Tag Archives: closing

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 14 – 16 November 2014: “It was like watching people get executed.” 11-thousand+ jobs killed off in New Jersey! Boastful female owned company looses contract “due to unprofessionalism”!

January 19, 2015 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Arizona: In Tucson, Bring Funeral Homes on Scott Avenue died. The owners had to consolidate ops to their Broadway location. The morbid owners actually blamed it on the lack of dying people near their Scott Avenue location!

California: In Calabasas, Microsoft controlled HERE North America (formerly Nokia Location & Commerce) issued a WARN saying at least 18 people will be laid off between January and February 2015. In Los Angeles, Trinity Sports issued a WARN saying they will shutdown by January 2015, at least 135 jobs lost!

Florida: After barely 12 years the Sea Breeze Winery announced they’re shutting down in December. The owner says she’ll continue to sell grapes to other wineries. In University Park, Shapes Total Fitness discriminatory women’s only fitness club shutdown, it’s blamed on the property owners for jacking up the rent. In Panama City, after 80 years commercial printer Boyd Brothers shutdown, blaming the economy and the Too Big to Jail banks for killing off 100 jobs: “…due to the changing dynamics of the industry and lack of access to capital, Boyd is forced to close its doors.”

Indiana: In Jasper, after 66 years Inwood Office Furniture shutdown, 85 jobs lost. The owners blamed crashing sales and an offer for their property they couldn’t refuse: “…demand for quality wood private office furniture continues to decline, and because we have a committed purchaser for our plant and land…”

Iowa: What automotive industry recovery? Vehicle muffler maker Donaldson announced they are shutting down their Grinnel factory and consolidating operations to Alabama, 75 jobs lost. In Iowa City, after 34 years the local owner of the soap store The Soap Opera announced it will shutdown in January 2015, for personal reasons.

Kentucky: O’Brien & Gere engineering laid off 27 employees as it shutdown its Louisville office, blaming a decline in taxpayer funded government construction projects.

Maine: The Big Lots rip off store in Bangor is shutting down in January 2015. I say it’s a ripoff because I’ve found many of the items I price checked to be much cheaper at first run retailers (at least here in Idaho)! By the way, Big Lots exited the Canadian market in 2013, a portent of things to come for U.S. retailers wanting to do business in the Great White North?

New Jersey: In Atlantic City, the owner of Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort (the owner is not Donald Trump) made it official and announced its shutdown, 3-thousand jobs will be lost! It’s the 5th Atlantic City casino to shutdown in 2014, for a total of 11-thousand jobs lost, not counting all the outside suppliers and mom & pops that relied on the casinos for business!!! In Ridgewood, Obama Care is the final straw that killed off decades old Harding Pharmacy and Liquors. The independent owner of the store directly blamed “reduced reimbursements” for forcing him to sell out and go to work for a competing pharmacy. In Raritan, after 11 years women’s clothing store Chaos shutdown. The owner, Karen Brooks, said “With rent, utilities and other operating costs, it’s hard to see the value in trying to keep up.” Englewood based CNBC (formerly the Consumer News and Business Channel) unexpectedly laid off eight employees: “The total bloodbath was unexpected. They pushed out a lot of loyal, very qualified people. It was like watching people get executed.”-unnamed source quoted by Business Insider

Brookdale Community College administrators say crashing enrollment is causing them to be short $8.5-million USD for the upcoming 2015-16 school year and warned of 210 layoffs: “These are tough times and the organizational structure we have now is not sustainable; the board is aware of this harsh fact. Our current models are no longer effective in serving today’s students, and we must catch up with the advances that have been made in educational technology.”-Maureen Murphy, president

Ohio: Hocking College laid off 36 employees and warned of mandatory furloughs for others, blaming DSS (what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome). In 2010 the college had 6,599 students, in 2013 there were 4,094 students and for the 2014-15 year they’re down to 3,474; almost a 50% drop in enrollment since 2010!

Pennsylvania: In Hazelton, it was revealed that Weir Minerals will shutdown and move ops to Wisconsin and Georgia by March 2015, at least 90 jobs lost. Anti-2nd Amendment Pepsi shutdown yet another distribution center, this time in West Goshen. 60 employees are being forced to move, if they want to stay employed, while at least six employees were rendered unemployed. In Dallas, Offset Paperback Manufacturers issued a WARN saying 37 people will become jobless in January 2015. In Towanda, Global Tungsten & Powders laid off 120 people saying “The company has been severely impacted by the low pricing of finished phosphor exported from China, which has affected (GTP’s) ability to competitively manufacture phosphors from rare earth concentrates and also from GTP’s rare earth recycling plant.”

South Dakota: Electronic gadget insurance company Asurion announced they’re shutting down their seven years old Rapid City call center in January 2015, about 232 jobs lost!

Texas: In Bryan, the company that loves to boast that they are the largest female owned accounts receivables-customer relationship operations in the country, Pennsylvania based Penncro Associates, laid off 175 people with only a few minutes notice! It’s blamed on the loss of a major contract “due to unprofessionalism”, a female employee said “As of November 28 they were going to start laying everyone off!……I’m not going to have my home any longer. I’m not going to be able to help my family!”-Kelly Henderson

Washington: The for profit Avamere Georgian House nursing home forced to layoff 69 employees and shutdown its Lakewood ops. Employees said the dilapidated building in Lakewood is forcing the nursing home operator to move patients to their nursing home in Tacoma. In Vancouver, after 105 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Luepke Florist announced they will shutdown after Xmas due to the new landlord jacking up the rent.

Wisconsin: In Appleton and Green Bay, after more than ten years Goodwill Industries shutdown their popular Harmony Café. Although it was popular Goodwill administrators say the two restaurants were actually losing money, at least $1-million over the past four years: “The restaurant side got away from us. We kept subsidizing them hoping we would finally create a plan that would be competitive.”-Bob Pedersen, president & CEO

12-13 November-2014 “That’s it, I’m done!”

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, 19 January 2015: Exodus from Puerto Rico? Sears discounts expensive electronics by 90%?

January 19, 2015 Hutchins AAron

For some reason Sears has discounted Nakamichi brand audio equipment by as much as 90%. Comments on the internet indicate the Japan based brand is “expensive”. But wait, it’s not really an upfront discount deal. It’s actually ‘credits’ through the online Shop Your Way Rewards scam. It’s been pointed out that the same items can be had on Amazon and ebay for less.

Sears Holdings is shutting down a 25 years old Puerto Rico Kmart, by April. The store spokesman said it was part of the planned shutdowns for 2014.

update 17 January 2015: Spending money they don’t have

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).

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).

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).

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). 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).

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).

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 obvious the last remaining Saginaw Kmart will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January 2014, 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: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost), Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost).

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost), Gastonia Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), Kinston Kmart (64 jobs lost), Cary Sears (66 jobs lost), 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).

