Hereford, after almost 30 years The Mesquite Tree restaurant shutdown.

California:   In Santa Maria, Eldorado Berry Farms issued a “permanent” layoff WARN, 654 jobs lost by the end of April!  Superior Farming issued a layoff WARN, 225 Santa Maria jobs lost by the end of June!   In Camarillo, MAC Berry Farms issued a layoff WARN, 90 jobs lost by mid-July.  In Oxnard, Coastal Green Vegetable Company issued a shutdown WARN, 88 jobs lost by mid-March.  In Cambria, after less than one year restaurant-market Centrally Grown shutdown without warning, at least 16 jobs lost (back in December reports said the entire staff was fired, with no explanation).  Food giant ConAgra issued a shutdown WARN for their Helm operation, 102 jobs lost by mid-March!   Albertsons-Safeway eliminating an additional seven jobs at their Pleasanton office, in March.  In Canoga Park, after only a few months ConfeXion Cupcakes shutdown without warning.  News reports say it’s the first business in the new Village at Westfield Topanga plaza to shutdown, and other businesses are considering leaving as well.  A co-owner of ConfeXion Cupcakes blames outrageous rent.  In San Francisco, after 23 years the owners of El Majahual finally wised up and realized it’s better to own than rent, they’re moving to their new location ‘across the bay’.   Also in San Francisco, popular Ames restaurant shutdown after ten years. The Walnut Creek Pyramid Alehouse shutdown, 49 jobs lost.  Belcampo Meat Company shutting down one of their San Francisco butcher shops.  The operators of the butcher shop chain said the Mission Street location could not maintain enough volume sales to justify its existence.  Staying in San Francisco, the Gangway bar shutdown due to ignoramus owner failing to pay his employees at least minimum wage.  In California the so called Tip Credit does not apply, food service workers must be paid minimum wage even though they’re paid tips by customers.  According to the lawsuit the owner, who’s lived in California for decades, thought the Tip Credit rule was valid in California (I knew about that rule back in the 1980s, how can people who’ve lived in California longer than me be so stupid regarding The Golden State’s wage laws?).  Still in San Francisco, after more than ten years the upscale Bourbon Steak shutting down in March, the owner said he decided not to renew the lease and is looking for a new home. In Irvine, the 24 years old IHOP restaurant in Parkview Center is shutting down, local news reports say no reason is being given, other than the lease is not being renewed.  Another Irvine restaurant also not renewing its lease, Marie Callender’s  shutting down.    San Diego based award winning gourmet Donut Bar shutdown their Fountain Valley shop (apparently replaced by yet another donut shop). In Escondido, after 44 years Champion’s Family Restaurant shutdown.  In Santa Ana, Pinkberry shutdown their City Place food shop.  Carpinteria based burger joint Carl’s Jr. shutdown two Canadian restaurants in Toronto, about 40 jobs lost.  Employees say they were not given a reason for the shutdowns, however, company administrators claim they will eventually open 30 new restaurants across the Great White North. Inside the hotel Montage Beverly Hills, restaurant Scarpetta shutting down sometime in Spring to be replaced with food service that can remain open all daylong.    In Anaheim Hills, after at least 30 years popular Foxfire An American Chophouse shutting down at the start of February, to make room for a shopping plaza.  In Los Altos, Main Street Cafe shutdown, apparently to eventually be replaced with yet another restaurant “concept”.  In Cathedral City, after 40 years restaurant El Gallito shutting down.  The co-owners admitted their sales have been declining for some time saying “We were not ready to close 10 years ago, but we’re ready now.”

