Tag Archives: closing

Business/Economics

U.S. clothing store Wet Seal killing off 3-thousand 7-hundred jobs! Employees now rebelling?

07 January 2015 (14:01 UTC-07 Tango)/16 Rab al’Awwal 1436/17 Dey 1393/17 Yi-Chou 4712

California based Wet Seal said Happy New Year by unleashing their “Store Project” op which will shutdown 338 stores and render about 37-hundred (3,695 according to the press release, that about half its employees) people jobless in 2015!

Store managers have already received specially marked boxes in which store iPods, phones, card scanners and cash machines are to be packed in and shipped off to Wet Seal HQ.  Store employees report these ‘Store Project’ packages were received with no mention that their store was being shutdown.

Some employees said corporate administrators told them to expect “remodeling” of their stores, but it turns out they’re being shutdown forever.  Other employees who questioned the security of their jobs said they were told there was no need for them to look for a new job, now they’re unemployed!

It was store employees who went public with the massive shutdown and job destruction last week, and it was finally confirmed with company administrators today.  Administrators said only 173 Wet Seal stores will remain open.

Laid off employees are not getting any type of severance and will lose their accrued paid vacation and sick leave!  There are reports out of Washington state that Wet Seal employees were fired for protesting the ‘Store Project’ operation.

The following incomplete list includes stores that were shutdown in the past week:

California: Clovis Crossing Regional Shopping Center, Packwood Creek West Shopping Center.  News reports said there was no comment from the Neither Fashion Fair store.

Florida: DeSoto Square Mall, Sarasota Square Mall, Regency Square Mall, reports said nobody answered the Wet Seal phone at The Avenues Mall.

Minnesota: Rosedale, Southdale, Maplewood Mall, Burnsville Center, Crossroads Center , Miller Hill Mall, Apache Mall.

Missouri: Both West County Mall stores, Saint Louis Galleria, Chesterfield Mall, Mid Rivers Mall, Saint Louis Premium Outlets.

Nebraska: Gateway Mall.

New Jersey: Hamilton Mall, Rockaway Townsquare, Livingston Mall and Garden State Plaza.  Reports say nobody was answering the phones at the Menlo Park Mall and Quakerbridge Mall stores.

North Carolina: Four Seasons Town Centre, Northgate Mall.

Ohio: Great Northern Mall, Great Lakes Mall, Richmond Town Square, Belden Village, Beachwood Place, Chapel Hill Mall, SouthPark Mall, Summit Mall, Eastwood Mall and Southern Park Mall.  Only one Wet Seal store will remain open in Ohio.

Pennsylvania: South Hills Village, Monroeville Mall, Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills, Westmoreland Mall, Waterfront, Ross Park Mall.

Washington: Ballston, Bowie Town Center, Lake Forest Mall, Saint Charles Town Center and Manassas Mall.

Wisconsin:  Brookfield Square, Southridge Mall, Valley View Mall, East Town Plaza, Bay Park Square.

Aeropostale closing 250 clothing stores

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart closing update, 07 January 2015: Kmart center shutdown! Sears admits stock market shenanigans!

Sears Holdings announced that a North Carolina Kmart merchandise distribution center will shutdown in April, more than 100 jobs lost!

Sears Holdings has admitted to the SEC (Securities & Exchange Commission) that one of its top stockholders used insider info to sell his stocks on 24 December 2014.  The illegal deal made the stockholder $425,360 USD!  Stock market watchers say that on the day the deed was done the price of Sears Holdings shares varied from $32 to $32.74, the illegal deal was made when the price hit $32.72 per share.

update 06 January 2015: Sears 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.

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).

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).

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

Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost). 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost), Muncie Kmart (59 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on Coliseum Boulevard North (69 jobs lost), Decatur Kmart (49 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Madison Avenue (131 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Washington Street (139 jobs lost), Bedford Kmart (62 jobs lost), Indianapolis (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).

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), recently revealed 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).

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

Sears & Kmart closing update, 06 January 2015: Appliance center shutdowns!

According to a WARN Sears is shutting down a Texas home appliance parts distribution center in February 2015.  Sears administrators claim the shutdown will actually improve shipments!

One year after a snowstorm collapsed the roof of the last Saginaw, Michigan, Kmart it remains shutdown.  Sears Holdings administrators have yet to say anything, their last official statement was that “The Kmart in Saginaw Township (5105 Gratiot Road) will be closed until further notice.” 

update 31 December 2014: Selling stolen merchandise?

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).

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).

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

Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost). 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost), Muncie Kmart (59 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on Coliseum Boulevard North (69 jobs lost), Decatur Kmart (49 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Madison Avenue (131 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Washington Street (139 jobs lost), Bedford Kmart (62 jobs lost), Indianapolis (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).

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, recently discovered 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).

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).

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, recently revealed Dallas Sears 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)

U.S.

The Dumbing Down of the United States: Last six months of 2014. Into the New Dark Ages as students ‘disappear’ and Obamacare ‘kills’

Disappearing Students Syndrome (DSS): A phrase created by me to describe a phenomenon taking place across the United States, affecting both privately and publicly funded schools, from Kindergarten all the way through University levels.

Incomplete list of publicly announced education layoffs & school shutdowns from July to December 2014:

Alabama: After 15 years Sci-Quest Hands on Science Center is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Administrators blame location for their $1-million in debts, but claim their new location is “doing really well”.

Alaska: Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS) forcing University of Alaska to shutdown the Bill Ray Center and Auke Bay bookstore, as well as kill at least 40 jobs. University officials say they’ve lost $1.4-million USD in funding this school year and are expecting to lose $2-million next school year, despite jacking up the cost to go to school.  But wait, there’s more! Maybe it was the only way they could pay out the $320-thousand bonus to the university president!

Arizona: In Glendale, the Thunderbird School of Global Management warned of layoffs as they are forced to merge with Arizona State University, due to the bad economy. At one time the school had 300 employees, but is down to 184.  Obama Care forced University of Arizona Health Network to sell itself to Phoenix based Banner Health. Now there are reports this is a portent for things to come in the U.S. medical school sector. The Association of American Medical Colleges warns that Obama Care’s reduced insurance reimbursements is the final straw that will force medical schools to sell themselves to private medical corporations, or greatly reduce their services to the public, either way it means massive healthcare job cuts.

