Tag Archives: close

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 04 – 06 January 2015: Individuals flee New York en masse! CAD & AUD killing U.S. oil jobs, not the drop in oil prices! Secret RadioShack shutdowns? You know the economy is bad when Walmart starts shutting down! Obamacare kills 1-thousand+ jobs in Idaho!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: After 38 years the Robert Moore & Co. Christmas Town in Mobile shutdown.  Back in August 2014 the co-owners said their health was not so good and they better quit while they’re ahead.

Alaska: The U.S. Census Bureau reports 10,137 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!

California: The U.S. Census Bureau reports a net of 32,090 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!  In Turlock, MedicAlert laid off 31 employees, blaming crashing sales.  In Santa Ana, ITT Cannon issued a WARN saying at least 12 people will be laid off in March.  Southern California Edison continues job culling, this time their latest WARN says they will shutdown their San Clemente office, rendering 45 people jobless in March.   RadioShack issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Woodland distribution center, 57 jobs lost in March.  Also in Woodland, it’s been revealed that Mitt Romney’s wunderkind Staples shutdown.

Connecticut: In New Haven, the Anchor Bar shutdown without notice, local reports say employees were ordered not to say anything to the news media.   The U.S. Census Bureau reports at least 2,664 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!  Fairfield based GE (General Electric) canceled Obama Care health insurance for any retired employee who is younger than 65 years!   A judge recently allowed GE to kick all its 65-thousand retirees off of company health insurance and onto expensive private Obama Care insurance!  Obama Care being blamed for the demise of Waterbury Hospital.  Administrators say they are losing $9.7-million USD because of Obama Care, layoffs are imminent and they are now trying to sell the hospital!  Four other non-profit hospitals are up for sale as well!

Hawaii: The U.S. Census Bureau reports a net of 5,141 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!  Kayak tour company Kohala Ditch Adventures shutdown, blaming damage to flumes caused by bad weather, and citing the expiration of their operating lease.

Idaho: Virginia based Obama Care call center operator Maximus confirmed they will shutdown their Boise call center beginning in February, rendering 1500 people jobless!  According to state WARN records, Maximus was planning to shutdown back in April 2014.

Illinois: The U.S. Census Bureau reports a net of 94,956 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!

Indiana: CVS Pharmacy issued a WARN saying they will shutdown the Coram Enteral Nutrition Center in February, at least 124 jobs lost!

Iowa: What automotive industry recovery? Tire maker Bridgestone laid off 65 employees at their Des Moines factory, blaming crashing sales.

Kentucky: In Louisville, Cunningham’s Restaurant shutdown without warning, 30 jobs lost.  The property is for sale, but the current lease is good until 2022.  Gatti’s Pizza shutdown their Westport Village Gattiland restaurant, the owners blamed the greedy landlord: “The lease is expiring, and after months of attempting to negotiate with the landlord, a satisfactory agreement has not been reached.” 

Maine: Group Home Foundation’s Little River Apparel division laid off 60 people.

Michigan: After only five years Just Baked cupcake shop shutdown ten of its Detroit metro area stores!  Wayne County announced a 5% salary reduction for new ‘appointees’.  The county is trying to cut $1.2-million from their budget.  In Dexter, after more than 40 years Huron Camera shutdown, about nine jobs lost.  In Grand Rapids, after 14 years Louis Benton Steakhouse shutdown with a one day notice, 35 jobs lost.  It sounds like the landlords have other plans for the property.

Minnesota: Obama Care taxes forcing medical device maker Greatbatch to move 175 jobs from their Plymouth factory to Mexico!   In Wrenshall, family owned One Stop Market shutdown. The owner blames a new unAmerican corporate America competitor for costing him big losses, just in December: “Their advertising, their marketing, free milk, and 99 cent butter….It just kills these little businesses, little towns…..we’re losing everything that we have as a family…”-Chad Pfau, now legally bankrupt

New Jersey: After 14 years the Granville Millinery Company shutdown.  The owner said she was starting a new career.

New Mexico: The U.S. Census Bureau reports a net of 14,154 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!

New York: The U.S. Census Bureau reports 153,921 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!  This puts New York in the number one spot for mass exodus.  In Long Island, advertising tracking company Market Track issued a WARN saying they will shutdown by September 2015, at least 225 jobs are being moved out of state!  Yet another women’s clothing store going down as C.Wonder issued a late WARN saying they already shutdown their NYC store, 75 jobs lost with no warning. C. Wonder administrators also admitted “Due to the highly competitive nature of the current retail environment, C. Wonder will be closing its remaining stores.”  The clothing retailer will operate on the internet from now on.  You know the economy is bad when Walmart starts shutting down!  Walmart issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their huge two story Massapequa store in March, at least 295 jobs lost! The WARN blames the bad economy.  In Brooklyn, upscale The Guild for Exceptional Children preschool shutdown, 81 jobs affected.  In Queensbury, RadioShack shutdown their Aviation Mall store without warning, the closure was discovered by loyal customer Don Lehman who is now pissed off. In Albany, Taste (formerly Dale Miller) restaurant is being sold off.  Local news reports say it was never financially stable.  Too Big to Jail investment company NSB Advisors now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and being sold off.  After 58 years the Cheektowaga AMF Thruway Lanes bowling alley shutdown.  The property was sold to a car dealer.