Colorado: In Denver, after a little more than three years Park House-Peacemaker’s Cajun Kitchen shutdown, the facebook posting didn’t explain why.  Albertsons-Safeway shutting down their Denver bakery, 95 jobs lost by the end of February.  Denver based Chipotle Mexican Grill is shutdown all its restaurants across the United States in February, blamed ongoing and unexplained microbial infections in numerous restaurants.  However, the shutdown is for one day only, basically a ‘come to Jesus meeting’ for employees about food safety (that’s right, blame the employees). Chipotle’s sales crashed 40% in 2015!   Lafayette, the Crossroad’s Tavern shutdown by the greedy landlord.  The landlord is the Flatirons Community Church.  In Denver, after 48 years iconic Andre’s Confiserie Suisse dessert restaurant shutting down because the A-hole city jacked up the taxes: “The city basically doesn’t want us here anymore. We got priced out.”-Bruno Gegenszhatz, owner

Connecticut: After 17 years restaurant Inn at Newtown shutdown.  In New Milford, after 24 years restaurant Salsa shutdown, the owner sold it so he could retire.  In New Canaan, after six years popular Chicken Joe’s restaurant shutdown by astronomical rent.  After 11 years Westport’s Bobby Q’s Bodacious BBQ & Grill shutting down by the end of March.

Delaware: Local news media discovered that all four Sussex County Donut Connection shops have been shutdown!  The owners of the franchise claim they’ve “retired”, but a former employee said “Business really had slacked off.”   Tax records show $26,320-USD are still owed and a lawsuit says $31,211 in rent and utilities have never been paid!

 Georgia:  Property developers forcing popular restaurant Alfredo’s to shutdown after 41 years, the restaurant owner bemoaned “What can you do? That’s progress. It’s all about the money.”   In Garden City, Daylight Donuts shutdown due to problems with the building and low sales.

Florida: In Fort Myers the franchised Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery shutdown without warning, the manager said in the past 12 months sales crashed “we are simply a victim of not enough sales”.   After two years The Juice Spot in the Brickell area of Miami shutting down.  There are signs the owners, the LeBron James family, is hurting for cash as the basketball star sold his Miami mansion in August for $13.4-million USD.  Bowling, movies, food  joint Latitude 360 shutdown its Jacksonville location, no reason given.   In Orlando, after five years burger & beer joint Oblivion Taproom shutdown.   In Quincy, BFN Operations issued a WARN for their Zelenka Farms, 64 jobs lost by the end of March.  Coca-Cola laid off 70 people at their Brandon finance office.

Hawaii:  The Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company suddenly shutdown and laid off 645 people!  Administrators blame low commodity prices for causing them to lose $30-million USD in 2015, which is enough to shut them down!  It’s the last sugar farm in Hawaii!   Kahului Trucking & Storage began laying off drivers as a result of the sudden shutdown of the sugar farm.

Idaho: It’s been revealed that as more people move into The Gem State (domestic and foreign migrants) residences are being landscaped with poisonous shrubs, and it’s killing off the elk.  In the Ketchum-Hailey area at least 13 elk have been found dead.  Autopsies revealed poisonous ornamental Japanese yew shrubs in their stomaches.  In one case the locals who found the most recent poisoned elk followed the elk tracks in the snow back to a home landscaped with Japanese yews.

In Idaho County, according to local news reports two Texas billionaires bought-up 38-thousand acres of land and then shut it down to local residents for use in recreation and hunting!  Residents are outraged as previous land owners allowed public access for recreation and hunting.

According to a new report called The Financial Condition of Idaho Agriculture: 2015, Idaho farmers saw an overall 9% drop in cash receipts (even with a 2% drop in operating costs) from 2014 to 2015, due to crashing food prices: “The low prices in 2014 bled over into last year. The shortages, the supply and demand factors bleed into the following year.”-Garth Taylor, University of Idaho agricultural economist

The good news is that prices for livestock went up, but the low crop prices were low enough to adversely affect state tax collections. To break it down with a few examples; milk prices resulted in revenues dropping by one third.  Wheat down 17%.  Hay down 12% and potatoes down just under 3%.  Sugar beets and barley made revenue gains, with sugar beets bringing in a whopping 20% increase.

