Arkansas: Kroger shutting down one of four of their North Little Rock grocery stores by the end of the month, blaming low sales.  State ‘lawmakers’ shutting down three National Guard Armories due to lack of money.   Near Strong, after 70 years Herring Furniture shutdown.

Alabama: Earth Fare shutting down their grocery store in Montgomery by the end of the month, claiming the location was a bad choice.

California: In Fresno, after 75 years Luftenburg’s Bridal shutting down after failed attempts to sell it off.

Colorado: Ganja grower Medical Marijuana of the Rockies (MMR) forced to shutdown their Frisco dispensary due to a lawsuit by an anti-marijuana group who accused MMR of racketeering.

Connecticut: After 17 years restaurant Inn at Newtown shutting down next week.

  Georgia:  Property developers forcing popular restaurant Alfredo’s to shutdown after 41 years, the restaurant owner bemoaned “What can you do? That’s progress. It’s all about the money.”

Florida: In Fort Myers the franchised Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery shutdown without warning, the manager said in the past 12 months sales crashed “we are simply a victim of not enough sales”.   One of the co-owners also pointed out that the location has a bad reputation: “I was warned by many locals of the ‘Curse of the Castle’, that no restaurant had ever made it at that location, but we really thought with our brand and experience, we could make it work. The pub is probably the best building in all of South Florida, but it’s just not affordable.”-Brad Maloney

Also in Fort Myers, after 13 months Belushi’s Comedy Club shutdown blaming crashing ticket sales.  Belushi’s was located on the floor above Tilted Kilt.

Idaho:  The number of Gem State school districts asking for taxpayer burdening supplemental levies has gone up, again.  At latest count 94 of the 115 district need extra money to function in the 2015-16 school year, even though state tax funding is back to ‘pre-recession’ levels!    One reason for the demand for strapping taxpayers is increasing numbers of domestic economic migrants flooding into Idaho, the majority being low income.  Domestic migrants, along with high birth rates, accounted for 75% of Idaho’s population growth in 2015.  According to the Shifting Sands: Idaho’s Changing Student Demographics and What it Means for Education  study domestic migration is going to continue, and the overwhelming majority of the U.S. migrants into Idaho will be tax burdening (maybe not so tax burdening as Idaho has piss-poor social programs) low income families: “The state is expected to see net growth in lower income households and net declines in households with incomes above $50,000.  Much of the state is projected to see an increase in the share of households with an income of less than $25,000.“     (I’ve lived here for 20 years and my income has always been “less than $25,000”, I even went into deep debt getting a degree from Idaho State University in 2006 and my income actually crashed!)

Illinois:  In Chicago, after ten years clothier Haberdash shutting down by the end of the month.  The Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery shutdown in the Chicago Ridge Mall.  Skin care products maker H2O shutdown their Michigan Avenue store without warning saying “It’s part of our new business model…”

Indiana:  Two shops shutdown in the Southlake Mall; Tilted Kilt and Jamba Juice.  The Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery shutdown without warning, in fact it was shutdown during the lunch hour!  Essentially the franchise owner baled under the excuse of sudden retirement.  News reports say the mall’s Jamba Juice also shutdown without warning or explanation.

Iowa: In Forest City, Spahn & Rose Lumber shutdown without warning, no reason given.

Massachusetts:  In Northampton, Amazing.Net shutdown, local prudes are now worried that no new business will want to move into a former porn shop.

New Hampshire:  After more than 40 years Zip Type Printing Services shutdown by merging with competitor Harborside Printing.

New Jersey:  In Westfield, Robert Treat Delicatessen shutting down by the end of the month, the owners blamed their ongoing personal health problems.

 

New York: Village Care Plus issued a shutdown WARN for their NYC family healthcare services, 387 jobs lost by April 2016!   

North Carolina: Cole Haan shutting down its shoe store in the South Park Mall by the end of the month, no reason given.  After months of posting a store closing sign 27 years old discount store Rose’s, in Weaverville, finally shutdown.  In Elizabeth City, taxsucking military contractor DRS Technologies laid off 30 employees.

Daimler Trucks laying off 936 people in Cleveland!  It’s blamed on decreasing orders for Freightliner and Western Star trucks.  This mass layoff comes after city dip-noodles approved a taxpayer funded five years $940-thousand USD plan to help pay for Daimler to expand their Cleveland factory.   Hmmm, they got the city to give them $940-thousand in tax breaks by claiming they need to expand their factory when in reality their orders for new trucks are crashing?

Ohio:  The Lynchburg Police Department shutdown due to lack of tax revenues.  What automotive industry recovery?  After 47 years Buehler’s Fresh Foods shutting down their Delaware store in February, 131 jobs lost!   In Lancaster, the Hallmark gift store in the River Valley Mall shutting down due to the lease not being renewed.   Another Ohio Big Lots! shutting down, this time in Lancaster’s Plaza Shopping Center, no reason given.

Pennsylvania:  In Queen Village, after eight years  Cafe Fulya shutdown.  What automotive industry recovery?  Gander Mountain ATV dealer shutting down their Lower Paxton location, the lease is not being renewed was the only reason given.

Tennessee: In Gatlinburg, Davy Crockett’s Tennessee Whiskey shutdown without warning or explanation.

Texas: In Wichita Falls, Jos. A. Bank Clothiers in Sikes Senter shutting down next week.  It’s connected to the 2014 takeover of Jos.A.Bank by competitor Men’s Wearhouse.   Houston based oil driller Swift Energy became the 40th oil driller to go bankrupt after eliminating 20% of its jobs.  New York Life Insurance eliminating 50 jobs in Austin.  Apparently failed ObamaCare is forcing New York Life to shift from in-house employees to using cheaper contractors.

Virginia:  In Lexington, Healthy Foods Market & Cafe shutting down by the end of the month, the owners blame increased competition for their decreased sales.  What automotive industry recovery?  In Staunton the Elliott Auto Group car dealership suddenly shutdown, claiming they’re undergoing “renovations”.  However, dozens of former employees said that was the plan before the end of December, but after New Year’s Day they were told the shutdown was permanent!

Washington:  Precise Shooter shutting down their Seattle gun shop after the city imposed a new gun violence tax.  Precise Shooter is the only gun shop in the city and the owner of the shop points out that not only will the city not collect any gun violence tax but will also be losing normal sales tax revenues: “…there will be a net loss for this city. This location brings in roughly $50,000 in sales tax revenue, so that is all going to be gone …”-Segey Solyanik

Washington DC:  After ten years clothier Toro Mata shutting down by the end of the month, blaming skyrocketing costs of operations.

West Virginia:  Pinnacle Mine laid off nearly 2-hundred employees in Wyoming County!

Wisconsin: After 50 years elitist Feiler’s Restaurant shutting down this week.  In Milwaukee, after only two years Simmer Cafe shutdown. The owners blamed it on their expensive attempt to start another cafe in the Mayfair Mall.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed

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