Ohio:  After eight years The Greene’s Adobe Gila’s restaurant shutdown without notice, 40 jobs lost.  Local news reported that restaurant mangers/owners would not answer their phones.  Hyde Park restaurant Ash American Fare shutdown.  The owner said he is focusing on his other businesses.  In Lorain, U.S. Steel announced they will layoff 614 people between March and May, blaming crashing orders from the oil industry!

Texas:  Switzerland based deep water oil drilling company Transocean scrapped seven of their drilling ships! Company administrators say “As the company continues to evaluate the long-term competitiveness of its fleet, additional rigs may be identified as candidates for scrapping.”   They also plan massive layoffs of employees.  The decision to start scrapping deep water rigs was made back in November, before the oil price drop.  Company administrators warned their investor back then that there was a too much oil on the market.  In Houston, U.S. Steel announced they will layoff 142 people by May, blaming crashing orders from the oil industry!  Houston based oil industry company Civeo (who is supposedly relocating to Canada) laid off between 30% and 45% of employees in Canada and United States!  However, they are not blaming the drop in oil prices, they blame the declining value of the Canadian (CAD) and Australian (AUD) dollars!  Company administrators say things started getting bad before the oil price drop: “As it became evident during the fourth quarter that capital spending budgets among the major oil companies were going to be cut, we began taking steps to reduce marketed room capacity, control costs and curtail discretionary capital expenditures.”-Bradley Dodson, President and CEO

Utah: The U.S. Census Bureau reports 1,235 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!

West Virginia: The U.S. Census Bureau reports 3,269 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!  Oil drilling contractor Antero Resources laying off 250 land brokers (industrial real estate agents), and focusing on drilling for oil only!  Company administrators blame crashing natural gas prices.

01-03-January-2015: Chick fil-A kills Macaroni Grill in secret deal!

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart closing update, 04 February 2015: Public officials shop at Kmart with your tax dollars! More ignorant employees shocked by new shutdowns!

“Ms. Hilchey decided the public should subsidize not only her utility bills but also her Kmart shopping…”-Thomas P. DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller

The number of crimes being committed at Kmarts are on the rise, most notably are thefts of jewelry and tools, and bomb threats (the most recent was in Santa Fe, New Mexico).  But here’s a new one; county administrators using taxpayer money to shop at Kmart!

The former Genesee County, New York, fire department treasurer has been sentenced to repayment of thousands of local tax dollars and three years probation after being caught using taxpayer funds to pay her personal bills and go on a shopping spree at Kmart.  She’s also accused of stealing money from the county Mother’s Day raffle.

Investigators say the treasurer was able to set up direct withdrawals from county accounts into her own account.  The investigation revealed the county fails to keep track of taxpayer funds involving the fire department (basic bookkeeping)!  I don’t think a sentence of repayment and probation is enough when it comes to public administrators stealing taxpayer dollars.

Upscale clothing seller Lands End (spun off from, but still owned by Sears Holdings) has hired a new Chief Executive Officer; Federica Marchionni.

Marchionni has served only three years as CEO of upscale clothier Dolce & Gabbana, however, she supposedly worked for the company for 13 years, starting in 2001.  Interestingly an internet ‘bio’ says she started out in the telecommunications industry, and was a Senior Vice President with Ferrari for a short time.  She claims she will take Lands End “into new markets”.   Lands End warned that it looks like its 2014 holiday sales fell 3% to 5%, compared to 2013.

Illinois losing yet another Kmart, in April.  The Chicago-Wicker Park area Kmart is rumored that it will be replaced by a Lowe’s home improvement store.  Lowe’s already has dozens of stores in the Chicago area.   Lowe’s apparently paid Sears Holdings in order to take over the Wicker Park Kmart lease, but will not set up shop until 2016.

In Connecticut, a Sears Appliance & Hardware being shutdown in March, when the lease expires.  Apparently the news was announced by the property manager.   Ignorant employees were shocked: “We don’t know anything about it, which is kind of silly because we work here. It’s our income. If they are pulling the rug out from under us we need to know.”-George Devendorf, who doesn’t seem to understand that the whole concept of “pulling the rug out from under” requires that the victims don’t know about it

It’s finally official, the last remaining Saginaw, Michigan, Kmart (on Gratiot Road) is shutdown for good.  It closed a year ago, supposedly temporarily, after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm in January 2014.

update, 30 January 2015: Sears makes money renting out space

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings that I’ve been compiling 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), 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), San Leandro Kmart (102 jobs lost), San Jose Mercury News says the El Centro Kmart to shutdown in January, the website Foursquare says the Covina Kmart is now shutdown (other sources say it will shutdown in December), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (number of employees affected not made public, no WARN filed), somebody posted on yelp* that the Diamond Bar Kmart was shutting down in December (confirmed by Armijo Newspapers), Westfield Topanga Sears (122 jobs lost), it looks like the Blythe Kmart is being slowly shutdown despite denial by Sears Holdings.