It’s been revealed that pesticides have contaminated farms in eastern Idaho.  At least 809 hectares (2-thousand acres) are affected and must be cleaned up, at taxpayer expense of course (an estimated $250-thousand USD has been quoted as an initial payment!).  The contamination was discovered when farmers reported mutations in their crops and animals.  Investigators traced it to the massive use of Methyl Bromide back in 2006.  The contamination affects potatoes, hay, alfalfa, wheat and barley.  In 2006 paranoia erupted over the discovery of a nematode that destroys potato crops, state and federal agriculture ‘experts’ told farmers to use methyl bromide to kill the microbe.  It was farmers who first reported the crop and livestock mutations, concluding that it must be the result of using the toxic chemical.

University of Idaho shutting down their Caine Veterinary Teaching Center.  Apparently the university plans on teaching veterinarian skills directly through livestock owners, news reports say the university veterinarian faculty are being laid off.

Grocer Supervalu issued a WARN for three Boise stores (North Ancestor, South Denver Way and Parkcenter locations), at least 80 jobs lost by March.  It might be connected to Supervalu’s plan to take its Save-A-Lot discount grocery ops ‘public’.  Back in October Supervalu laid off 115 people at their East Baybrook Court, Boise location, in connection with the merger of Albertsons and Safeway.  Also in Boise, after at least 25 years the Twin Dragon restaurant is shutting down by March.  The owners are trying to sell it to help fund their retirement plans.  Trader Joe’s is recalling cashews sold in Boise (as well as in 31 other locations across the U.S.).  The nuts are suspected of being contaminated with salmonella.

To counter the growing trend of chain restaurants openly opposing guns, local Gem State eateries are offering discounts if you’re packin’ heat!  Dueling Irons restaurant knocks off 15% from the price of your meal: “The open carry discount is being expanded to included ccw permits, and increasing to 15%.”-Dueling Irons facebook post

Gem State Right to Work (you over) ‘lawmakers’ are apparently realizing  how bad the financial situation is for families and are creating a new law that will exempt ‘cottage food’ businesses (literally mom-n-pop food sellers working out of their home) from the same health codes that traditional retail establishments must obey.

Illinois:    The Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery shutdown in the Chicago Ridge Mall.  Restaurant III Tomassos Italian Bistro in Springfield shutdown, blaming lack of development and lack of neighboring tenants for lack of customer traffic in the new Legacy Pointe complex.  Also in Springfield, Brickhouse Pub & Grill Downtown and Julia’s Kitchen shutdown.  In East Dundee, after only one year Blues BBQ & Grill now bankrupt busted and shutdown.  The owners are hoping to re-open as soon as they settle with creditors.  Oreo cookie maker Mondelez International shutting down its allergy free Schiller Park factory by Summer, about 130 jobs affected as work is being consolidated to a new factory in Indiana!  Mondelez also told 277 Chicago workers they will become unemployed starting in March, as part of the company’s plans to move to Mexico!  Jake’sTavern shutdown after 78 years in Galesburg, the current owner refused to say why.

Indiana:  Two shops shutdown in the Southlake Mall; Tilted Kilt and Jamba Juice.  The Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery shutdown without warning, in fact it was shutdown during the lunch hour!  Essentially the franchise owner baled under the excuse of sudden retirement.  News reports say the mall’s Jamba Juice also shutdown without warning or explanation.  Bowling, movies, food  joint Latitude 360 shutdown its Indianapolis location, no reason given.  In Irvington, after 17 years Dufour’s restaurant-bakery shutting down, the owner admitted “As I’ve aged, this business gets harder. My insides feel 18, but my outsides don’t.”  

Iowa:  In Ames, after 30 years restaurant Valentino’s shutdown, the owners saying “Recent circumstances beyond our control, coupled with changing demographics in our current location and declining sales made this very difficult decision necessary.”    A pizza joint known for helping homeless people, Rock Power Pizza, shutting down due to escalating operating expenses and de-escalating sales/donations: “It’s going to affect hundreds and hundreds of people, and we don’t know where that’s going to take it. That’s the part that really tears me up.”-Derrick Walton, owner who says he was once homeless

Maine: Chipotle Mexican Grill killing off Hutamaki.   The paper product maker said it had to layoff 30 employees due to crashing packaging orders from the troubled chain restaurant.