California: Irvine based for profit Corinthian Colleges (CCi). They’ve announced they will begin shutting down, selling off or reducing classes at 97 campuses across the U.S.! It’s part of a deal with the U.S. Department of Education. The college is under investigation by state and federal officials, for ripping off students and violating federal education laws. Everest College, Heald College and Wyotech campuses are part of the shutdown.  Bellflower Unified School District laid off all ten bus drivers. The reasons are convoluted, ranging from lack of funding to driver misbehavior.  The Calaveras Unified School District announced they must kill an estimated 50 jobs. They blame years of Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS) for creating a $2-million shortfall!  In Sacramento, Anthem College shutdown, it’s due to Anthem Educations’ bankruptcy which is linked to federal law violations.   In Monterey, McGraw Hill Education warned they are laying off 47 employees in December.  In Upland, school bus contractor First Student issued a WARN saying they will cease operations by the end of December, 156 jobs lost!  In San Diego, Ashford University/Bridgepoint Education issued a WARN saying 160 people will become jobless in January 2015! However, local ABC10News said an inside source reported that 167 people were already let go!

Florida: For profit Full Sail University laid off 50 employees.  In Cape Coral, after 50 years Lisa Lynn Dance World shutdown, the owner blames the suck-ass economy for disappearing students: “Because of the economy, the enrollment dropped and the money wasn’t there.”-Rita Rose Meyer

Georgia: In Atlanta, after 50 years snooty upscale private for profit Bauder College announced it is shutting down in 2015! It’s blamed on massive disappearing students. In 2009 the college had 12-hundred students, it’s now less than 420! College officials said by the start of the 2015-16 school year they’ll be down to 75! You see, the U.S. economy is so bad even wealthy people can’t afford to pay for college!  Troubled Paine College warning of layoffs. The school is facing accreditation violation charges and DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). The college is short at least $2.4-million, and they blame state and federal governments: “These tough economic times are posing unprecedented challenges for colleges and universities like Paine College that have seen changes in federal aid, which include Parent Plus loans, Pell Grants and some state funding.”-George C. Bradley, president

Illinois: Oakton Community College warned it will layoff 80 teachers before the 2015-16 school year.  Apparently the teachers are retired and a potential new state law says retired teachers can no longer be hired by state funded schools.  God refused to stop Benedictine University from ending its undergraduate program and killing as many as 100 jobs!  In Rockford, the College of Medicine shutdown their psychiatric clinic at the end of September, 2-thousand patients affected! Clinic officials blame never ending funding cuts, thank you Obama Care!  In Murphysboro, after 37 years God refuses to stop the shutdown of Murphysboro Christian Academy. Officials with the privately funded school say Christian students are disappearing (raptured?).  One year after shutting down 50 schools, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has now put them up for auction! The district is still shutting down schools due to massive DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). It turns out that it still costs taxpayers millions of dollars to maintain school buildings that are not in use.  CPS also killed off 476 contracted janitor jobs! The Obama regime mayor, Rahm Emanuel, refused to discuss the issue with local news media and referred them to the CPS, who were conveniently not available to explain the sudden job killing spree.  God must hate the Chicago area; seven Christian schools being shuttered and six others being consolidated! At least 200 jobs lost! The schools being shutdown are Saint Agatha Catholic Academy, Saint Peter in Skokie, Saint Hyacinth Basilica, Saint Ladislaus, Saint Turibius, Saint Rene Goupil, and Saint Lawrence O’Toole in Matteson. It’s blamed on massive DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome), since 1965 Christian student enrollment in Cook and Lake counties has crashed by 284-thousand!

Louisiana: God must really hate The Pelican State, three Christian schools shutting down in 2015: Holy Ghost in New Orleans, Our Lady of Grace in Reserve and Saint Agnes in Jefferson! Church administrators blame raptured, I mean what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). Enrollment at each school is now under 200.  In Marrero, the Christian God refused to stop the Reverend Mansfield Thompson Educational Foundation from shutting down their Faith Christian Academy. But this shutdown is about evil Christian leaders caught stealing money. At the end of 2013 a state investigation revealed Reverend Mansfield Thompson Educational Foundation was probably absconding with the money paid by struggling Christian parents: “At this point, I just want my money back. I paid $400 for registration and I’m getting the run around with that. I just want my money back!”-Ramira Williams

Maine:  The University of Southern Maine continues to kill off jobs, this time 61 people now unemployed and five programs canceled. They continue to blame a 30% crash in student enrollment!  In Bangor, God refuses to stop the Christian Life Academy Daycare from shutting down. The church pastor blames crashing donations: “We have cut everywhere we can cut, we are heartbroken that the daycare has to close too.”-Russ Hewett

Massachusetts: The Boston School Department suddenly killed 126 jobs! The school district is trying to save $9.5-million! For years critics accused the Boston Strong school system of being outta shape and overweight with redundant administrative jobs.  Brockton School Committee laid off 47 crossing guard positions. This comes after a local newspaper investigated reports that janitors were being paid as much as $50 per hour in overtime to double as crossing guards! And despite all that overtime pay, an 11th child was hit by a vehicle while crossing a street to go to school!  Gateway Schools threatening reduce parent-teacher days or seven teachers will get laid off!  School administrators are struggling with how to deal with funding cuts of about $200-million!  Westfield State University shutdown its Downtown Art Gallery.  Apparently the university was responsible for promoting local arts but now is unable to, the city of Westfield is supposedly taking on the responsibility.

Michigan: Rochester Community Schools warned of layoffs after an unexpected crash in student enrollment.  Administrators say the district lost 154 students, more than was expected! They blame it on the area’s major employer Chrysler.   Administrators at Spring Arbor University are blaming what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome) on their planned elimination of jobs. As a private Christian college they are not required to reveal just how many Christians will become jobless.  The Flint School District laid off 36 non-teaching employees, but then turned around and hired on 10 people to salaried positions, all making more than $67-thousand per year! Thomas M. Cooley Law School warned of major employee and program cuts, due to disappearing students. They reported a 40% drop in enrollment from 2010 to 2013! The Grand Rapids Public Schools announced they must kill 90 jobs due to the fact that 400 students disappeared!  In East Lansing the largest teachers union in the state, Michigan Education Association, revealed that half of its members actually made less money in 2013. Incompetent union officials admit they don’t know why. Yet while half of their members made less money, somehow the amount of assets held by the Michigan Education Association actually went up! In Hudsonville, God refuses to stop the shutdown of Freedom Christian Schools (aka Freedom Baptist Schools). The shutdown was a surprise as school officials even extended the contracts of teachers before the announcement. The school’s website has been removed. School officials blame raptured students saying this school year’s enrollment is worse than last year’s. At one point the privately funded school had 375 students, but since 2010 they’ve lost at least 65 students (privately funded schools are more affected by student loss than are taxpayer funded schools).  In Dearborn, the U.S. Department of Education has approved the sale of Everett Institute. It’s part of the massive collapse of the Corinthian Colleges.  An undisclosed number of bus drivers lost their jobs when Lakeview School District drastically reduced bus service.  The Threshold Academy lost its charter, affecting more than 150 students. The elementary school principal blamed economic instability for what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). A young student confronted the principal saying “Why do they want to break people’s hearts?” The school’s motto was “Small School – Big Heart”.  Detroit Public Schools are so desperate they’re now in the business of selling used cars! Specifically, the school system auctioned off 18 surplus police cars. I couldn’t find any reports on how the school district got a hold of the former cop cars. The Michigan League for Public Policy reports that overall wages have crashed 10% since 1979. When you break it down by sex and education, low wage earning men saw a whopping 31.2% decline in pay, while adults with no high school diploma saw a 46.3% crash in earnings!