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), Denver-Cherry Creek North Sears store & Auto Center (66 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart, Torrington Kmart (73 jobs lost), Enfield Sears Optical (no word on jobs lost), recently revealed Wallingford Sears Appliance & Hardware (employees say the shutdown was a surprise, I guess they don’t read Blind Bat News).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost), Claymont Kmart (87 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), Naples Kmart (72 jobs lost), New Port Richey Kmart (58 jobs lost), ‘redevelopment’ of Aventura Sears & Auto Center into an “open-air village” (unknown how many jobs affected), Kmart on Northeast 108 Street being annexed by Miami Shores, Sears Holdings threatens to shutdown Kmart as a result of higher local taxes.

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), Coweta County Kmart distribution center (164 jobs lost).

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost! GGP spending $573-million chopping it up into smaller store spaces), 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 shutdown by the end of October/beginning of November 2014 (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), Hoffman Estates Headquarters 100 jobs eliminated, another 15 corporate jobs eliminated elsewhere, recently revealed Chicago-Wicker Park Kmart (106 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 (Evansville) Sears & Auto Center at Washington Square Mall (91 jobs lost), Greenwood Kmart (78 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (“approximately” 68 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), Manhattan Sears & Auto Center (number of jobs lost were never revealed).

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), Metairie Kmart secretly sold off, no word if it will be shutdown.

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Aroostook Centre Mall Sears (63 jobs lost), Aroostook Centre Mall Sears Auto Center leased out to VIP Tires & Service.

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), Kingston Kmart (73 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 official the last remaining Saginaw Kmart (on Gratiot Road) will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January 2014 (Sears Holdings claims only 18 people worked there at the time of the collapse!), Ann Arbor Kmart (59 jobs lost), Iron Mountain Kmart (54 jobs lost), Bangor Township Sears aka Bay City Mall Sears, the Auto Center was already secretly shutdown some time ago (at least 47 jobs lost), Big Rapids Kmart (about 50 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), Northeast Minneapolis Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale, Coon Rapids Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale.

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, Olive Branch distribution center (unknown how many jobs lost).

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) due to great sales (ironically) the shutdown date has been moved from 07 December 2014 to 23 November, 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: Lindenhurst Sears Hardware, North Babylon Sears Hardware, Hauppauge Sears Hardware, 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), Staten Island Mall Sears leased out to Ireland’s Primark.

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), Greensboro Kmart distribution center (130 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 Lockbourne Industrial Parkway Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost), also in Columbus, Sears Product Rebuild-Call Center (112 jobs lost), Marion Sears Auto Center (at least nine jobs lost), Springfield Kmart #3767 (68 jobs lost), Fairborn Kmart (66 jobs lost), 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), in October a BBN reader warned that Oregon City Kmart was being quietly shutdown, confirmed on 06 November 2014 by Sears Holdings (70 jobs lost).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), 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), Scotland Chambersburg Mall Sears and Auto Center (62 jobs lost), the upper level of the Willow Grove Mall Sears store to be leased by Primark, King of Prussia Sears store leased out to clothing retailer Primark.

Puerto Rico: Vega Baja Kmart (206 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), Easley Kmart (62 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 Cool Springs 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), talks in progress to end lease for Bellevue (Nashville) Center Mall Sears.

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, Dallas Sears home appliance parts distribution center (77 jobs lost).

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-Denbigh 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), Sheboygan Sears & Auto Center (at least 31 jobs lost), Eau Claire Kmart (93 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (59 jobs lost before Xmas), Sheboygan Sears Rebuild Center (30 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

Radio Shack bankrupt busted & dying! Sprint taking over?

04 February 2015 (14:50 UTC-07 Tango 01)/14 Rabi ‘ath-Thani 1436/15 Bahman 1393/16 Bing Yin (12th month) 4712

Reports that 94 years old RadioShack is selling at least half its existing stores, and the most likely buyer is cell phone company Sprint (Amazon is another potential buyer).  It’s part of RadioShack’s bankruptcy which could see the rest of the iconic (but always struggling, I know I worked for them from mid 1989-90 and they were struggling then) electronics stores shutdown.  1-thousand 1-hundred remaining stores and thousands of jobs affected!

On 02 February 2015, the New York Stock Exchange began delisting procedures, basically rendering all stocks in RadioShack worthless.  The delisting might have been the result of RadioShack administrators officially defaulting on a massive multi-million dollar loan from Salus Capital.

There are reports that some store employees were told to drastically cut prices and sell everything, while employees at other stores are reporting they’ve been told nothing.

Radio Shack ups the store closure ante!

Radio Shack will continue closing stores, because it makes them money! 

Sears, Best Buy, RadioShack, JCPenny all going down? 