Kansas:  In Saint John, Dillions Market shutdown.  Dillions was the town’s only grocery store meaning residents will have to travel 20 miles to buy food!

Maryland:  Florida based Acosta Sales & Marketing eliminating 93 jobs at it’s Hanover food service ops, WARNing that more layoffs are in the works over the next three months!  After 18 years restaurant Donna’s shutdown, the owners admitted they were losing money and could not renew the lease.

Massachusetts: In Longmeadow, after more than 40 years the Hu Ke Lau restaurant (on Williams Street) shutting down next week.  Local news sources could not get a reason. In Cambridge, after 30 years East Coast Grill shutting down by the end of the month.  No reason was presented.  In Clinton, after 87 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) the Old Timer restaurant shutdown.  It’s been for sale ever since a co-owner died in 2013, obviously nobody wants to buy it.

Michigan: In Bloomfield Hills, after more than 40 years Hogan’s restaurant shutting down at the end of the month.  The owner admitted his old golf themed eatery can’t compete with the new “really trendy” restaurants.  Proof Americans are going hungry, non-profit Feeding America is shutting down two food warehouses because they’re too small, administrators say they need bigger locations to meet the huge demand: “…the need has grown over the last decade…We know we have the ability to fully meet the need…To put it simply, we’ve outgrown these facilities.”-Ken Estelle, Feeding America West Michigan CEO

Minnesota: In Minneapolis, after two years Brasserie Zentral shutting down, a co-owner saying “This industry has always been hard.  But right now, it has never been harder.”  In Saint Paul, after ten years the Highland Park Chatterbox Pub (deep fried cheeseburgers) suddenly shutdown, the owners say they were not able to find a needed third business partner and will now focus on their two smaller restaurants.

Missouri: In Clayton, after five years Coastal Bistro & Bar shutdown, no comment from owners. In Chesterfield, Miller’s Crossing Pub & Grill shutdown with no warning or explanation.  In Krikwood, after five years Petra Restaurant shutdown, no further info.  In Amazonia, after 45 years Hunt Orchards shutting down. The current operators say they’re too old to carry on and hope somebody will lease the orchard, otherwise the property owner will sell to commercial developers.  Georgia based Printpack shutting down its Hazelwood food packaging factory, 115 jobs lost starting in March!   Local news reports say the Hazelwood Printpack factory employed at least 3-hundred people at its peak in the late 1990s.  Administrators did not say why they were shutting it down.  Evil Saint Louis based chemical & GMO food maker Monsanto continues to kill jobs, this time 1-thousand people added to the previously announced 2-thousand 6-hundred job eliminations to take place later this year!  Mike Shannon’s Steaks and Seafood shutdown their 30 years old downtown Saint Louis location,  claiming it will help them focus on “franchise expansion”.   Also in Saint Louis, after almost 20 years Harry’s Bar & Restaurant shut down.  It’s starting to sound like city re-development projects are killing off local businesses: “It’s the economy, the highway closing, Ballpark Village. Downtown is just a dead area right now….nobody is talking about it. Iconic places are going out of business, and nobody cares.  Ballpark Village was the nail in the coffin. It shut down Washington Avenue and took 70% of our business.”-Tim Pieri, co-owner

And owners of Mile 277 join other Saint Louis restauranteurs in blaming the A-hole re-development projects and greedy landlords: “The development of other venues such as Ballpark Village along with numerous lease terms has significantly impacted the operations of Mile 277. The combination of these factors has resulted in significant losses of revenue and profits. Mile 277 cannot continue to sustain these losses.”