Minnesota:  Rochester Public Schools announced that 17 tech employees will become jobless by January 2015. But here’s an odd thing, the school district also said there will be 19 new job openings in the same department! The laid off employees are basically being forced to re-apply for employment, and if they get re-hired it’ll probably be for less pay. That’s the wisdom of our education system.  Northland Community and Technical College eliminated eight jobs and cut two programs, blaming a $1-million shortfall on everything including DSS.

Mississippi: After 130 years (surviving the Great Depression & numerous recessions) God has decided to rapture all the good Christian students (or as I call it, Disappearing Student Syndrome, DSS) and shutdown the Christian Chamberlain-Hunt Academy!  The state Department of Education laid off 30 employees without notice, including the boss of the Office of School Improvement. Mississippi DoE spokewoman Patrice Guilfoyle said “This is the first phase, there could potentially be additional phases.” 

Missouri: Florida based for profit Anthem Education warned of massive layoffs and the shutdown of its Missouri medical technician campuses if they cannot find new debt financing, or a new owner with lot-o-money! College officials blamed it on a surprise “rapidly deteriorating financial condition”. There was no explanation.

Nevada: In Reno, Morrison University warned it will shutdown after the 2014-15 school year! It’s due to the allegedly criminal actions of the owner, Anthem Education. To make things worse for the students, they were told the university’s transfer credits are no longer recognized!  University Medical Center began a second round of Obama Care healthcare layoffs, this time 200 healthcare workers put out on the streets!

New Hampshire: Franklin Pierce University eliminated 12 positions. Earlier this year the university eliminated academic programs.  Grade school education assessor Measured Progress actually regressing when it comes to jobs; 40 people laid off. Company administrators blame the bad economy.

New Jersey: After 86 years Garden State based Becker’s School Supplies shutting down six of its seven stores in Pennsylvania and Delaware!  Apparently the school supplies company is shifting to internet sales only.  Troubled for profit higher education company Anthem Institute shutting down all four locations in the Garden State, 163 jobs lost!  Brookdale Community College administrators say crashing enrollment is causing them to be short $8.5-million 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

New Mexico: Santa Fe Community College revealed they’re short $5-million! The temporary president of the school blames prior administrations for grossly overestimating revenues and handing out raises when the revenues could not support pay increases. Now the school must cut back.

New York: For profit Utica School of Commerce stopping almost all classes at its Oneonta campus in Spring 2015! At least nine jobs lost due to DSS.  Clinton Community College warned of layoffs due to DSS.  In Brooklyn, The Guild for Exceptional Children issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their preschool in January 2015, at least 81 jobs lost. In Brewster, Minnesota based education testing company Questar Assessment shutdown and laid off 39 employees in November.  The Buffalo School District killed 63 teaching jobs, some of the teachers had just made tenure. News reports said many of the teachers taught classes for homeless children.  They’ve consolidated school #115 with school #97, and they’ve eliminated an entire 9th grade class. One school board member actually blamed the U.S. education system saying “It’s a system that’s beating us.” Another board member added “Beating our kids.”  That Which Cannot be Named refuses to stop the selloff of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Yeshiva University Substance Abuse Treatment program at three Bronx locations, 189 jobs now in limbo!   In Hawthorne, Quintiles Medical Education warned it is shutting down in December, at least 27 jobs lost.

North Carolina: Randolph County Schools laid off 30 employees.  Troubled charter school Concrete Roses STEM Academy shutdown without notice. State education administrators blame what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). The school was taxpayer funded for 300 students, but only 126 showed up!

Ohio:  Hocking College laid off 36 employees and warned of mandatory furloughs for others, blaming DSS.  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!  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.  In Columbus, God refuses to stop Christian charter school FCI Academy from killing 17 jobs. The Christian school is in the hole at least $70-thousand, due to raptured(?) students. Several years ago the grade school had 600 students, this school year they’re down to 340.  In Youngstown, the Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Partnership (MYCAP) warned it will kill 10 jobs with its Head Start education program. They blame the federal government for cutting off their federal food service funding. MYCAP is also going away and Development Institute of Denver will take over the Head Start program temporarily.  Strongsville Schools announced they will layoff at least 25 teachers over five years. Administrators blame DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). The district has lost 1,724 students since 2004!  Oberlin College told three HVAC engineers to take a big cut in pay and become janitors or become unemployed! College administrators called it a “opportunity for voluntary layoff”. It’s blamed on the the college’s switch from coal heating to natural gas.

Pennsylvania:    Mercyhurst University laid off 14 administrators and demoted six full time employees to part time.  Other employees are taking pay cuts, it’s blamed on crashing enrollment.   State education officials warned of massive layoffs at five Universities: Clarion, Edinboro, Cheyney, East Stroudsburg and Mansfield. According to state officials their university system has been experiencing Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS), and get this, they expect to lose another 1-thousand students by the end of this school year! At least 44 university employees were laid off last year.   The School District of Philadelphia  shutdown the Walter Palmer Leadership Learning Partners Charter School.  Also, the superintendent of The School District of Philadelphia is demanding new taxes be imposed on the already struggling population. William R. Hite Jr. says if new taxes, specifically a new cigarette tax, are not created by August then he will be forced to layoff 13-hundred employees! Keep in mind that is on top of the 342 school district jobs already killed off! The Philly school district is now $93-million in debt, no thanks in part to the massive increase in employee health and retirement cost increases caused by Obama Care!  God refuses to stop Christian Geneva College from laying off at least 25 employees, due to what I call the rapture, I mean DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). And who said the internet is to blame? The Christian college is eliminating its internet ministries courses for the 2015-16 school year! School officials also revealed that the economy is so bad that “nearly 100%” of their Christian students qualify for some type of financial assistance.   Woodland Hills School District warned it could shutdown three elementary schools and sell off an administrative building due to DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome), at least a 31% decline over the past ten years!  California University is blaming DSS for eliminating 30 jobs. The university lost 3.2% of its student body at the beginning of the new school year.  Cheyney University (originally created to target ‘black’ Americans) laid off at least six instructors and will eliminate programs. University administrators blame crashing revenue. Interestingly, the university lists several administrative positions as being available, but adds “Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to your phone calls about vacancies or about the status of a recruitment and your application.” 