 

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 01 – 03 January 2015: More British empire Canadian companies killing U.S. jobs! Property owner kills off Barnes & Noble! Chick fil-A kills off Macaroni Grill!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Obama Care will reduce doctor’s Medicaid reimbursements by 52.4%, beginning 01 January 2015!

Too Big to Jail United Bank announced it will shutdown offices in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

California: In Bakersfield, Canada based oil industry company Ensign Energy Services revealed it laid off 700 people back on 15 December 2014!   In Walnut Creek, baseball themed McCovey’s restaurant shutting down. The owners say they are trying to relocate near a real major league baseball stadium, if they can afford the rent.  Boeing issued a WARN saying 23 people in Long Beach will be laid off in March.  Arrogant and bankrupt busted GT Advanced Technologies is now demanding a bankruptcy judge allow millions of dollars in bonuses to be paid to the failed executives of the failed company!   More than 800 jobs were lost when Apple canceled its contract with GT Advanced!  Yogurtland shutdown their Roseville frozen yogurt store, it has something to do with the location.

Florida:  In Plantation, the Fashion Mall chapter 7 bankrupt busted and now up for sale.  The mall has been vacant since 2007!

Illinois: In Chicago, Castle (Excalibur) nightclub shutdown.  After 26 years Soapy’s laundromat being shutdown by greedy property developers.

Hawaii: The Children’s Place clothing store in the GGP owned Ala Moana Center announced it will shutdown in February.  Store administrators say they couldn’t afford to renew the lease.  GGP is spending at least $600-million USD remodeling the Sears store into smaller spaces.  I’ve worked for GGP and know how outrageous their rents are.  They don’t just charge a simple ‘rent’, they can charge for utilities and they also ask for a percentage of sales.

Maryland: In Annapolis, after 44 years Laurance Clothing shutdown.

Michigan: The last two libraries of the Wayne County Library system threatened with shutdown.  The communities of Ecorse and Taylor say they will follow the other former library system members and go independent, in order to save money.

Minnesota: In Saint Paul, Work Out World was evicted by its landlord, for failure to pay rent.  After more than 50 years the White Bear Bowl bowling alley shutdown, due to crashing revenues ever since 2008, and supposedly the property owner sold the land to a nursing home company.  American Bank bankrupt busted and sold off to Deerwood Bank.  Barnes & Nobel shutdown its 20 years old Saint Paul Highland Park book store, not because the store wasn’t making money.  The store was shutdown by the greedy landlord.  Barnes & Noble administrators are looking for a new home: “We are diligently working on a new store offering…There’s nothing immediate. In fact, I can honestly tell you, we have not selected any locations for a new store offering, but we’ll probably look to that by the middle of 2015”-David Deason

Missouri: Texas based Romano’s Macaroni Grill forced to shutdown all their Saint Louis restaurants, and one in Columbia, due to greedy property owner!  Employees had no warning and were all notified on the day of the shutdowns by phone calls!  It turns out the property owner made a secret deal with evil Christian Chick fil-A back in September!  In Kansas City, the County Club Plaza lost three stores: Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Loft and Pottery Barn Kids.  The Oak Park Mall reports the Ann Taylor store is shutting down.

Montana:  In Billings, the Mongolian Grill shutdown, local news reports say nobody at the restaurant would talk to them.

North Carolina: Vegetable dehydrator McCall Farms of Wilson issued a WARN saying it will shutdown in February, affecting as many as 285 permanent and seasonal jobs by the end of March!  The Carolina Mattress Guild now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and liquidating.  Griggs Properties now chapter 7 bankrupt busted.

Ohio: Perrysburg Township began laying off police, blaming cash strapped taxpayers for rejecting a $3-million police levy in November. In Westerville, service provider for government-sponsored benefits programs such as the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, Medicare and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Maximus issued a WARN saying 70 people will become jobless due to the failure to win an Obama Care contract.

Oregon: Ochoco Lumber shutdown their 2nd shift at their Malheur Lumber plant, just seven months after starting up the 2nd shift.  About 90 jobs affected.  Administrators admit they overestimated sales.  Ochoco Lumber had also sold off $18.5-million of their land to pay for upgrades to their Malheur Lumber factory.

Tennessee: In Nashville, after 18 years Fiddle & Steel Guitar Bar shutdown.  The property was sold off to a hotel developer.

Texas: In San Antonio, it was announced that a Sprouts grocery store would shutdown in March.  In Rockwell, after only two years in their new location KE Cellars Winery shutdown: “We tried to make it work, but with so many sources of wine all over, road construction, a slow economy and everything Murphy could throw at us, it is just time for us to say we tried.”-owners

Vermont: After 42 years the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant shutdown.

Virginia:  Minnesota based Famous Daves BBQ announced it’s getting the hell outta Richmond!  All three stores already shutdown and the properties are up for sale!  Administrators say their restaurants never made enough money in Richmond.  In Galax, after 91 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Vaughan Furniture shutdown due to crashing sales.

Washington: Biotech company Dendreon chapter 11 bankrupt busted and about to be auctioned off in February.