Puerto Rico: Recently revealed Vega Baja Kmart (# of jobs lost not reported).

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

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 12 – 13 November 2014: “That’s it, I’m done!” Greedy employees & Too Big to Jail banks kill off car dealership! No more Remington? Microsoft kills NBC?

January 18, 2015 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Illinois based Abbott Vascular issued several WARNs saying more than 100 Golden Staters will be laid off! Reports say just two years ago the medical device company had 4-thousand employees, but now has less than 17-hundred (is the job culling related to the new Obama Care medical device tax?)! In Silver Lakes, after eight years kids shoe store Wee Soles shutdown. The owner blames crashing sales saying “…people are not willing to pay what a good shoe costs.” The owner is now returning to her previous job as a dance instructor. In El Segundo, Aimbridge Employee Service issued a WARN saying they will “temporarily” close in December, 13 jobs lost. In Santa Anna, ITT Cannon warned they will layoff at least five people in January 2015. More layoffs for failing Hewlett Packard, this time they laid off 25 people in Palo Alto. In Torrance, Obama Care caused Providence Health to issue a WARN saying they will shutdown in January 2015, at least 59 jobs lost.

Connecticut: Foxwood Casino laid off 84 people. That’s on top of the 195 employees already rendered jobless at the failing casino! What automotive industry recovery? In Bridgport, after 45 years the Dragone used car dealership shutdown. The family owned dealership was done in partly by a greedy employee who embezzled them, but the final straw was when the Too Big to Jail banks refused to help out the current owner: “I came in last Friday and said, `That’s it, I’m done!’ That really hurt, I couldn’t get new financing.”-Carman ‘Mimi’ Dragone

Florida: Railroad company CSX warned they will eliminate 300 management jobs, mainly in Jacksonville! Salaries and travel expenses will also be cut. Company administrators say that despite revenues going up, operational expenses went up even more. Also in Jacksonville, URS Federal Services issued a WARN saying 81 people will become jobless at the end of December. American Express issued a WARN saying at least three people will lose their jobs at their Weston office in January 2015.

Illinois: In Matteson, the owners of the 41 years old Lincoln Mall announced it will shutdown in January 2015. Don’t blame the economy as a court judge ordered it torn down because it was literally falling apart (the mall owners said they could not afford to maintain the building). City administrators are scrambling to find new homes for the mall tenants.

Maryland: In Federal Hill, after 116 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Morstein’s Jewelers shutdown.

Michigan: What automotive industry recovery? In Lansing, GM (General Motors) revealed that 450 people at its Grand River Assembly Plant could become jobless in early 2015! It’s blamed on crashing sales of upscale Cadillacs. GM also announced the killing off of at least 160 jobs at its Buick and Chevy Assembly Plant in Orion by the end of 2015 (they hope production will go up when they introduce the new Camaro)!

Mississippi: Emilia Cosmetics laid off about 30 employees at its newly acquired skin care factory in Dekalb. It’s blamed on massive delays in shipments of primary ingredients. After announcing a $50-million USD expansion in August, light bulb maker Philips laid off 49 employees at their Tupelo factory. Administrators claim the layoffs are “seasonal”.

New Hampshire: Home heating oil supplier Fred Fuller now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and up for sale.

New Jersey: In Egg Harbor City, Renault Winery Resort and Golf now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. The administrators say they are fighting for the life of the iconic winery: “We have been here for 150 years, and our plan will ensure us being here long into the future. We’re not looking to sell the place. We’re looking to continue the legacy here.”-Dennis Del Vecchio

New York: NBCnews.com (formerly MSNBC.com) will layoff an undisclosed number of employees in New York and Washington state beginning in 2015. It’s blamed on the expiration of the joint venture with Microsoft. Reports that Remington Arms laid off 126 people! This is on top of the 105 people already laid off! It’s the result of the gun maker getting the hell outta unAmerican New York and moving to Alabama. Sweden based air traffic manager Saab Sensis laid off 27 people in DeWitt: “As a result of continued challenging business environments in both domestic and international markets…”-Mike Gerry, president

Nevada: In Las Vegas, Caesars Entertainment warned of massive layoffs (as many as 600 people!) and possible chapter 11 bankruptcy. The gambling empire reports they’ve lost money every year since the 2008 recession.

Ohio: What automotive industry recovery? Maker of specialty metal parts for the automotive and aerospace industries Avalon Precision Metalsmiths (formerly known as Avalon Castings and Precision Metalsmiths) announced it will shutdown its 69 years old Euclid factory, about 50 jobs lost. Administrators blame crashing sales, pointing out that sales have been crashing for the past ten years!

Oklahoma: What automotive industry recovery? Auto parts maker Federal Mogul revealed they will shutdown their recently acquired Oklahoma City factory in 2015, at least 165 jobs lost! Federal Mogul took over the factory from Affina Group in June 2014. The Bank of Oklahoma announced it will shutdown branch offices located in 24 grocery stores, in 2015. Bank administrators claim they will find jobs for the 75 affected employees. In Bartlesville, the aged Eastland Four Theater cinema shutdown. The owners could not afford to switch to digital projectors. The cost to switch to digital is so expensive that only 88% of U.S. cinemas are digital.

West Virginia: Hendricks Coal issued a WARN saying 90 employees will be laid off from three coal mines, in December. Alpha Natural Resources laid off 36 coal miners.

Wisconsin: Sears Holdings announced they will shutdown the Eau Claire Kmart in February 2015, at least 93 jobs lost.

10-11 November-2014 “It’s hard to fail.”

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart closing update, 17 January 2015: City developments kill off another Sears? Spending money they don’t have to get you to spend your hard earned cash!

January 17, 2015 Hutchins AAron

Sears Holdings being sued once again! This time a Texas software developer (called Droplets) is suing both Sears Holdings and Overstock.com for essentially ripping off their patented “…system and method for delivering remotely stored applications and information.”

In California, Sears holdings is spending money it doesn’t have on creating a new shopping experience. In San Bruno you’ll soon be able to stroll a “live demo” display for high-tech wireless products. The Connected Solutions demo is designed to show you how converting your home into a wireless self-policing state will make your life easier.

In Minnesota, Sears Holdings has put up for sale two Sears Hometown and Outlet stores. Administrators hope to get between $1-million USD and $1.2-million per store. But wait, that doesn’t include the property itself, that’s just for the rights to use the property along with the Sears name!

Colorado is the latest U.S. state to get hit with a Sears store and Auto Center shutdown, which will take place in March. Sears Holdings does not own the building itself. City administrators revealed in 2012 that the Sears & Auto Center is located in an “area of change” that is expected to see business revenue actually go up over the next 20 years. The property owner as well as city administrators have big plans for development of commercial and public land in that area, and apparently the 60 years old Sears is in the way!

update 08 January 2015: Yet another distribution center goes down

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.