Tennessee: Union University laid off five staff employees, blaming it on a drop of 270 students from 2013 to 2014!  In Kingsport, after 27 years non-profit Rascals Teen Center shutdown: “We just got to where we couldn’t really continue. Things had to change. We tried to work through the change, tried to do some things, but we got to where we couldn’t continue on…..No matter how much we advertised on the radio, the newspaper and Facebook, it’s like we still couldn’t contact everybody….I don’t know what happened.”-Amy McAtee, executive director

Texas: God refused to stop Southern Methodist University (home of the George W. Bush Presidential Library) from cutting programs and killing jobs.  The Christian university has spent tens of millions on new dorm buildings despite DSS.   Wiley College laid off 16 employees and furloughed others due to DSS and crashing donations.  In Dallas/Fort Worth, Anthem College shutting down its campus on Beltline Road, 30 jobs lost.  Also, the Texas Education Agency threatened to shutdown the Prime Prep Academy. The school, founded by a former Dallas Cowboys star, is accused of failing to comply with state laws.  Across the state, it’s been revealed that 14 charter schools will be shutdown next school year!  State administrators claim the schools are not meeting financial or academic standards, however, some school administrators have presented documents challenging the state’s claims.

Vermont: Vermont Technical College warned of layoffs due partly to the loss of 160 students over the past three years.  The State College system warned that budget cuts wanted by the governor will result in job losses. The governor wants to cut $1-million in funding. It’s been revealed that in May of 2014, Johnson State College laid off five employees and blamed it on DSS.

Virginia: Buchanan County Public School Board shutdown Russell Prater Elementary School. It’s blamed on $2.1-million in debt.

Washington DC: The Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art & Design laid off about 150 employees in August! Apparently the schools will eventually shutdown threatening another 300 jobs! It’s blamed on their merger with National Gallery of Art and the George Washington University.

Wisconsin: ‘Professional’ education service Lorman Education Services killed 42 jobs in October. Company officials blame it on DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). The privately funded education company has been laying off employees since 2009. Internet based Anthem College shutdown its Brookfield operation in September, 30 jobs lost.  After shutting down without notice in June, the Wisconsin International School is now officially bankrupt busted. This means all those parents that paid their child’s tuition in full will not get a refund. Officials with the private school blame their sudden shutdown on an unexpected 30% drop in enrollment (more disappearing students), as well as a 30% drop in cash revenues and skyrocketing expenses due to things like utilities and healthcare cost increases (so much for Obama Care)! At one point the school boasted 800 students, but this year they could attract only 120! Parents are pissed because they were also required to take part in raising money for the school, and they want to know what happened to it: “That’s a big slap in the face to all the efforts we’ve put in! At no time were we ever told ‘Hey, we have a problem’ or that more money needed to be raised. Volunteering at the school was mandatory and parents were invested in the school. If they had said something, I am sure parents and families would have opened their pockets.”-Nicole Donart-Manty

1st six months of 2014!

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 04 November 2014: “…early retirement, attrition, and termination, whatever it takes.” Chicken shit Ford fires employees using automation! IBM kills off 50-thousand plus jobs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Arizona: In Tempe, after almost 60 years restaurant Monti’s La Casa Vieja shutdown. The owner blamed increasing operating costs.

California:  Warner Brothers administrators notified state employment administrators that they will kill off 1-thousand movie & TV industry jobs beginning in January 2015!   In San Diego, troubled Bridgepoint Education killing 167 jobs, more than the previously announced 91 jobs!  This on top of the 117 jobs already killed this year!  A local TV news station said the job culling was revealed by employees.  In Sacramento, 19 years old non-profit HIV-AIDS testing center Breaking Barriers shutdown.  Administrators blame the bad economy: “When the economic downturn happened it hit us hard a lot of grants were scaled back and canceled.”-Sandre’ Nelson

Georgia: The city of Albany warned of more layoffs, on top of the 50 jobs already killed off.  The interim city manager seems to be frothing at the mouth to kill jobs: “We gotta reduce some stuff, early retirement, attrition, and termination, whatever it takes.  I’ll spend money on technology before I’ll spend money on additional people any day of the week.”-Tom Berry

Illinois: In Geneva, after more than 60 years Giesche Shoes shutdown.  It was also revealed that the more than 150 years old McChesney & Miller grocery store shutdown last week.  In Roscoe Village, after 17 years the owners of the Hungry Brain said they will shutdown in December. Reports imply it’s part of a trend of many local joints being shutdown by greedy landlords who want more rent money.  What automotive industry recovery?  In Chicago, it was revealed that 1-hundred Ford employees were fired on Halloween.  Ford administrators said they notified the employees via automated ‘robocalls’, yet many employees said they thought the electronic message was somebody’s Halloween joke.

Indiana: Columbus Regional Health announced that ObamaCare was forcing them to eliminate 219 jobs!  Administrators say ObamaCare has caused them to loose about $17-million in 2014!

Iowa: Retailer Target announced they’re shutting down their Clinton store in February 2015, about 79 jobs lost.  Administrators said the store wasn’t making enough money: “The decision to close the store is based solely on the financials.”-Evan Lapiska

Kansas: In Salina,  after 35 years The Quilting Bee fabric store shutdown.  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

Missouri: In Springfield, Kroger announced it will shutdown four Dillons grocery stores in January 2015, supposedly they’re being sold off to competitor Price Cutter (an employee owned op like WinCo). However, administrators with Price Cutter were actually upset at the news and said they never made Kroger an offer to buy the Dillons stores, in fact it was Kroger who came begging to Price Cutter. Price Cutter agreed to a lease, not an outright purchase: “Dillions announcement to exit all four Springfield locations in January, 2015 is disappointing news….Dillions approached us of their intent to vacate the Springfield market….Price Cutter has entered into a real estate agreement to lease all four of the Dillions locations.”-Erick Taylor, Price Cutter president

New Jersey:  Brookdale Community College (supposedly the Garden State’s top two year degree school) warned of layoffs due to DSS (what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome).  Administrators say crashing enrollment is causing them to be short $8.5-million for the upcoming 2015-16 school year!