Wisconsin:  The U.S. Postal Service confirmed it will shutdown four processing centers in the first half of 2015, more than a hundred jobs lost!

30-31-december-2014: “The rent is crazy high here!”

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 30 – 31 December 2014: “The rent is crazy high here!” More U.S. job killing by British empire Canada! Honorable U.S. company refuses tax deal after killing jobs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: After 60 years Graysville Tire Store shutdown.

Arizona: 350 people lost their jobs at the Mineral Park Copper Mine!  The owner of the mine, Canada based Mercator Mineral Park Holdings, went bankrupt in August.  However, administrators for Mohave County are freaking out because there was apparently no warning about any mine shutdown: “In the last 16 years, this is probably one of the biggest layoffs that we will be reacting to for one company.”-Susie Parel-Duranceau, community services director

“It would have been nice if we would have been given some advanced notice, so we could be preparing for it.”-Buster Johnson, county supervisor, explaining to local news that the Canadian company gave them no warning of layoffs

California:  HomeStreet Bank issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Covina office in February, 66 jobs lost.  In Folsom, after only two years Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill shutdown without explanation.  At Vandenberg AFB, Exilis issued a WARN saying they will layoff 125 people in January 2015!  In Mountain View, once again Symantec issued WARNs saying more people will lose their jobs.

Florida: At Patrick AFB, Exilis issued a WARN saying they will shutdown by April 2015, at least 211 jobs lost!

Pine Ridge Mall food court (The Courtyard), zombified Orange Julius and Mario’s Pizza have finally died off. The obligatory pretzel joint moved to center court. Mrs. Powell’s, Dairy Queen, the corn dog place and others all died within the past few years.

Idaho: In Chubbuck, Mario’s Pizza and Orange Julius announced they will shutdown their Pine Ridge Mall stores in 2015. Local TV station KPVI said company administrators told them the economy was so bad in the Pocatello/Chubbuck area that it wasn’t worth keeping the decades old pizza joint and juice blender open any longer.

Maine: In Farmington, after 159 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Trask Jewelers shutdown.  The current owner, who wants to retire, was unable to find a new owner.

Mississippi: In Jackson, the Bounce Castle in the Westwood Mall shutdown.  The pissed off owners blame the landlords and the bad economy: “The rent is crazy high here! People don’t come in when it’s 70 degrees outside, either. We didn’t have any option……I didn’t know until the first of December. I was still trying to negotiate with the mall.”-Tony Crego

New Jersey: The Spencer’s humorous adult themed gift-shop  announced it will shutdown their Phillipsburg Mall store in January.  In Hoboken, after 78 years Helmers’ Restaurant shutdown. Reports say the German themed restaurant has been in financial trouble ever since a fire in 2006. The property owner has reportedly rented out the space to a new tenant at $15-thousand per month!  Rumors that after 15 years Stanley’s Prime Meat Market shutdown.

New York: In Hauppauge, Olympus issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their camera repair ops in April 2015, at least 41 jobs lost.  In Hicksville, U.S. Postal Service contractor Pitney Bowes issued a WARN saying between 60 and 85 jobs will be affected by their March 2015 shutdown of their Presort Services.  More Obama Care destruction as mental health service provider The Pederson Krag Centers issued a WARN saying they will shutdown by March 2015, at least 90 jobs lost. In Angola, abrasives maker Flexovit said the collaspe of their roof (by snow storms) forced them to layoff 63 employees.

North Carolina: In Fayetteville, after 57 years Vick’s Drive-In restaurant shutdown by the North Carolina Department of Transportation to make way for the rerouting of the nearby Rowan Street bridge.  In Willmington, Golden Corral all you can eat at the Monkey Junction shutdown without notice on 29 December. Local news reports said company administrators wouldn’t talk to them, but an employee said sales had crashed.

Ohio:  In Lakewood, the World of Beer bar shutdown, apparently with no explanation. In Hilliard, after only two years the Auddino’s Bakery & Cafe on Fishinger Boulevard shutdown. The bakery owners say the property owners didn’t promote the business as promised.  After 118 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) E.T. Paul Tire Company shutdown, ironically by the state Department of Transportation to make way for a new road!

South Carolina: Sears Holdings announced they will shutdown their 40 years old Easley Kmart in January, 62 jobs lost.

Virginia: In Vinton, after 32 years Holden’s Country Store shutdown.  The owner blames bad health.

Wisconsin: Chart Energy & Chemicals laid off 55 people at its La Crosse factory, blaming crashing sales.  The honest company administrators also announced they will not take advantage of a property tax rebate deal recently offered by the city, because it involved expanding operations not laying off employees: “Chart has a long history in La Crosse and we remain committed to the community.”-Jim Fischman, honorable Chart Industries administrator

24-29-december-2014: Coke Kills 2-thousand jobs!

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

 

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 24 – 29 December 2014: Coca-Cola eliminates 2-thousand jobs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: After 30 years Ballard Stamp & Copy shutdown, the owner said it was “just time” to retire.