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), recently revealed 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).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost), Claymont Kmart (87 jobs lost).

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

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).

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).

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), recently revealed Northeast Minneapolis Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale, recently revealed Coon Rapids Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale.

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).

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

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

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost), Bluefield Sears store & Auto Center (64 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

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

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

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

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

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

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 10 – 11 November 2014: “…it’s hard to fail.”

January 16, 2015 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Connecticut: Norwalk based iconic Xerox warned that more layoffs are in the works, on top of the 13-hundred already taking place! Administrators say demand for high-tech stuff is crashing, after reporting their 10th straight quarter of losses!

Florida: The Island Breeze Casino cruse ship now bankrupt busted, 250 employees laid off! Administrators blame it on an engine fire that cost at least $1-million USD to fix. In Saint Petersburg, British empire United Kingdom based medical products maker Smith & Nephew warned it will shutdown in 2015, eliminating 108 U.S. jobs! Administrators say they must consolidate ops to Texas.

Idaho: In Challis, Colorado based Thompson Creek Mining (aka Thompson Creek Metals) issued a WARN saying they will layoff 160 people and shutdown their molybdenum mine in December. The mining company also warned Canadian employment administrators that they will shutdown their Endako molybdenum mine, also in December. Administrators blame the crashing price of moly-B.

Illinois: In Evanston, after 34 years Next Theater Company shutdown without notice. Reports say subscribers will not get refunds! Administrators blame a “sudden” crash in ticket buying and even donations, and they admitted their money management skills might not have been the best.

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, after 68 years Freeman Jewelers shutdown. The family owners blamed the high cost of precious metals and gems, and high unemployment, for impacting their sales.

Minnesota: God refuses to stop the Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul from killing an undisclosed number jobs. It’s blamed on their craving for sex with children, as they recently paid out a huge (undisclosed) amount of money to settle yet another sex abuse lawsuit! In Minneapolis, printer Cenveo revealed they will shutdown and render jobless 112 people between December 2014 and March 2015!

Nebraska: It was announced that the only Schweser’s women’s clothing store in Ohama will shutdown in January 2015. Company administrators blamed “economic reasons”.

North Carolina: Baxano Surgical now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

Ohio: In Springboro, a 56 years old IGA (Independent Grocers Alliance) grocery store shutdown. The owner blames competition from ‘big box’ stores: “We’ve got third, fourth generation shoppers. I’ve seen the kids in their baby carriers, to them bringing in their own kids. It’s hard to see what this is, when you watch your inventory dwindle down trying to make excuses to the customers is just, it’s hard to fail.”-Doug Preston

South Carolina: In Conway, after six years the Eggs Up Grill shutdown, 20 jobs lost. The owners said they’re being evicted due to not being able to pay their bills. Co-owner Christine Bonar says “There’s no value to put on what we’re losing financially. It will be the value of the friendships that we’ve made and the staff that we worked with. We’re all breaking up. We’re breaking up our family!” Manager Jeanne Sudowski is worried about the employees: “Obviously losing your job right before Thanksgiving and Christmas time is very rough…..some of them I don’t know if they can collect unemployment because they’ve only been here since July.”

07-09 November-2014

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 07 – 09 November 2014: Too Big to Jail corporate welfare recipient kills off 45-thousand jobs! Competition kills bio-fuel!

January 15, 2015 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Laying off 57 employees in Palo Alto, Space Systems/Loral finally gave state employment administrators a late WARN! What automotive industry recovery? In San Jose, Capitol Expressway Ford warned they will render 102 people jobless in December! In Lodi, food processor General Mills warned they will render 410 people jobless by January 2015! The FDIC seized the bank known as Frontier Bank (aka El Paseo Bank), assets were assumed by Bank of Southern California. Los Angeles based Capitol Music Group laid off at least 12 employees, blamed on crashing sales. Mountain View based Symantec confirmed it will kill off 2-thousand jobs by the end of 2015, and the tech company will split in half in an effort to ‘right-size’! Dublin based hamburger joint Wendy’s announced it is killing an undisclosed number of HQ jobs (rumored to be in the hundreds) by December, and said that it will continue with its massive store selloffs into 2015! Wendy’s has been selling off its stores to franchise holders. Company administrators say they need to cut at least $30-million USD going into 2015! It’s not due to crashing sales (not yet anyway) but mainly because of skyrocketing beef prices (Wendy’s actually uses 100% beef, unlike McDonald’s)! The supply of cow meat is dwindling due to the decades old drought in the western half of the U.S., and not only is Wendy’s competing with people shopping for beef in grocery stores, but with other burger and steak restaurants as well.

Georgia: In Alpharetta, 400 people becoming jobless as Too Big to Jail insurance company AIG (American International Group, which has its origins in China) laid them off in the name of becoming “more agile”!

Illinois: Lawn and garden products maker County Stone Holdings now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Company administrators blame crashing sales to homeowners, resulting in at least 74 employees becoming unemployed.

Iowa: After 83 years iconic Dahl’s Foods now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. The bankruptcy will make it easier for the iconic food company to be sold off to a competitor (Associated Wholesale Grocers), 950 employees affected! After 30 years, Foster Family Music shutdown, the owners blaming a changing market.

Massachusetts: Maine based Hannaford Supermarkets announced they will shutdown their Ayer grocery store in February 2015, at least 87 jobs lost. Company administrators said they will not renew the lease and admitted the bad economy cannot support all the grocery stores they have. Steward Health Care System announced they will shutdown their Quincy Medical Center at the end of December, 680 jobs lost!

Michigan: What automotive industry recovery? Plastic parts maker for the automotive industry Flint Hills Resources shutting down their Marysville plant by mid-2015, at least 75 jobs lost. Company administrators said that despite their best efforts the factory could not “remain competitive”.

Missouri: Air ambulance service Air Evac Lifeteam announced the shutdown of their West Plains ops, 36 jobs lost. Company administrators blamed a number of things including the costs to upgrade helicopters and problems with landlords.

New Jersey: Gerresheimer Glass issued a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) saying 115 people will become jobless in January 2015! They are shutting down their Millville soda lime furnace, blaming it on global competition. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton warned state administrators that they will render 87 healthcare workers jobless by the end of 2014.

New York: NYC based Too Big to Jail taxpayer bailout eater JP Morgan Chase radically upped its job killing, now reports say a total of 45-thousand JP Morgan Chase workers will become unemployed, apparently by the end of 2014! And for more proof of a coming housing implosion, about 18-thousand of those job cuts are in the mortgage sector (due to a 48% drop in mortgage related business)! In 2012 a Bloomberg study revealed that JP Morgan Chase was getting $14-billion per year from the U.S. taxpayers! The iconic bank has also been accused of massive fraud and in 2013 agreed to pay the federal government a piddly $13-billion in fines (however, criminal charges are still pending). Oak-Mitsui Technologies warned it will shutdown its Hoosick Falls plant in February 2015, at least 29 jobs lost. Castle Oil issued a WARN revealing they’ve been sold off, putting in limbo at least 182 jobs! Some good news; Suffolk Bus has rescinded a previous WARN. Supposedly they aren’t shutting down after all.