Nebraska:  Grocery seller SpartanNash announced the shutdown of three Omaha area stores, under the brands Bag-n-Save and No Frills, hundreds of jobs lost!  It could be because Michigan based SpartanNash is spending $14-million USD to renovate eight other stores into their new Family Fare brand.  Food giant ConAgra eliminating more jobs due to an ‘expected’ drop in sales.  News reports say several hundreds of ConAgra employees in Omaha will lose there jobs to cheaper contractors as ConAgra attempts to cut operating costs!    The reports are based on a video leaked last week, but what’s really interesting is that ConAgra execs are also killing 40 sales positions (maybe that’s why they expect sales to go down?).

Nevada:  Whole food store Reno Provisions suddenly shutdown.  Reports say the store struggled with problems like lack of revenues, e-coli outbreaks and now a new lawsuit.

New Hampshire:  In Dover, the Uno Pizzeria & Grill joint shutdown, even though days prior local news media were told by managers the shutdown was just a “rumor”.   Corporate administrators in Boston Weak, Massachusetts, refused to talk to local news media.

New Jersey:  In Westfield, Robert Treat Delicatessen shutdown, the owners blamed their ongoing personal health problems.  After 37 years the Cherry Hill Coastline Bar and Grill now bankrupt busted and shutdown.  In Atlantic City, 89 years old (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Tony’s Baltimore Grill pizza joint now bankrupt busted.  The operators haven’t been able to pay their debts and blame it on the high cost of unionized labor.  In Freehold, Top Tomato grocery store shutdown, a manager of another Top Tomato store told local news media that relative to sales volume the Freehold store is “too big for them”.    However, on Facebook the owner of the Top Tomate chain straight up blamed the greedy landlord: “…due to circumstances with our landlord that could not be resolved and were out of our control, we were forced to close our Freehold sister store.” 

New Mexico:  Coca-Cola shutting down its Portales bottling factory, 59 jobs lost to consolidation.   Coca-Cola’s warehouse in Clovis is also being shutdown.  Winter Storm Goliath killed thousands of dairy cows in the Clovis area.  At one point dairy production was down to just 10% of capacity.   Kroger shutdown their Smith’s Food and Drug Store in Socorro, 66 job lost.  

New York:  Maines Food & Party Warehouse shutting down their Ithaca and Greece grocery stores by February, no public explanation given.  In NYC, after 40 years kitchen supplier Broadway Panhandler shutting down.  The owner tried to sell the business but nobody wanted to buy it.  In Saugerties the McDonald’s junk food joint on 8 Manor Lane shutdown, the owner saying “It’s a business decisions…”, revealing that even when the restaurant was “making money” it was considered “under-performing”!  Honest Weight, one of the last food co-op grocery stores in The Empire State, is warning that state employment regulations will force them to shutdown.  In Nyack, popular Hartell’s Deli shutdown.  Hartell’s has operated in Nyack since the 1970s, no word on why they shutdown.   In Haverstraw, after nearly 70 years 20 acre restaurant Platzl Brauhaus shutdown because it was sold-off.  Cumberland Packing shutting down its artificial sweetener (Sweet-n-Low) factory in Brooklyn, 3-hundred jobs lost by the end of the year!   Angry Wade’s bar shutting down after the greedy landlord jacked the rent to $16-thousand USD per month!  Netherlands based food wholesaler Ahold shutting down its Lancaster and Cheektowaga warehouse operations, 602 jobs lost by August!  Ahold joins the mass exodus from The Empire State and is consolidating warehousing to Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.  In Freeport, the Stop&Shop grocery store shutting down in February, residents say it will leave them with only one grocery store in their city.  Stop&Shop is one of several grocery chain stores owned by Netherlands based Ahold.  In Manhattan’s Upper East Side, restaurant David Burke Fishtail shutdown due to the greedy landlord.  News reports say it’s the third David Burke restaurant to shutdown in less than a year.   In NYC, Restaurant Associates lost their food service contract with Germany based Deutsche Bank, 59 jobs lost by April.   That Can Not Be Named refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘its’ 51+ years old kosher bakery Monsey Kosher Bake Shop (aka Frank’s Family Bakery).  Yehuda Frank began crying when he told local news media that “circumstances made that we close”.   Those “circumstances” include the health and age of the owners.