California: At Vandenberg AFB, L3 Engineering issued a WARN saying they will shutdown in February 2015, at least 91 jobs lost.  In Sacramento, designer ‘art’ toy store Dragatomi shutdown their brick-n-mortar store and will sell over the internet only.

Connecticut:  Hearst Media eliminated 72 jobs at the Hartford Courant, in an effort “to lower costs, without impact to our readers and advertisers as we navigate a rapidly changing digital frontier.”

Florida: At Patrick AFB, L3 Engineering issued a WARN saying they will shutdown by March 2015, at least 136 jobs lost! Funky Monkey restaurant chain now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  It’s partly blamed on Orlando businessman Nik Patel, who is facing criminal fraud charges.  Patel’s Mingo restaurant was subleasing from Funky Monkey.  Other Funky Monkey restaurant locations are suffering from crashing revenues due to nearby construction projects.

Georgia: Atlanta based Coca-Cola announced it must kill off 2-thousand jobs in the United States, before the end of January 2015! Company administrators say the U.S. economy is so bad they’re forced to cut $3-billion USD by 2019!

Indiana: In New Albany, Aunt Artie’s Antique Mall announced it will shutdown its brick-n-mortar store and sell over the internet only.

Maine: Mitt Romney’s wunderkind Staples announced it will shutdown its Presque Isle Aroostook Centre Mall store by February 2015.

Massachusetts: Westfield State University shutdown its Downtown Art Gallery. Apparently the university was responsible for promoting local arts but now is unable to, the city of Westfield is supposedly taking on the responsibility.  In New Bedford, PharmaHealth shutdown two pharmacies in connection to the deadly meningitis outbreak that began with compounding centers in the area.

Missouri: In order “to realign the workforce, to improve profitability, and support new growth market opportunities” SunEdison Semiconductor announced they will eliminate 120 jobs by Summer 2015!  In Columbia, the Marconi Grill shutdown without notice. A local news source discovered it when they spotted moving vans at the property. Reports said a few months ago it was rumored the restaurant would close, but employees said it was for remodeling. Those loyal employees are now eating crow, as competing restaurants are now being flooded with applications from former Marconi Grill employees.  In Florissant, after 95 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Yacovelli’s Restaurant to shutdown on New Year’s Day.

New Jersey: Woodbridge Developmental Center, a home for people with developmental disabilities, announced it will shutdown on New Year’s Day, 333 patients affected, 622 jobs lost!  Regenerative-medicine company Tengion now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and liquidating.  It’s blamed on massive debt and lack of investor support.

Ohio: Cobenick Studios/CS Gallery announced they will shutdown in January 2015, due to the greedy landlord jacking up the rent.

Pennsylvania: The School District of Philadelphia shutdown the Walter Palmer Leadership Learning Partners Charter School.

Tennessee: After 20 years, the Hixson Toys R Us announced it will shutdown in January 2015, at least 24 jobs lost.

Texas: In Midland, after more than 40 years Miz B’s Books shutdown.

19-23-december-2014: “now we must….close forever.”

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 19 – 23 December 2014: “We tried our best! There just isn’t enough cash…” More job killing landlords! More revolving door employment shell games by the Too Big to Jails! “We had a great ride, but now we must….close forever.”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Arizona: After 29 years the Actors Theatre of Phoenix shutdown due to constricted cash flow, and tickets that were already sold off will not be refunded: “We made a lot of changes, and some things did improve, but it wasn’t enough. When we started putting all the numbers next to each other, it became clearer and clearer that this was a math problem. The cost structure of supporting professional artists is no longer something that Actors Theatre was able to do.”-Matthew Wiener, artistic director

Arkansas: North Little Rock library laying off 11 people.  Incompetent ‘elected’ and appointed administrators admitted they grossly underestimated the cost of expanding the library!

California:  Jamba Juice revealed it will layoff 23 people (including three senior vice presidents) at its Emeryville support center in 2015. Company administrators say the economic situation is forcing them to reduce costs.  In Anaheim, Norco Delivery issued a WARN saying 93 people will become jobless in February 2015.  Taxsucking Boeing issued several WARNs (again) saying at least 170 people across California will become jobless in February 2015!   OfficeMax-OfficeDepot issued a WARN saying the Menlo Park OfficeMax will shutdown in February 2015, at least 71 jobs lost.  In San Francisco, once again the evil British empire based U.S. taxsucker BAE Systems issued a layoff WARN saying 192 people will become unemployed in January 2015!

Connecticut: Provider of turbine engines to airlines and military, Pratt & Whitney announced they will furlough most of their salaried employees in 2015!  The furloughs will take place in April, May, July, September, October, November and December.  Company administrators admit they don’t expect any ‘recovery’ soon: “We won’t see the benefits of our new programs for a few years.”-Ray Hernandez

Florida: Naples based Beasley Broadcast Group laid off more than 12 employees.  Employees said there was no notice.  Does it have something to do with the recent takeover of seven North Carolina radio stations?