North Carolina: Obamacare forced Harnett Health to lose $24-million and kill off 19 jobs!

Texas: Pasadena based bio-fuel maker Kior now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and up for sale. Administrators said it’s just to expensive to scale up bio-fuel production to compete with old fashioned petroleum oil. In Fort Worth, British empire based U.S. taxsucker BAE Systems killed off 190 U.S. jobs! It’s blamed on U.S. ally Korea (south, aka RoK) canceling an order to upgrade more than 130 F-16 jets. The upgrade deal was (mis?)-handled by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Washington: Seattle based legal bio-tech drugs pusher Dendreon now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Administrators say the company has $664-million in debt, but only $364-million in assets.

05-06 November-2014

Business/Economics

Macy’s killing off 2-thousand 5-hundred jobs in 2015!

January 11, 2015 Hutchins AAron

11 January 2015 (06:55 UTC-07 Tango)/20 Rab al’Awwal 1436/21 Dey 1393/21 Yi-Chou 4712

On 07 January 2015, Ohio based Macy’s department store announced new shutdowns for 2015. At least 14 stores to be shutdown and as many as 2-thousand 5-hundred people to be rendered jobless!

In the following list, those stores in bold letters are the stores to be shutdown this year.

Arizona: Mesa Macy’s, Metro Center in Phoenix.

California: Pasadena Paseo Colorado mall Macy’s, 116 jobs lost! Interestingly this Macy’s was not covered in the list of ‘five’ closures published by east coast news sources, however, California news sources say this store shows the list actually covered six stores. I wonder why the dominant east coast news sources failed to identify it? In Cupertino, the Vallco Shopping Mall Macy’s was sold off, no word on if the store will be shutdown by the new owner, Cupertino Square Mall, Promenade-Woodland Hills, Furniture Gallery-Woodland hills.

Florida: Bradenton DeSoto Square mall Macy’s, 131 jobs affected! Gulf View Square.

Kansas: Overland Park Macy’s.

Michigan: Northland Center.

Missouri: Florrisant Macy’s.

New York: Irondequoit Macy’s, ShoppingTown Mall, Rotterdam Square.

North Carolina: Wendover-Greensboro.

New Jersey: Ledgewood Mall.

Ohio: Kingsdale Shopping Center, Richmond Town Square, Upper Valley mall.

Pennsylvania: West Manchester Township Macy’s, 69 jobs lost.

Tennessee: Southland Mall.

Texas: One of two Houston Macy’s (Galleria Macy’s), 136 jobs lost!

Utah: Murray Macy’s.

Macy’s killing more stores in 2014

JCPenney, 2-thousand+ jobs lost in 2015

Business/Economics

U.S. Housing & Construction Industry Implosion: Last six months of 2014, “Everybody wants a better outcome, everybody but the landlords.”

January 11, 2015 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of residential and commercial construction industry job destruction that took place, or were announced, from July to December 2014:

The U.S. Commerce Department reports a 9.3% drop in new U.S. home construction in the month of June. When broken down by region, the southern states led the country with a 29.6% drop! This is significant because the southern region makes up 40% of U.S. home construction!

Midwest: 28.1% drop

Northeast: 14.1% drop

West: 2.6% drop

RealtyTrac’s top ten list says the Kansas City area (in both Missouri and Kansas) has 305 abandoned homes!

Alabama: Maker of textiles for housing and industrial applications Johnston Textiles warned that its Phenix City factory could shutdown, 140 jobs could be lost! Company administrators are hoping somebody will buy the factory. In Birmingham, L&N Parkside canceled their plans to build 129 apartments and 12-thousand square feet of retail space. The project was dependent on a loan from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD refused to issue the loan! RealtyTrac’s top ten list says Birmingham-Hoover ties second place (percentage wise) with abandoned homes, 37%! In numbers that’s 428 abandoned homes!

Arizona: Local news reports said the Grand Canyon State lost 45-hundred construction jobs in June! British empire Australia based real estate company Colliers International says land sales in Phoenix have crashed 40% in the first half of 2014! Maville Interiors now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, 200 jobs could be lost! The company was one of the largest house painting contractors in the Grand Canyon State. Because of the housing market implosion the company has not been able to pay suppliers or federal taxes.

California: Prometheus Real Estate Group warned it will layoff dozens of real estate agents across several cities by the end of December. Discover Home Loans laid off at least four employees in November. In Los Alamitos, Aramark Management Services eliminated 51 property-facility management jobs in November. In Sunnyvale, Idaho based SummerWinds Nursery shutdown, but only because the greedy Californian property owner sold the land to a hotel developer (for $5-million)! The cities of Modesto, San Bernardino and Stockton have made WalletHub’s Most & Least Recession-Recovered Cities top five list of cities least likely to recover! Diesel, A Bookstore shutdown its Malibu Country Mart store. Company officials blame slow sales and “steep rent” saying “We’ve talked…about reducing rent….but at the end of the day, you’re tied into the lease…” In San Francisco, for the third time Home Depot killed off its planned Bayview store. This time Home Depot officials blame it on skyrocketing costs of construction (they should know).

Colorado: Michigan based Lamar Construction stopped three apartment building projects in the Centennial State, 180 jobs lost! On top of that, four other apartment projects are threatened. In Denver, Little Me’s children clothing store shutdown. The angry owner blamed never ending construction: “I knew I would face many challenges in this venture, but in the twenty years that I have been shopping in Cherry Creek North, lack of foot traffic was not one that I had anticipated. It appears the construction is only going to move closer to our area and we simply cannot make it through another season like the last.”– Jennifer Riches

West Metro Fire Rescue recommended job killing and a 3% pay cut due to voters rejecting a levy that would have increased local tax funding. Fire administrators blame their lack of funding on crashing home values. The ignorant firefighters don’t seem to realize that you can’t squeeze blood from a turnip, in other words the taxpayers are maxed out due to their own crashing revenues and even unemployment! “It’s the economy, stupid!”-attributed to Bill Clinton

Connecticut: In Stamford, after 24 years Littlejohn’s children clothing store shutdown. The co-owner blamed a lot of factors that have crashed their sales since 2008, but she said the final straw was when the greedy landlord jacked up the rent: “…an unattainable rent increase. It was honestly too much of an increase. It would be very difficult, really, or impossible to continue.”-Anda Weyher