New York: Endicott based IBM (International Business Machines) revealed they are laying off one third of their international workforce, at least doubling previously announced job cuts.  Reports say in India alone 50-thousand IBM employees will become jobless!  In NYC, The Food Emporium issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their #36-767 in January 2015, about 60 jobs lost.  In Avon, Jacobson Warehouse issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down in January 2015, about 11 jobs lost.  Windmill Distributing issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their beverage distribution ops in Brooklyn and Montgomery in January 2015, at least 736 jobs lost!

North Dakota: Reports that Case-International Harvester is eliminating 40 jobs in Fargo.

Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh based United States Steel (USS) announced it will layoff 56 Canadians at its Hamilton operations.  USS administrators say there is a glut of steel on the market which is causing the price to crash, so they’re shutting down production.  After only two years Station Street Hot Dogs shutdown. The owners decided not to renew their lease, claiming other projects were getting in the way.  Pennsylvania Power and Light (PPL) revealed its plans to eliminate 450 jobs: “Our transition plans are on schedule and we have made substantial progress developing the plans to achieve at least $155 million in Talen Energy annual run-rate synergies. The full extent of the identified annualized synergies is expected to be realized beginning in mid-2016.”-press release

Texas: Oil rig support services operator Hercules Offshore is eliminating 342 jobs!  Company administrators blame declining demand for oil for their loss of $88.6-million during their 3rd quarter 2014!  Retailer Target announced they’re shutting down their 16 years old Austin store in January 2015, about 83 jobs lost.

Washington: In Seattle, the owners of Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar announced they will shutdown in January 2015.

Wisconsin: It was revealed that retailer JCPenney sold off its Regency Mall store and it will be shutdown, 80 jobs lost.  Administrators said the store wasn’t making enough money.

01-03-November-2014

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

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Food Crisis, December 2014: “…we’ve hit the end!” No more Coca Cola? Famous burger joints shutdown on Xmas eve! Mystic make-over restaurant gets evicted? No beef in Montana, no thanks to ObamaCare? Even a Jackass (BBQ) says there ain’t no recovery!

Incomplete list of announced United States food supply shutdowns for the month of December, 2014: Many food suppliers/distributors are consolidating operations and killing jobs due to the collapsing grocery store and restaurant industries, as well as rising costs of food production.

California:  In Folsom, after only  two years Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill shutdown without explanation.   Jamba Juice revealed it will layoff 23 people (including three senior vice presidents) at its Emeryville support center in 2015.  Company administrators say the economic situation is forcing them to reduce costs.   Only a year after ‘expanding’ Berkeley founded Peet’s Coffee & Tea shutdown all six Ohio shops, plus three in Pennsylvania and two in Michigan, without warning! 70 jobs lost, company administrators said only that those stores “…are not performing to our sales expectations and didn’t have a promising future…” Peet’s also shutdown seven former Caribou Coffee House stores in August, killing off 150 jobs!  After eight years award winning restaurant Hatfield’s shutdown.  No explanation, but the owners swore they’d be back with a new restaurant.  In Rancho Mirage, Acqua Pazza California Bistro at The River shutdown due to not renewing the lease.  Jerry Keller, co-owner, pointed out how risky the restaurant business is saying “It’s been a great 10 years and when you think that 90% of restaurants here close in two years, that’s a pretty good run.”    In Santa Rosa, after nearly 40 years Arrigoni’s Deli & Cafe shutdown.   Safeway announced they will shutdown one of their  Vons grocery stores in Hemet by January 2015, at least 55 jobs lost.  And in Pleasanton, Safeway HQ will layoff at least 26 people by 13 February 2015, due to the takeover by Cerberus owned Albertsons.   Uniform and food service contractor Aramark issued several WARNs saying they are shutting down ops across the Golden State, at least 570 jobs lost!

Georgia: Atlanta based iconic Coca Cola announced it is cutting $100-million AUD from its Australian ops in 2015, killing off at least 250 jobs in the Land Down Under!  Coca Cola already killed off at least 157 Australian jobs for 2014!  But wait there’s more! Coca Cola is also killing off 2-thousand jobs in the United States, before the end of January 2015!  Company administrators say the U.S. economy is so bad they’re forced to cut $3-billion USD by 2019!

Dying food court (The Courtyard), only zombified Orange Julius and Mario's Pizza left. The obligatory pretzel joint moved to center court. Mrs. Powell's, Dairy Queen, the corn dog place and others all died.

Dying food court (The Courtyard), only zombified Orange Julius and Mario’s Pizza left. The obligatory pretzel joint moved to center court. Mrs. Powell’s, Dairy Queen, the corn dog place and others all died.

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

Illinois: In Chicago, anti-2nd Amendment Pepsi laid off an undisclosed number of North America Nutrition (Gatorade, Quaker, Tropicana) employees.  Pepsi also extended its cost cutting plan (originally to end in 2014) to 2019, saying it now needs to save $8-billion!  A Panera Bread store shutdown.  Company administrators said the city’s recent minimum wage hike, to $13 per hour over the next five years, was the final straw that broke their Beverly store’s back.  Rumors say the company will simply open a new store just outside city limits.  The owner of Beverly’s Original Rainbow Cone warned she is contemplating a similar decision.   In Urbana, after only one year a Kroger owned Ruler Foods discount grocery store shutdown without notice.  For some reason Kroger built three Ruler Foods stores in Urbana in the space of two years, apparently that was one too many.  Company administrators refused to talk to local news media.  In Mount Prospect, the owners of Randhurst Village shopping center forced the three years old The Billy Goat Tavern to shutdown. Basically the shopping center owners found a new tenant who’s willing to pay more in rent.  In Oregon city, after four years Jackass BBQ shutdown with little notice, the owner is pissed about the lack of any economic recovery, he’s now forced to auction off his personal tools: “Business is slow here in Oregon…Most people from Dixon do not drive here anymore….We will have lots of Craftsman tools and toolboxes, antiques, household items and furniture. We have a welder and oxygen acetylene cutting torches, along with several steel industrial work benches.”-Andy Riegel

Iowa:  In Cedar Rapids, after nine years Cranky Hank’s pizza joint shutdown.

Michigan:  Battle Creek based cereal maker Kellogg was forced by union members to admit they are shutting down two major cereal making factories.  It’s blamed on crashing cereal sales.  However, company administrators refuse to say which factories will die.