North Carolina:  In Raleigh, after less than ten years restaurant The Borough shutting down, the owner saying she has to sell it.    In Raleigh, The Oxford pub shutdown.  Morrison Healthcare continues to kill jobs after losing a food service contract with Carolinas HealthCare Systems, local news reports say layoffs will now hit 350!  In Greenville, Fitgerald’s restaurant shutdown without warning less than two years after opening.  Local news media report that the building now has a sign that says “Do not enter, no one”.    Grace’s Café, an eatery at Duke University, is shutting down at the end of the semester.  The operator said sales are not enough to pay for needed renovations to the kitchen.

North Dakota: Farm vehicle maker CNH (Case New Holland) hitting Fargo with even more layoffs, this time 70 people becoming unemployed.  Local news reports say that since 2014 CNH has eliminated 260 jobs in Fargo.

Ohio: After 47 years Buehler’s Fresh Foods shutting down their Delaware store in February, 131 jobs lost!    In Mansfield, after 29 years Lee’s Ancient Wok shutdown, the owners want to retire but their adult son has no plans to continue working the popular restaurant.  With no warning Columbus based chain restaurant Max & Erma’s shutdown 13 operations in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana, hundreds now jobless!  Corporate administrators said they have to “streamline” operations due to the economy.  Overwhelmingly employees say they’re shocked that their employer could shutdown overnight, (I’ve been there experienced that several times, so welcome to reality. Now try living with so many of your peers not believing that your former employer could lay you off with no warning, your employed peers always think you did something wrong! It’s amazing what the working class takes for granted, oh the power of false belief).  The only Krispy Kreme donut shop in the Dayton area shutdown, 20 jobs lost.  No explanation.  In Columbus, after 29 years Patrick J’s Food + Drink shutdown, apparently the owner could end up in prison for 20 years after pleading guilty to charges of ‘interference with commerce by threats’.

Oklahoma: In Utica, after more than 70 years Petty’s Fine Foods shutting down in February, 50 jobs lost. 

Oregon:  In Portland, after 114 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) grocery store Strohecker’s shutdown.  Local news reports say no reason was made public (the corporate owners, Lamb’s Markets, refused to talk). Indications are that the store’s pharmacy operations will continue in a different location.   What’s that about Goodwill creating jobs? In Salem, it was revealed that seven years old Thai Beer Restaurant was forced to shutdown when the property owner sold-out to Goodwill Industries.  The Terrace Cafe in Valley River Center shutting down after 36 years of serving up yummy food, because the mall management refuses to renew the lease.  The restaurant owner said no reason was offered and “I was not prepared to have been told that no more leases would be given to me.” 

Pennsylvania:   After more than three years Marty’s Market shutdown without warning, the owners saying only “We have had to make the extremely difficult decision to close…”    In Allentown, after only six months Shula’s Steak House shutdown without warning, it might have something to do with a lawsuit in which the Florida based restaurant chain settled claims that it failed to make rent payments.   In Queen Village, after eight years Cafe Fulya shutdown.   In Bridgeville, after 30 years restaurant Tambellini’s shutdown.  The building was sold.   In State College, Callao Cafe shutting down due to the owner’s health problems.  In Flourtown, after 65 years eatery Cisco’s shutdown.  In Philadelphia, Marabella Meatball restaurant shutdown.  Bring Your Own Beverage restaurant Blue Cat shutdown because sales sucked: “I was burned out. Business was OK, but it was not worth it, I was shopping by myself, cooking everything. There’s no lunch business up there….”-Guy Shapiro, co-owner

South Carolina: In Myrtle Beach, “high end” cookware seller Williams-Sonoma (on Howard Avenue) shutdown.