Florida: In Brickell, after eight years Finnegan’s River bar being shutdown by greedy property developers. The owners of the bar sold out to a New York company for $15-million. In Coral Springs, condo builder Lauren Enterprises now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. In Fort Lauderdale, It’s been revealed that a 14 year veteran of the ‘American’ football team known as Miami Dolphins, is losing his home to a Too Big to Jail bank foreclosure. That bank is known as the Bank of New York. Bank officials say the football veteran stopped paying his mortgage last year. Records show he had trouble paying his mortgage back in 2009 as well. RealtyTrac’s top ten list says at the end of the 2nd quarter, the Palm Bay area had 2,041 abandoned homes! RealtyTrac reports that southern Florida leads the country in foreclosures; 5,853 foreclosure filings in July! Glades Brewery Partners and Palm Beach Brewery Associates now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. They own a restaurant chain called Brewzii, and recently a judge actually shutdown one of the restaurants for failure to pay rent. After 44 years Miami’s Best Pizza shutdown. The property owner pulled the rug out from under the restaurant owner’s feet, by renting the building to somebody willing to pay far more in rent. Andreas Schreiner of Pubbelly Restaurant Group said their Miami Beach PB Steak restaurant shutdown because “…the rising costs of real estate would not have allowed us to continue to operate PB Steak without raising our prices, which would go against our commitment to our customers, to be a local, everyday eating establishment.” All across southern Florida the federal government seized 21 houses, accusing the Massachusetts (Boston Strong, actually based in Marlborough) based owner, TelexFREE, of scamming immigrants from Brazil and Dominican Republic to the tune of $1-billion USD! By the way, Too Big to Jail Boston Strong (Fitchburg) Fidelity Bank agreed to pay a $3.5-million fine for their role in the TelexFREE scam. After 101 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Tobacco Road Bar shutdown by the greedy property owner, who refuses to renew the lease. In University Park, Shapes Total Fitness discriminatory women’s only fitness club shutdown, it’s blamed on the property owners for jacking up the rent.

Georgia: The city of Sandy Springs imposed a 60 day ban on the construction of new apartments. After 16 years the Augusta Ice Sports Center announced it’s being forced to shutdown in August. It’s blamed on the greedy property owner who has gotten a $2-million offer for the property.

Hawaii: The Kahala Shell Auto Care shop shutdown, 35 jobs lost. The new owners will operate it as a fueling station only, blaming new land lease rules. In Waikiki, Too Big to Jail Capital One shutdown their 360 Cafe in August. The property is owned by California based American Commercial Equities and it might have been sold off. In Kakaako, after only eight months the interior design eStyle Hawaii store shutdown because the greedy landowner kicked them out! The property is being redeveloped. In Honolulu, the operators of a 59 years old Foodland grocery store shutdown in December. Real estate analysts say local Hawaiian business are being killed by ‘big box’ stores and property speculators from mainland U.S.A., and Foodland customers agree: “…it’s all the construction and they’re bringing in all the mainland retailers, so it’s kind of sad…”-Eulie Villegas, loyal Foodland shopper

Idaho: Administrators with “the nation’s largest supplier of building materials for home building” ProBuild announced they’re shutting down their Sandpoint ops due to crashing sales. In November the Associated Press revealed that furniture maker Kimball International will shutdown and sell off its Post Falls metal fab shop, 250 jobs lost! Due to the bad economy the company is consolidating ops to Indiana. Despite the November revelation by Associated Press, company administrators waited until December to file a mandatory WARN with state employment administrators. RealtyTrac’s top ten list says at the end of the 2nd quarter the Boise-Nampa area had 765 properties in foreclosure, and 237 homes abandoned! In Naples, it was revealed that Washington based Alta Forest Products (whose main product is fencing for homes) laid off at least 25 employees and hours for other mill employees were reduced. Salesman Jeff Cook kinda blamed the housing market saying “We’ve lost a lot of sawmills and building products companies since 2007.” However, it’s probably due to the May 2014 merger of TMI Forest Products and Welco Lumber, which created Alta Forest Products. What’s (not) funny is company officials promised that job security was the goal of the merger: “This agreement will help secure employment to the local communities and strengthen the regional economy built on the growing lumber industry.”-company statement

Illinois: RJB Properties rendered 41 employees unemployed. Lawn and garden products maker County Stone Holdings now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Company administrators blame crashing sales to homeowners, resulting in at least 74 employees becoming unemployed. Mattress maker Sealy announced it will shutdown its Batavia factory in 2015, at least 174 jobs lost! It’s the result of Tempur-Pedic taking over Sealy.

Indiana: In Evansville, Springleaf Finance announced they are shutting down their mortgage operation, 170 jobs lost!

Iowa: In Des Moines, after 92 years (surviving the Great Depression & numerous recessions) Owen Crist Auto Body Service shutdown. The family owners were bought out by property developers.

Kansas: RealtyTrac says Wichita leads the U.S. (percentage wise) with abandoned homes, 49%! In numbers that’s 146 homes! In Kansas City, after 50 years Quick’s Bar-B-Q shutdown. The owner says road construction is killing off mom-n-pops: “…I want to get out on my terms and while things are good. It is hard and these little mom-and-pop folks, you see them dropping.”-Ron Quick

After 91 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Jilka Furniture announced it will shutdown in December: “With the many changes taking place in the furniture industry, we felt it was a wise decision to close our store.”-Bud and Loretta Jilka

Kentucky: O’Brien & Gere engineering laid off 27 employees as it shutdown its Louisville office, blaming a decline in taxpayer funded government construction projects.

Maine: After 61 years window maker Waterville Window now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and liquidating. The company began laying off employees in December 2013. Old Town Fuel & Fiber shutdown without notice: “Effective immediately all Old Town mill operations will be indefinitely suspended. All employees not needed for securing the facility will be furloughed.”-Patriarch Partners statement

180 employees affected: “We don’t need you to come in tomorrow. Go sign up for unemployment!”-unnamed employee relating to local news media what they were told

Local news reports say the new owners of the mill shut it down to address environmental problems caused by the dilapidated former Georgia Pacific mill and “We shut down to make repairs to our biomass boilers and ended up finding more work than we expected.”, said HR director Dan Bird. Bird also blamed competition from mills using low grade eucalyptus trees.

The mill also owes $1-million in local taxes!

Maryland: In Rockville, RoundPoint Mortgage killed off 68 mortgage jobs. In Silver Springs, after 64 years Dale Music Company shutdown. The co-owner blamed the bad economy and greedy property developers: “We have done what we can. It would be too expensive to move, and with Silver Spring redevelopment happening now, we decided it was best to close our doors.”-Carol Warden

Massachusetts: The Andover Bookstore threatened to shutdown, the owner says they can no longer afford to pay the rent. In New Bedford, after 82 years (and surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Converse Photo Supply shutdown. Don’t blame technology, the owners had gotten into the business of recovering pics off memory cards that were thought to have been erased. The owners said they sold the building after they were approached by a property speculator. RealtyTrac’s top ten list says at the end of the 2nd quarter Worcester had 394 abandoned homes! After just eight months The Rug Department store shutdown one of its two stores. The bankrupt owners are selling it off. After 56 years Hyannis based Mill Stores chain furniture store shutdown at least nine of its brick-n-mortar outlets across several states.