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

Missouri:  In Kansas City, 65 years old Golden Ox steak restaurant shutdown.  News reports said the owner wanted to retire, but could his retirement have been influenced by the skyrocketing prices of beef?  In Florissant, after 95 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Yacovelli’s Restaurant to shutdown on New Year’s Day.  In Columbia, the Marconi Grill shutdown without notice.  A local news source discovered it when they spotted moving vans at the property.  Reports said a few months ago it was rumored the restaurant would close, but employees said it was for remodeling. Those loyal employees are now eating crow, as competing restaurants are now being flooded with applications from former Marconi Grill employees.

Montana: The state’s Department of Livestock warned of layoffs and unpaid furloughs due to increased spending on brucellosis testing on cows, and increased employee insurance and retirement funding mandated by Obama Care!  To make things worse, state administrators have actually cut overall funding for the Department of Livestock.

New Jersey: Rumors that after 15 years Stanley’s Prime Meat Market shutdown.  In Hoboken, after 78 years Helmers’ Restaurant shutdown.  Reports say the German themed restaurant has been in trouble ever since a fire in 2006.  The property owner has reportedly rented out the space to a new tenant at $15-thousand per month!

New York: In Ithaca, after more than 40 years Manos Diner shutdown.  The news was revealed by an employee.

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

Ohio:    In Waverly, 78 years old Lake White Club restaurant shutdown.  After months of spending money on renovations, the bad economy forced the current owners to put the restaurant up for auction in October, but nobody bid on it.  Iconic White Castle burger joint shutting down all five restaurants in Cleveland and Akron!  To top it off, they’re being shutdown on Xmas eve!  Administrators of the family owned burger joint says the economy is so bad in Cleveland and Akron that they can’t afford to continue operating in those cities.  In Lakewood, the World of Beer bar shutdown, apparently with no explanation.  In Hilliard, after only two years the Auddino’s Bakery & Cafe on Fishinger Boulevard shutdown.  The bakery owners say the property owners didn’t promote the business as promised.

Oregon: In Ashland, only one month after getting a Restaurant Impossible TV show make-over Mystic Treats shutdown, without explanation.  Prior to the make-over the landlord was in the process of evicting Mystic Treats.  In Portland, after 35 years the Hunan Restaurant shutdown “Due to personal health issues”.

Pennsylvania:  In Kingston, after more than four years the owners of Vanderlyn’s Restaurant announced that New Year’s Eve is their last day of operations.  They said they need more “family time”.  In Centre County, after nearly 100 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) the Mount Nittany Inn shutdown. The restaurant has been for sale for the past three years, but nobody wants to buy. A co-owner blames the lack of ‘recovery’ and evil Too Big to Jail banks: “We tried our best! There just isn’t enough cash flow….”-Nancy Silvis

Tennessee: After 17 years the GollyWhoppers sandwich shop shutdown the day before xmas.

Utah: In Ogden, after 38 years the family owners of Sandy’s Fine Foods restaurant announced they will shutdown by the end of the month.  It will end with a yard sale of restaurant memorabilia.  The family will focus on their catering business.

Vermont:  In Burlington, after five years Das Bierhaus German restaurant shutdown: “Renewal time had come and, as the dust of negotiations and exploring other options settled, I was fortunate enough to have been presented with an offer I could not refuse.”-Nick Karabelas, owner

Virginia: After only seven months Dash Kitchen & Carry restaurant shutdown! The owners admitted they were ignorant of the bad economy saying “…we misjudged the demand for it in that market and failed….Dash will either be sold ….or will be reimagined…”  In King George, after 18 years the owner of Howard’s Bakery & Restaurant announced they will shutdown after Xmas.  Local news reports said the owner blamed the past three years of suck-ass sales.  In Richmond, the co-owner of ‘adult themed’ Tiki Bob’s club announced they will shutdown in February 2015, blaming competition and lazy city administrators:  “After 16 years we’ve hit the end! You see all the great food and stuff going on in Richmond. There’s no more room for just a club anymore. I’ve waited a year for the city to get the ballpark. I can’t wait any longer….I don’t know if I want to put another 200-300k in the bottom without the city doing anything down here.”-Erik Brockdorff

Wisconsin:  In Madison, after 22 years Jolly Bob’s Caribbean restaurant shutdown.  The owner, Tim Erickson, blamed the lack of economic recovery: “The last five years have been really difficult, not that the first 17 years were easy, but especially the last five years have been really tough. And I’m not a young man anymore.” 

U.S. Food Crisis, November 2014

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 01 – 03 November 2014: “…to stop seeking future work is a result of…changes…in healthcare.” More ObamaCare job destruction! Again, no more Sprint?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California:  New Obama Care taxes forcing medial device maker Volcano to make even more job cuts; 170 people in Rancho Cordova will become jobless before Xmas!  At one time Volcano employed 700 people at the Rancho Cordova factory, but will have less than 100 after 16 December.  In San Diego, Ashford University/Bridgepoint Education issued a WARN saying 160 people will become jobless in January 2015! However, local ABC10News said an inside source reported that 167 people were already let go! 

Florida: After 33 years Ruben’s Cuban Restaurant being shutdown by the landlord. The landlord claims it’s only for remodeling, but long time customers are so upset that the local news media demanded confirmation from the landlord that the restaurant will be reopening soon.  In Miami, Envoy Air issued a WARN saying they will eliminate 478 transportation and warehousing jobs by April 2015!

Illinois: In Chicago, after 82 years Altman’s Shoes announced they will shutdown on 31 December.  The family owners still have new shoes from decades ago that were handmade in Italy, and other vintage brand shoes.

Kansas: Overland Park based, but 80% Japan based SoftBank owned, cell phone service provider Sprint increased the number of people who will become jobless, yet again; this time 2-thousand additional employees will be let go due to the company losing $192-million USD and 272-thousand customers in its most recent quarter!

Missouri:  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 losses 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.”

New Hampshire: What automotive industry recovery? In Newport, after 80 years City Auto RV Superstore announced they will shutdown sometime in 2015.   The current owner says she’s going back to being a nurse.

New York: In North Tonawanda, Community First Holdings issued a WARN saying they will cease publication of the Tonawanda News and eliminate 20 newspaper jobs in January 2015.  In Brooklyn, The Guild for Exceptional Children issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their preschool in January 2015, at least 81 jobs lost.

North Carolina: The USMC warned of layoffs at its Community Services ops at Camp Lejeune and New River Air Station.  Between 35 and 50 people could become jobless in 2015.  Hours for Community Services will be reduced.  Child care services will also see prices go up by 50%.  It’s blamed on cuts to federal taxpayer spending.

Pennsylvania: UniTek Global Services now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and is preparing to be taken over by creditors.

Texas: In Houston, Too Big to Jail Capital One announced it will layoff 100 ‘processing’ employees during the 1st quarter of 2015!