Hawaii: Mark’s Hallmark at Kahala Mall shutdown despite making $1-million USD per year! Hallmark administrators say it’s still not enough money!  It might have something to do with the high rent: “We love being here, but you have to make the economics work.”-Jim Cox, Mark’s Hallmark

Slow death of Chubbuck's Carmike Cinema 7, as of December 2014. It 1st opened in 1990 by Excellence Theaters, becoming Carmike 7 in 1998 who then sold it off in August 2014.

Slow death of Chubbuck’s Carmike Cinema 7, as of December 2014. It 1st opened in 1990 by Excellence Theaters, becoming Carmike 7 in 1998 who then sold it off in August 2014.

Idaho: In Chubbuck, the demolition of the 24 years old Carmike Cinema 7 is slowly underway.  Rumors are spreading that it will be replaced by an Olive Garden.  I’ve been hearing that Olive Garden rumor since 1996, I’ll believe it when I see it!

Maryland: After nearly 70 years plastic container maker Hedwin announced they are shutting down their Baltimore ops by 2017, and moving to Delaware.  300 jobs will be lost in Maryland!

Massachusetts: Gateway Schools threatening to reduce parent-teacher days or seven teachers will get laid off! School administrators are struggling with how to deal with funding cuts of about $200-million!

Michigan:  In Ann Arbor, after 26 years Falling Water Books & Collectables shutdown due to the greedy landlord jacking up the rent.

Minnesota: The Northern Star Bank failed, being taken over by the FDIC who then turned over the bank’s assets to BankVista.

New York: In NYC, lottery company GTECH issued a WARN saying they will shutdown by the end of January 2015.  At least 31 jobs lost due to losing the state lottery contract.  In Saint Johnsville, foam filter maker Opflex Environmental Technologies issued a WARN saying their landlord is evicting them, which will result in 51 jobs lost.  Too Big to Jail First Niagara began advertising to hire 200 people, the exact number of people they also announced are being laid off in 2015!  Bank administrators said it’s all part of the banking industry’s “strategic” growth plans.  Hauppauge based law firm Binder & Binder now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  It made millions of dollars every year by suing Social Security, yet is now in debt by as much as $50-million!  The bankruptcy filing shows administrators plan on eliminating 566 jobs over the next two years!  In Binghamton, after more than 85 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) MacLennan’s Flowers shutdown: “The area’s gone from a manufacturing base to a retail base, and that’s a big difference in paychecks.”-Scot MacLennan, 3rd generation owner

Pennsylvania:  New Freedom based 90 years old (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) sports store Shenk & Tittle shutting down all its Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia stores, saying “We had a great ride, but now we must say goodbye and close forever.”  In Kingston, after more than four years the owners of Vanderlyn’s Restaurant announced that New Year’s Eve is their last day of operations. They said they need more “family time”.  In Centre County, after nearly 100 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) the Mount Nittany Inn shutdown. The restaurant has been for sale for the past three years, but nobody wants to buy.  A co-owner blames the lack of ‘recovery’ and evil Too Big to Jail banks: “We tried our best! There just isn’t enough cash flow….”-Nancy Silvis

Rhode Island: Central Coventry Fire District now officially bankrupt busted after administrators and employees failed to solve a budget crisis: “The cost of the fire district has risen beyond the willingness of the taxpayers to pay, and now bankruptcy is the only means available to restructure the district’s operations and obligations to restore it to fiscal solvency and stability for the future.”-Lincoln Chafee, state governor

Virginia:  After only seven months Dash Kitchen & Carry restaurant shutdown! The owners admitted they were ignorant of the bad economy saying “…we misjudged the demand for it in that market and failed….Dash will either be sold ….or will be reimagined…”   In Virginia Beach, after 39 years the owner of pet store Animal Jungle announced he will shut it down by January 2015.  In Richmond, the co-owner of ‘adult themed’ Tiki Bob’s club announced they will shutdown in February 2015, blaming competition and lazy city administrators: “After 16 years we’ve hit the end! You see all the great food and stuff going on in Richmond. There’s no more room for just a club anymore. I’ve waited a year for the city to get the ballpark. I can’t wait any longer….I don’t know if I want to put another 200-300k in the bottom without the city doing anything down here.”-Erik Brockdorff

Washington: East Pierce Fire and Rescue failed to reach a deal with the union to alleviate a $1-million shortfall.  Seven positions will now be eliminated.  Administrators say the economy has not recovered as evidenced by crashing local tax revenues, which have fallen 30% over the past five years!

Wisconsin: Concrete company Ojibwa Ready Mix now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and liquidating.

16-18-december-2014: “I’ve never seen such incompetence.”

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

 

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 16 – 18 December 2014: “In all my years, I’ve never seen such incompetence…” Obama kills off another polysilicon factory!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California:  Safeway announced they will shutdown one of their Vons grocery stores in Hemet by January 2015, at least 55 jobs lost.  Only a year after ‘expanding’, Berkeley founded Peet’s Coffee & Tea shutdown all six Ohio shops, plus three in Pennsylvania and two in Michigan, without warning! 70 jobs lost, company administrators said only that those stores “…are not performing to our sales expectations and didn’t have a promising future…” Peet’s also shutdown seven former Caribou Coffee House stores in August, killing off 150 jobs!