Michigan: British empire Australia based real estate company Colliers International shutdown their Detroit office. Company officials blame it on the loss of their brokers. WalletHub’s Most & Least Recession-Recovered Cities ranks the Failed State of Detroit as being the least likely of all failed U.S. cities to recover! After 125 years the building housing the iconic and elitist Detroit Club went up for auction only seven months after the new owner spent more than a million dollars buying and renovating the building. The starting bid was less than a million! The Failed State Detroit Land Bank dumping homes in the Boston-Edison area. Those homes have been labeled “disasters” by local news media. In East Lansing, after 50 years Goodrich’s Shop Rite shutdown. The owners said their lease expired and the property owners wanted mo money. Washtenaw County reports that by July of this year they’ve held 259 tax foreclosure sales. In Hudsonville, after 76 years Lamar Construction Company shutdown without notice, 280 jobs lost! Local news reports said company officials made “vague references” to the bad economy.

Minnesota: In Minneapolis, after nine years Social House restaurant shutdown, the operators blame the property owner for kicking them out, saying “We had absolutely no control over this situation…” Minneapolis based retailer Target eliminated 120 real estate manager jobs (80 occupied, 40 vacant) as the company decided to drastically cut back its plans to open new stores. In Duluth, after 12 years the Brownie Furniture store shutdown.

Mississippi: After only two years Margaritaville Casino warned of bankruptcy and that it will shutdown in September, 350 jobs lost! Attorneys for the casino said the property owner refused to allow the building of a hotel, which was part of the original plan: “Everybody wants a better outcome, everybody but the landlords.”-Michael Cavanaugh

Missouri: RealtyTrac says Saint Louis ranks 34% with abandoned homes! HVAC company Nordyne shutting down their Poplar Bluff and Boonville operations by June 2015, at least 700 jobs lost! In numbers, Saint Louis has 847 abandoned homes! In Saint Louis, Concrete Coring went chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Attorneys for the company blame the bad economy saying the company “…has been unable so far to work out from under its debt generated following the faltering economy in late 2008 and into 2009 and beyond.” Builder of hospitals, HBE Company, has ceased building new hospitals due to Obama Care! Former employees blamed it on the Obama Care funding crash, saying loses accelerated into Death Spiral mode in 2013. Here’s what HBE President and CEO Fred Kummer said: “The reason for the decision to stop seeking future work is a result of the very real changes that the current administration in Washington has brought about in healthcare.”

In Universal City, after 33 years the Good Works Furniture Store shutdown, the owners blaming the city’s $43-million trolley public transportation plan for blocking access to the store: “It will make the traffic pattern in the Loop that much more difficult. In the end, we will end up with a Trolley that’s going to increase the tourism traffic.”-Rita Navarro

Montana: In Columbia Falls, F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber laid off ten sawmill employees. It’s blamed on a federal court ruling that says no logging can be done in ‘protected’ grizzly bear habitat.

Nevada: RealtyTrac’s top ten list says at the end of the 2nd quarter the Las Vegas area had 1670 abandoned homes! In Las Vegas, inside sources revealed that Downtown Project killed 30 corporate jobs. The Project is a joint venture between public and private sectors, in an attempt to revitalize East Fremont Street. It sounds more like an excuse to sell off properties cheap. Project administrators refuse comment on the reported layoffs.

New Jersey: Newark has made WalletHub’s Most & Least Recession-Recovered Cities top five list of cities least likely to recover! In Hamilton, Congoleum shutdown their vinyl flooring plant, 65 jobs lost in September. Company officials blame it on the bad economy and lawsuits over its products. Membership store Costco (formerly known as Price Club) announced they’re shutting down their Hackensack store sometime in 2015. But it’s only because they’re building a new store three miles away in Teterboro. Company administrators told local news media they haven’t decided what to do with the Hackensack property, yet. The move might result in huge property tax losses for Hackensack. In Raritan, after 11 years women’s clothing store Chaos shutdown. The owner, Karen Brooks, said “With rent, utilities and other operating costs, it’s hard to see the value in trying to keep up.”

New Mexico: The Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors says July 2014 homes sale crashed 12.35% from July 2013! However, the average sale price went up by 3.7%. The U.S. Census Bureau says homeownership is crashing in the Land of Enchantment. For the 2nd quarter of 2014 it fell to 63.9%, compare that to 1st quarter 2011 when it was 72.8%. Crashing homeownership rates correspond to skyrocketing unemployment in New Mexico.

New York: In NYC, after 60 years iconic Smith’s Bar & Restaurant shutdown due to the rent being jacked up, employees were given a one week notice. In Albany, Capital Region Multiple Listing Service showed home sales dropped 5% from June 2013 to June 2014. Median home prices fell 6%. After 77 years the Subway Inn announced it will shutdown in August. It’s being done in by a greedy property developer, the son of the bar owner said “It is upsetting but times have changed.” RealtyTrac’s top ten list says at the end of the 2nd quarter, Syracuse ranked with 33% abandoned homes! In Greenwich Village the Pink Elephant bar went chapter 7 bankrupt busted. It’s blamed on the greedy property owner. In Latham, amusement park Hoffman’s Playland shutdown. It turns out the owners can make more money re-developing the property as something else! In Brooklyn, pre-fab building maker FC + Skanska Modular shutdown in October due to a lost contract, 157 jobs lost! In Buffalo, the Pizza Plant restaurant shutdown because of the greedy landlord: “We couldn’t come to terms with the landlord on a lease.”-Bob Syracuse, owner

North Carolina: In Greensboro, after 18 years Mahi’s Seafood Restaurant shutdown. The owner said he wanted to move to a cheaper location, but the economy is so bad he couldn’t pay for the move. Internet based RoundPoint Mortgage laid off 166 employees in September! In Havelock, an 18 years old Food Lion grocery store shutdown in October. Company officials said the high rent killed it off. After 29 years Forbes Custom Cabinets of Apex went chapter 7 bankrupt busted, which usually means they’re ‘dead’. Iconic furniture maker La-Z-Boy announced they will shutdown their High Point office by the end of 2016, at least 38 jobs lost.