30-31-october-2014

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

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 30 – 31 October 2014: “This has developed in a ‘perfect storm’…completely out of our control.” God hates Chicago as students get raptured? Target does 1-80 on opening new stores! No more Ghirardelli Chocolates?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: In Corona, Ireland based legal drugs maker Actavis issued a WARN saying 200 people will become jobless in January 2015!  In Santa Cruz, Chaminade Resort & Spa Issued a WARN saying 180 people will become jobless in January 2015!  In San Francisco, Ghirardelli Chocolates issued a WARN saying they will shutdown just three days after Xmas, 84 jobs lost.  However, it’s supposed to be temporary.  Boeing issued a couple of WARNs saying 221 Californians will become jobless in January 2015!  In El Monte, Associated Third Party Administrators (ATPA) issued a WARN saying they will shutdown at the end of December, 85 jobs lost.  In San Gabriel, SoCalGas (Southern California Gas) issued a WARN saying 45 people will be laid off in January 2015.

Colorado: In Steamboat Springs, after more than 25 years a Wendy’s burger joint shutdown. Apparently there were problems between the restaurant management and the property owners.  In Paonia, Kentucky based Bowie Resource Partners announced that 150 jobs are being eliminated at the Bowie #2 coal mine!  It’s blamed on the termination of a contract with taxsucking TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) as more power plants switch to natural gas.

Florida: Obama Care forces WellCare Health Plans to issue a WARN saying 60 of their employees in Tampa will become jobless by February 2015.  In Ocala, fire truck maker Spartan ERV issued a WARN saying 70 people will become jobless by June 2015.

Hawaii: In Honolulu, after only two months the Beach Bum Cafe shutdown. The owners blame the bad economy saying their product was “…just priced too high for the market.”

Illinois: God must hate the Chicago area; seven Christian schools being shuttered and six others being consolidated!  At least 200 jobs lost!  The schools being shutdown are Saint Agatha Catholic Academy, Saint Peter in Skokie, Saint Hyacinth Basilica, Saint Ladislaus, Saint Turibius, Saint Rene Goupil, and Saint Lawrence O’Toole in Matteson.  It’s blamed on massive DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome), since 1965 Christian student enrollment in Cook and Lake counties has crashed by 284-thousand!

Iowa: Too Big to Jail CitiGroup told local news media that it will render 370 Iowans jobless by Summer 2015!  Bank administrators said they must become even more efficient.

Massachusetts: In Holyoke, Susan’s Cafe shutdown due to crumbling building foundation. The owners spent what spare money they had trying to fix the problem, as their insurance refused to cover the damage. (more proof insurance is a mafioso rip off)

Minnesota: What housing market recovery?  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.  After five years of selling Italian motorcycles, Ducati Motors shutdown in the Lyn-Lake area: “We are closing because we are unable to be profitable.”-Merrill Ferguson

Missouri: The American Red Cross announced it will shutdown their Saint Peters office in November.  It’s part of a plan to shutdown offices across the United States.

Nebraska: Switzerland based legal drugs pusher Novartis killing off more jobs in Lincoln, this time 75 jobs lost.  Company administrators said it was the third phase of their plans to kill off 40% of their jobs, as part of their merger with Glaxo SmithKline (to become official in 2015).

Ohio: In Lima, Switzerland based Ineos Group announced it is shutting down its only global Barex-brand PolyAcryloNitrile resin factory.  At least 50 jobs will be lost in the 1st quarter of 2015.  Company administrators blame PAN resin for being a “specialty niche” product, but that didn’t stop them from taking over a Japanese PAN maker last year (maybe that’s the real reason for the Ohio shutdown?).  Sears Holdings issued a WARN saying they will shutdown a distribution center in time for Xmas, 162 jobs lost!

Pennsylvania: Iconic Rubbermaid issued a WARN saying they will begin rendering at least 119 people jobless from December 2014 through September 2015, when they shutdown their Pottsville factory!  Also in Pottsville, after 51 years of distributing beer Brewers’ Outlet shutdown its warehouse: “This has developed in a ‘perfect storm’ manner, and this development is not Brewers’ Outlet desire and completely out of our control.”-company statement

Cheyney University (originally created to target ‘black’ Americans) laid off at least six instructors and will eliminate programs.  University administrators blame crashing revenue.  Interestingly, the university lists several administrative positions as being available, but adds “Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to your phone calls about vacancies or about the status of a recruitment and your application.”  In Erie, Verizon Wireless issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their call center, 117 jobs lost just in time for Xmas!  Company administrators blame crashing demand for their service.

Virginia: In Carytown, a second Dixie Donuts shop shutdown, the owners of the “best donut shop in Virginia” basically saying the economy can’t support all their store fronts, so they’re focusing all their efforts on their original store.

29-october-2014

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

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 29 October 2014: Microsoft achieves goal of destroying 18-thousand jobs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California:   A Kroger owned Ralph’s grocery store in Oceanside is being shutdown in November, 70 jobs lost. In Redwood City, bus contractor MV Transportation issued a WARN saying 123 people will become jobless at the end of December!  Microsoft-Nokia  issued several WARNs saying dozens of people across the Golden State will become jobless three days after Xmas.  Golden State based legal drugs pusher Amgen announced yet even more job destruction, this time an additional 11-hundred on top of the previously announced 29-hundred, and on top of killing off 274 Washington state jobs by 31 December, and another 386 Washington state jobs will be killed off in 2015! Plus Amgen announced it would kill off 349 jobs in California three days before Xmas!  Rumors say the drugs company is going to be split up and sold off.

Connecticut: In Mystic, iconic Grossman’s Seafood store shutdown, the owners blamed “poor economic conditions over the past several years”.

Florida: In Tampa, rumors (supposedly from inside sources) that global money transaction processor Synirverse could let go as many as 300 employees! So far the company has not filed any WARN with state employment administrators.

Michigan:  Sears Holdings announced that four Kmarts will shutdown; Ann Arbor, Bay City, Iron Mountain and Warren.  265 jobs lost!

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 Jamaica, Aircraft Service International issued a WARN saying they will kill off 546 jobs in January 2015, due to loss of contract!  NYC based HBO (Home Box Office) announced it must kill off 150 jobs in California and New York, due to the fact they are owned by the crashing & burning Time Warner outfit!  Brooks Brothers mens clothing retailer shutdown all 12 of their discount Brooks Brothers 346 stores!

South Dakota: In Rapid City, Planned Parenthood announced it will shutdown in December, due to federal funding cuts.

Texas:  The U.S. Army has laid off or demoted 125 people at Fort Hood!  Post administrators stated that at least 260 jobs will eventually be affected!