Tennessee: In West Nashville, The Stone Fox shutdown, 30 jobs lost.  After four years of success the restaurant-live music joint is apparently being replaced with something else.  In Gatlinburg, Davy Crockett’s Tennessee Whiskey shutdown without warning or explanation.  After spending money to paint their eatery in the colors of East Tennessee State University the owners of Alley Kat Sandwich Shop shutdown.  Jerky maker Oberto shutting down its two years old Nashville meat factory despite promising to create 310 jobs and getting almost $2-million in taxpayer funds and grants (not tax breaks, outright cash!).  State ‘lawmakers’ swear they’ll go after the jerky maker for a refund of the tax funding.  The Nashville factory never got above 82 employees, despite Oberto’s promise  (see more below in -Washington-).   Here’s what Karl Dean, the now former mayor of Nashville, said back in 2012: “Oberto’s decision to locate a plant in Nashville speaks to the vitality of our city and the talent of our workforce. I’m especially pleased that Oberto will be bringing an existing facility back to life. Filling vacant buildings in and around our urban core is important to the strength and future of our city.”

Texas:  Texas Association of Dairymen upped the number of dairy cows killed by Winter Storm Goliath to 5% (one report says at least 40-thousand killed!).  The estimate counts only mature cows.   Now if you think beef prices are high enough, add this to the mix; one beef rancher says he lost 350 beef cows to Goliath, and he says there are at least 30 other ranchers in the area with similar losses!  In Dallas, after 40 years the original Black-eyed Pea restaurant was suddenly shutdown due to the company going bankrupt.  At least 15 Black-eyed Pea restaurants have been shutdown in Texas.  The bankruptcy will affect restaurants in the state of Colorado as well.  Also in Dallas, after 45 years Herrera’s Tex Mex shutdown because the landlords want to re-purpose the property.

Utah:  Wild West themed Porter’s Place shutting down its Lehi restaurant because city administrators are running the operator outta town.  The city owns the building and they want to tear it down.  The owner of Porter’s Place say he hopes to open a new restaurant in the city of Nephi.

Virginia:  In Roanoke, restaurant Stefano’s on the Market shutdown, the owner wants more time with his family.  Richmond’s four years old Carytown Dixie Donuts shutdown.   In Pulaski, Food Lion shutting down its Memorial Drive grocery store by February because it’s not worth it to renew the lease.  In Lexington, Healthy Foods Market & Cafe shutdown, the owners blame increased competition for their decreased sales.  In Alexandria, Old Time Coffee, Tea and Spice shutting down in February because the landlord is jacking up the rent. The 1950s style K&B Drive Inn south of Eveleth shutdown without warning.   After 93 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) Falkowski’s Market shutting down, Mike Falkowski blames “The tough Range economy is hurting our business. Can’t keep operating losing money every month. Just couldn’t survive.” 

Washington:  Kent based mass produced jerky maker Oberto announced it will shutdown its two years old meat factory in Tennessee (well, the factory is two years old, I don’t know about the meat) and sell-off a meat factory in Oregon!   The suck-ass economy is forcing Oberto to consolidate jerky treat making to its Washington ops.  Seattle based Starbucks announced it will shutdown several two years old Teavana ‘tea bars’ in New York and California.  Regional grocer (and bankrupt no thanks to being tricked by Albertson-Safeway) Haggen issued a shutdown WARN for their Puyallup store, 87 jobs lost at the beginning of March. 

Washington DC: Once touted by politicians like Obama, the 10 years old Five Guys Burgers and Fries joint on Wisconsin Avenue shutdown.  There was no explanation, just a note taped to the door.

Wisconsin: After 50 years elitist Feiler’s Restaurant shutdown.  In Milwaukee, after only two years Simmer Cafe shutdown. The owners blamed it on their expensive attempt to start another cafe in the Mayfair Mall.  Low farm sales continue to force CNH (Case-New Holland) to eliminate even more factory jobs.  105 Mount Pleasant employees became unemployed!

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Global Food Crisis: No more Salmon from South America?