Ohio: RealtyTrac reports that Ohio’s foreclosure rate jumped 23% from July 2013 to July 2014. Assurant (which is mainly a health insurance company) laid off 75 Specialty Property jobs in Springfield. The Assurant Special Property unit deals with mortgages, and apparently the job losses are the result of Assurant losing a big client. In Dayton, the Dayton Mall and the Mall at Fairfield Commons are both up for sale. They are the biggest malls in the city. Also in Dayton, after 27 years Patio & Hearth shutdown. In Cleveland, California based Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo shutdown a commercial real estate office. In the Toledo area, RealtyTrac reports that foreclosure rates jumped 100% from June 2013 to June 2014! But wait there’s more. From May 2013 to May 2014 the foreclosure rate in the Toledo area jumped 149%! Local news media showed many rental properties with “free rent” signs in the windows! Landlords said the problem is that potential renters claim they can’t afford the rent. On top of that, if they try and sell the property many buyers are being denied loans by the Too Big to Jail banks! One property owner says this problem goes way back before the 2008 market crash: “Between 1999 and 2001 I thought this town was going to move, that something was going to happen. It didn’t happen…..This was a huge investment ….”-Dino Sarris, Macid Corporation

Montgomery County reports that property values have crashed by more than $1-billion, affecting “…more than 70% of residential home owners…”! Karl Keith, Montgomery County auditor, puts it succinctly: “Property values are at their lowest level in more than a decade. Clearly, the recession has been a kick in the gut!”

Oregon: What housing market recovery? RealtyTrac says the Portland area ties second place (percentage wise) with abandoned homes, 37%! In numbers, the Portland area has 804 abandoned homes!

Pennsylvania: After 69 years Shehadi Appliance shutdown. The owners are pissed because their prices were in line with ‘big box’ stores, but it didn’t matter: “You can see the surprise in people when they say ‘Wow, you are the same price as Lowe’s.’ Then they walk out the door and go to Lowe’s!”-Richard Roman, co-owner

Shopping center owner Pennsylvania REIT laid off about 10 employees. The commercial property owner said they are responding to “changing consumer dynamics”. In Peckville, after 50 years PJ’s Home Center shutdown, the owner demanded to know where the economic recovery was! In Lawrenceville, Paragon Foods canceled their plans to build a distribution center. The female president of the company said “It was unaffordable for us…” In Harrisburg, Zia’s at Red Door shutdown. The owner blames jacked up rent and the fact that the idiot A-hole city officials jacked up the cost of parking at the restaurant: “Parking definitely has a lot to do with it. We lost a lot of customers. A lot of customers won’t come down because of it.”-Rocco Rama

Tennessee: In Memphis, the Memphis Area Association of Realtors report that home sales have dropped 24.7% from August 2013 to August 2014, but it could be because prices have gone up 11%.

Texas: Austin based construction contractor and designer Biscayne Group went chapter 7 bankrupt busted. Biscayne Group is a major operation that has worked on big projects across the country. Chapter 7 usually means the company will cease to exist. Also in Austin, the Villa de Soliel mansion was auctioned off in August, reportedly with no set minimum starting bid! The Pour House Pub shutdown. The property is being demolished for a big retail development. In Dallas (Oak Lawn), after 22 years Good Eats shutdown. The owners blame the greedy property owner saying “our landlord has refused to renew our lease”. Also in Dallas, Riverstone Residential Group killed off 101 jobs! It’s blamed on the loss of an apartment management contract. And maker of roofing materials GAF (General Aniline & Film) Materials laid off 40 people in December. In Houston, J Sussan Interiors shutdown. Local news reports said the owner retired, however, it turns out the entire area is being drastically affected by a huge apartment “tower” building project that’s resulting in many businesses and existing apartments being shutdown! BidClerk reports 2nd quarter 2014 construction funding crashed by $12.2-billion compared to 1st quarter 2014! In Temple, maker of laminate products for homes or business, Wilsonart, laid off at least 57 people: “Today, Wilsonart International announced that it will eliminate certain positions throughout its North America operations as part of a strategic restructuring.”

That “restructuring” includes off-shoring U.S. jobs to other countries. U.S. employees said they got no warning of layoffs: “On my way leaving, they stopped me, and told me that we needed to have a meeting, and they terminated me when we had the meeting.”-unnamed employee interviewed by local TV news

Vermont: The city of Brandon is dealing with crashing tax revenues and as such is warning of slashed funding for public services and the possibility of layoffs. The town treasurer says the crashing tax revenues are the result of unpaid property taxes. A fire killed 170 jobs at the Rutland Plywood Corporation. Firefighters thought they had put out the fire, but then later the warehouse re-ignited. Firefighters are blaming the fire on mechanical failures.

Virginia: In Reston, the largest electrical contractor in the region, Truland Group, now chapter 7 bankrupt busted after ending operations without notice and failing to pay employees (filing for bankruptcy will mean those employees are shit-outa-luck for getting their paychecks). Local news reports said the sudden demise of the company shocked the “commercial real estate industry”. More than 1-thousand jobs lost!

Washington: In Vancouver, after 105 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Luepke Florist announced they will shutdown after Xmas due to the new landlord jacking up the rent. The asphalt division of Spokane Rock Products laid off 45 people in Washington and Idaho, due to being taken over by a competitor. In Shelton, it was revealed that Alta Forest Products laid off employees and reduced working hours (see Idaho for reason). In Seattle, 15 businesses forced to shutdown because of construction of the Elliott Bay Seawall. However, city officials are paying the business owners compensation to ensure they can come back once the construction is done. Also in Seattle, after 20 years the owner of Hurricane Cafe announced he is forced to shutdown. The restaurant owner blames the greedy property owner: “It’s not the way we wanted to go out for sure, losing a lease and getting torn down!”-Neil Scott

Wisconsin: Concrete maker Ojibwa Ready Mix went chapter 7 bankrupt busted, and is being liquidated! The Fox Valley reports a 14% drop in new home starts during the first six months of this year, compared to last year. After getting a $6-million tax break from the state, Ashley Furniture announced they are expanding and killing jobs at the same time! A local news report says the tax deal could end up killing half of Ashley Furniture’s jobs, potentially 1,919 employees!

“Next week marks 6 years since our economy suffered its worst setback since the Great Depression. Yet despite these shocks; through the pain we have felt and the grueling work required to bounce back – America is better positioned today to seize the future than any other nation on Earth. Our technology companies and universities are unmatched; our manufacturing and auto industries are thriving. Energy independence is closer than it’s been in decades. For all the work that remains, our businesses are in the longest uninterrupted stretch of job creation in our history. Despite all the divisions and discord within our democracy, I see the grit and determination and common goodness of the American people every single day – and that makes me more confident than ever about our country’s future.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2014

1st six months 2014

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 05 – 06 November 2014: Another 2-thousand+ food jobs lost! France & Germany kill U.S. jobs! Job search service kills 100 jobs!

January 8, 2015 Hutchins AAron

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Florida: For profit Full Sail University laid off 50 employees. Puerto Rico based Banco Popular North America issued a WARN saying 108 people will be laid off by the end of December!

Georgia: Atlanta based (NBC, Blackstone and Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital owned) Weather Channel laid off 40 employees. About 40 employees were let go back in October.