Washington: Redmond based Microsoft completed the killing of 18-thousand jobs!  This was from their announcement back in July.  According to Microsoft 70% of those layoffs impacted former Nokia employees.  In Tacoma, the public libraries could lose eight employees under the 2015-16 budget, which cuts $1.3-million from the library system.  Strangely, it turns out that city administrators are also claiming they’re going to hire 110 people next year!

24-28-october-2014

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

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 24 – 28 October 2014: “We couldn’t make any money….” God raptures more Christian students? More job destruction by new EPA rules! Costco begins shutdowns? More proof food prices will skyrocket! No more Sprint?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Arkansas: Commodity broker Turner Grain Merchandising now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Farmers are now accusing the company of ripping them off by ay least $100-million USD.  Lawsuits say the commodity broker never paid them for grain deliveries, the questions now are where is the grain and where is the money?  Local reports say police have been cooperating with the FBI over a criminal investigation into the company, however the FBI refuses to comment.

California: In Aliso Viejo, reports that internet video game developer Carbine Studios laid off as many as 60 employees.  Company administrators confirmed there were layoffs but refused to give a number.  In Richmond, Hartmann Studios Rentals issued a WARN saying 219 people will become unemployed in December!  The WARN claims the layoffs are temporary.   In Upland, school bus contractor First Student issued a WARN saying they will cease operations by the end of December, 156 jobs lost!  In San Jose, HGST (formerly Japan owned Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, now owned by California based Western Digital)  issued several WARNs saying at least 76 people will be laid off by January 2015.  In Glendale,  LMC Services issued a WARN saying they will shutdown at the end of December, at least 93 jobs lost.  In Sunnyvale, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) laid off at least 57 people, without warning or public explanation.  Also in Sunnyvale, Microsoft-Nokia issued a WARN saying 13 people will become jobless three days after Xmas.   Verizon Wireless issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Victorville ops the day after Xmas, 56 jobs lost.   In Jackson, Obama Care forcing Sutter Amador Hospital to warn of layoffs coming in January 2015.

Illinois: Too Big to Jail National Republic Bank of Chicago failed and was taken over by the FDIC and State Bank of Texas.

Indiana: After 100 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Clark Appliance now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. The owner blames climate change and the suck-ass economy: “We’ve had some serious challenges to overcome, namely the decrease in sales through the 2008 recession and the loss of our inventory at our Greenwood store due to flooding and mold issues.”-Bob Clark

Kansas: Overland Park based, but 80% Japan based SoftBank owned, cell phone service provider Sprint increased the number of people who will become jobless; now an additional 235 IT, portfolio management and network employees in Virginia will get the axe! That’s on top of the already 5-thousand jobs reportedly killed off by Sprint since December 2013!

Louisiana: God must really hate The Pelican State, three Christian schools shutting down in 2015:  Holy Ghost in New Orleans, Our Lady of Grace in Reserve and Saint Agnes in Jefferson!  Church administrators blame raptured, I mean what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome).  Enrollment at each school is now under 200.

Maine: Legacy Publishing laying off about 75 people by November.  Company administrators say the economy is forcing them to make a “strategic” move to internet sales only.

Mississippi: Diammonium phosphate fertilizer maker Mississippi Phosphates now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, at least 200 jobs in limbo! It’s blamed on a shortage of raw materials, but reports say the company has also been in trouble with government environmental regulations.

New Jersey: 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.

New Mexico: In Albuquerque, after 41 years Dee’s Cheesecake Factory restaurant shutdown.

New York: More proof the internet is not the cause of the demise of brick-n-mortar stores: Internet seller vente-privee issued a WARN saying they will cease their NYC ops in January 2015, at least 133 jobs lost!  Nutritional supplements maker NBTY issued a WARN saying they are getting rid of dozens of their in-house janitors at their Holbrook, Bohemia, Bayport and Ronkonkoma operations by January 2015.  The Visiting Nurse Service of New York Home Care (VNSNY) added more people to their Obama Care job culling; dozens of healthcare workers at 13 locations will become jobless in January 2015.

North Carolina: In Durham, after 37 years Leo’s Seafood shutdown. The old owners blame the skyrocketing cost of fish, saying “Fish used to be one of the cheapest meats you could buy, it’s not like that anymore!” By the way neither one of the owner’s name is Leo.

Ohio: RockTenn announced it’s shutting down their 7 decades old Oakley cardboard factory at the end of December, at least 63 jobs lost.  Company administrators blame new EPA rules, saying it’s not worth it to upgrade the factory to meet the new regulations.

Pennsylvania: In Pittsburgh, after 22 years Garfield Artworks announced it will shutdown in December.  No official reason given, but recently one of the owners was quoted as saying “We couldn’t make any money on the arts…”

South Carolina: Conway based special industrial metals maker Metglas warned of layoffs do to a sudden crash in sales to China.   Company administrators refused to give a number, but some reports say as many as 200 employees are threatened.

Texas: What housing market recovery?  In Dallas, maker of roofing materials GAF (General Aniline & Film) Materials announced it will layoff 40 people in December.   PlanesCapital Bank announced it will shutdown 11 offices by January 2015. It’s a result of the failure of troubled First National Bank of Edinburg/National Bank of El Paso, back in September.   The FDIC ended up taking control of at least three First National  offices, the rest were put under control of PlanesCapital.

Virginia:  In Manassas, after 49 years iconic Kline’s Freeze soft serve ice cream shop killed off by greedy property owner: “We have been informed by our landlord that the Kline’s Freeze property is being sold. It seems our little blue and white building, serving our loyal customers and friends for 49 years will be torn own sometime in 2015.”-James and Lorraine Kline Croushorn, shop owners

Washington: Legal drugs pusher Amgen announced they will shutdown their Seattle area ops, killing off 274 jobs by 31 December, another 386 jobs will be killed off in 2015!  The announcement comes just a couple of days after Amgen announced it would kill off 349 jobs in California three days before Xmas! It’s all part of Amgen’s plans to kill off a total of 29-hundred jobs by the end of 2015!

Wisconsin: CNH (aka CASE, International Harvester, New Holland) is joining competitor Deere and shutting down farm tractor production.  150 second shift employees will become unemployed on 01 December, at the Mount Pleasant factory!  Xten Industries issued a WARN saying they’re selling off their plastic molding factory in Kenosha, resulting in 120 people becoming unemployed between December 2014 and January 2015!   What’s interesting is Xten has been declared to be a fast growing company (150% from 2012-13!). Reports I read said company administrators refused to say why they were selling off their Kenosha factory.

22-23-october-2014

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.