Michigan: What automotive industry recovery?  In Ann Arbor, the 51 years old motorcycle/snowmobile dealer Nicholson’s announced they are shutting down.  Local news reports said no reason is being given, and they’re confused because sales reps claim vehicle sales have “been great!”  

Minnesota: After only nine months Boneyard Kitchen and Bar shutdown, some customers told local news that they were not happy with the menu items.

Missouri: Aramark Healthcare Support Services warned they will render 100 people jobless at the Saint Louis University Hospital in February 2015!

New Hampshire: Eastern Mountain Sports warned it will eliminate 41 corporate-call center jobs, and relocate other employees by May 2015.  The bad economy is forcing them to consolidate corporate and warehouse jobs.

New Jersey: Commercial light bulb maker Kurt Versen issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Westwood factory beginning February 2015, at least 102 jobs lost!  Company administrators blame the property owner for refusing to renew the lease.

New York: In Bronx, education evaluator Institutes of Applied Human Dynamics issued a WARN saying they will shutdown in March 2015, at least 44 jobs lost.

Ohio: After 60 years Ruppel’s Art & Paint Supply shutdown on Xmas eve. The owner said he can no longer compete with ‘big box’ stores who actually carry less of a selection than he did, nor the internet.   The city of Brook Park continues to kill jobs.  16 people will become unemployed by January 2015, and city officials warn the city could go bankrupt.  Apparently the general fund is $3-million USD in the hole! The article I read never once explained why the city is so broke, but quoted a former mayor as saying “In all my years, I’ve never seen such incompetence in council members.”

Oregon: In Portland, after 35 years the Hunan Restaurant shutdown “Due to personal health issues”.

Pennsylvania: Manitowoc Crane Care revealed they laid off under 100 people at their Antrim Township factory.  Back in February they laid off 260 employees! Company administrators blame crashing sales: “The continuing decline in the rough-terrain and boom truck markets in North America and Latin America have continued to negatively impact our crane segment performance.”

Tennessee:  After 17 years the GollyWhoppers sandwich shop announced they’re shutting down the day before Xmas.  ServiceMaster laid off 61 people from its Memphis HQ.  Dickson Quad/Graphics issued a WARN saying they will shutdown in March 2015, at least 115 jobs lost!  They blame it on the death of the USA Weekend newspaper.  Hemlock Semiconductor announced they will finally kill off their less than six years old Clarksville polysilicon factory.  The factory was idled in 2013, eliminating 400 jobs!  Company administrators blamed the same things that Hoku administrators in Pocatello, Idaho, blamed for their ‘death’: Crashing polysilicon prices and Obama regime imposed tariffs on U.S. polysilicon products sold to China!  Free market advocates said it’s proof that giving corporations huge tax incentives don’t work: “The Hemlock debacle is living proof that corporate welfare has no place in Tennessee. Taxpayers should not be forced to unwillingly invest in private companies, especially those in volatile markets, through corporate welfare schemes.”-Justin Owen, Beacon Center

Washington: Spokane based Spokane Rock has laid off 45 people from its asphalt division.  Spokane Rock also has operations in Idaho.

13-15-december-2014: Two Great Depression survivors killed off by this ‘recovery’! 

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

As January goes, so goes the stock market…..

31 January 2015 (22:58 UTC-07 Tango 30 January 2015)/10 Rabi ‘ath-Thani 1436/11 Bahman 1393/12 Yi-Chou (12th month) 4712

“It was a rough day on the market, in almost every sector. Do you believe the adage ‘As January goes so goes the rest of the year’?”-Sue Herera, Nightly Business Report

“…we’re just gearing up for the volatility for 2015….what hasn’t happened that will likely happen to cause volatility, and that’s the Fed raising short term rates. It’s going to happen….

…banks have just been hammered in January…what we’re lining up for, for the next couple of months with banks is the results of some stress tests…and if rates rise…”-James A. Cox III, financial analyst, Nightly Business Report interview 30 January 2015

Business/Economics

No more Kate Spade? Upscale women’s clothing chain dumps middle class operations!

31 January 2015 (21:40 UTC-07 Tango 30 January 2015)/10 Rabi ‘ath-Thani 1436/11 Bahman 1393/12 Yi-Chou (12th month) 4712

Upscale Kate Spade announced it is shutting down all its two years old mid-scale Kate Spade Saturday women’s stores as well as all of its Jack Spade men’s stores!

Kate Spade will focus on its luxury elitist stores, Kate Spade New York, and sell its men’s line on the internet (they claim they’re going to sell specialized tailored men’s clothing over the internet as well).

Analysts say Xmas sales sucked so bad for Kate’s mid-scale stores that it’s proof the middle class doesn’t have any money to spend, that’s why Kate is now focusing on its rich elitist target audience.