Hawaii: In Honolulu, the operators of a 59 years old Foodland grocery store announced they are shutting down in December. Real estate analysts say local Hawaiian business are being killed by ‘big box’ stores and property speculators from mainland U.S.A., and Foodland customers agree: “…it’s all the construction and they’re bringing in all the mainland retailers, so it’s kind of sad…”-Eulie Villegas, loyal Foodland shopper

Idaho: The Associated Press revealed that furniture maker Kimball International will shutdown and sell off its Post Falls metal fab shop, 250 jobs lost! Due to the bad economy the company is consolidating ops to Indiana. As of November the company had failed to issue a mandatory WARN to state employment administrators.

Iowa: After 33 years, Heritage Art Gallery in Cedar Falls shutdown. The owner sold his building. In Ottumwa, after 20 years the West Music store announced it will shutdown in December. News reports blamed the bad economy.

Kansas: In Kansas City, after 50 years Quick’s Bar-B-Q shutdown. The owner says road construction is killing off mom-n-pops: “…I want to get out on my terms and while things are good. It is hard and these little mom-and-pop folks, you see them dropping.”-Ron Quick

Massachusetts: More proof the internet isn’t killing off brick-n-mortars. TV through the internet service provider Aereo shutdown their Boston office, 43 jobs lost. It’s blamed on lack of funding and a federal court order preventing the company from streaming specific TV shows. In Lowell, Cobham Electrical warned they will shutdown by November 2015, at least 300 jobs lost! Due to the bad economy the company is consolidating operations.

Michigan: Iconic employment service company Kelly Services announced 100 people in Troy will be rendered jobless, and 50 job search offices will be shutdown by the end of 2015! The Fork in the Road restaurant shutdown, the owners admitting they didn’t realize how expensive it was to keep 100% of their business local. Despite having lots of customers, buying food and supplies locally was killing them financially: “There’s a lot of compromises that we could have made but we’re just not willing to do that. That’s not why we started. We need to have a business plan to keep staying true to those principles. To compromise those principles, that would be failing.”-Jesse Hahn, who added that he was faced with two choices; shutdown or cut employee wages, raise prices and buy from outside sources

Minnesota: Northland Community and Technical College eliminated eight jobs and cut two programs, blaming a $1-million shortfall on everything including what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome).

Missouri: The largest pharmacy benefits manager in the United States, Saint Louis based Express Scripts, announced they will kill off 400 jobs on top of the 19-hundred jobs already killed off this year!

New York: In Rochester, once iconic Eastman Kodak continues to kill jobs, issuing a WARN saying at least 19 people will be let go in January 2015.

North Carolina: Salisbury based the Bottom Dollar Food chain store was sold off and all 66 stores are being shutdown, 2-thousand 2-hundred jobs lost across the country by the end of December! Furniture maker La-Z-Boy announced they will shutdown their High Point office by the end of 2016, at least 38 jobs lost. Company administrators blame crashing sales for ‘case goods’, and they don’t expect an upturn anytime soon. In Greensboro, after 31 years Mark Holder Jewelers announced they will shutdown in January 2015. After only six years France based engine maker Turbomeca announced they will shutdown their Monroe factory by the end of 2015, at least 112 jobs lost! Company administrators said sales for helicopter turbines have crashed.

Ohio: New Albany School District beginning massive layoffs and jacking up ‘pay to play’ fees after 56% of local taxpayers rejected yet another levy, indicating that they could no longer afford to float failing public education since their own incomes are crashing.

Oregon: News reports say plans by Nordstrom are on track to shutdown two Portland area department stores by January 2015, at least 300 jobs lost!

Pennsylvania: Lackawanna County warned of layoffs and public transportation cuts due to the fact they owe the state Department of Transportation $6-million USD! DoT administrators say the County of Lackawanna Transit System (COLTS) improperly got $6-million in taxpayer subsidies and they must pay it back. Germany based chemical company Lanxess announced it was killing off 1-thousand jobs globally, possibly affecting U.S. employees at its Pittsburgh area operations! Germany based optical glass maker Schott North America warned that 80 people will become jobless at their Duryea factory: “A lot of that glass has gone away. There’s been a decline in camera sales.”-Michael Brown, factory boss

Vermont: In Stowe, after 42 years Samara’s Cards and Gifts shutting down by December.

Washington DC: More proof the internet isn’t killing off brick-n-mortars. Internet based coupon-daily deal website LivingSocial announced they were laying off 400 employees and shutting down its California ops! LivingSocial even sold off its Korean ops to competitor Groupon!

Wisconsin: Beer bottle label supplier Multi-Color Corporation warned state officials it will shutdown its Watertown factory in January 2015, at least 58 jobs lost.

04-November-2014

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart closing update, 08 January 2015: Yet another distribution center goes down! Selling fake jewelry?

January 8, 2015 Hutchins AAron

Sears Holdings continues with their distribution center culling. This time a distribution op in Georgia going down, in April, more than 150 jobs lost!

First a lawsuit essentially claiming that Sears-Kmart sold ‘stolen’ clothing, now a woman in Oregon says the diamond ring she bought at the Clackamas Town Center Sears is fake. She says that she’s discovered that a ring she bought in 2010 is not made of gold and the diamond is an industrial stone.

update 07 January 2015: Kmart distribution shutdown

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.

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

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost), Claymont Kmart (87 jobs lost).

Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost), recently revealed Coweta County Kmart distribution center (164 jobs lost).

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

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

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).

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).

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).

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

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

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost), Bluefield Sears store & Auto Center (64 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

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)

Blind Bat News

Tag Archives: closing

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 14 – 16 November 2014: “It was like watching people get executed.” 11-thousand+ jobs killed off in New Jersey! Boastful female owned company looses contract “due to unprofessionalism”!

Sears & Kmart closing update, 19 January 2015: Exodus from Puerto Rico? Sears discounts expensive electronics by 90%?

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 12 – 13 November 2014: “That’s it, I’m done!” Greedy employees & Too Big to Jail banks kill off car dealership! No more Remington? Microsoft kills NBC?

Sears & Kmart closing update, 17 January 2015: City developments kill off another Sears? Spending money they don’t have to get you to spend your hard earned cash!

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 10 – 11 November 2014: “…it’s hard to fail.”

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 07 – 09 November 2014: Too Big to Jail corporate welfare recipient kills off 45-thousand jobs! Competition kills bio-fuel!

Macy’s killing off 2-thousand 5-hundred jobs in 2015!

U.S. Housing & Construction Industry Implosion: Last six months of 2014, “Everybody wants a better outcome, everybody but the landlords.”

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 05 – 06 November 2014: Another 2-thousand+ food jobs lost! France & Germany kill U.S. jobs! Job search service kills 100 jobs!

Sears & Kmart closing update, 08 January 2015: Yet another distribution center goes down! Selling fake jewelry?

News you didn't know mattered