Tag Archives: labor

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 02 – 03 April 2015: “The market conditions are severe, we’ve seen a 30% decrease…” Yet another women’s clothing chain going down! More healthcare, education and bank layoffs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Obama Care Racism in the good ol’ U.S. of A?  The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) laid off employees in New York, Washington DC, California and Wyoming.  ACLU administrators blamed it on the loss of a major donor, but also mentioned the increased employee health care costs, caused by Obama Care.

California: Los Angeles based American Apparel laid off 180 people!  This is the third year in a row the clothing company has laid off employees.  Some analysts say its their way of preventing employees from unionizing, however it could also be due to American Apparel losing $28-million USD in its 4th quarter of 2014!    Boeing announced that another round of layoffs will take place, this time nine people will be let go at the beginning of June.  In Santa Barbara, after less than two years Granada Books shutdown.  The owner tried an internet/social media based campaign to raise money to save the store, but it failed.   In Mountain View, OnLive issued a layoff WARN saying 98 people will become jobless by June.  In Los Alamitos, Dex Media issued yet another layoff WARN, this time saying the last of its employees will be let go in September.  In Irvine, legal drugs maker Allergan issued a layoff WARN saying 577 people will become jobless in June, due to takeover by Ireland based Actavis!  In Fresno, Charlotte’s BakerEatery sold to competitor Dusty Buns.  In Natomas, OfficeMax announced it will shutdown its North Freeway Boulevard store in May.  It’s part of a larger plan to shutdown more than 2-hundred stores across the U.S.: “In 2014, we closed approximately 165 locations and plan to close at least another 100 by the second quarter in 2015.”– Julianne Embry

Colorado: Boulder based children’s and women’s clothing chain Fresh Produce now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and up for sale.  Administrators say the company is in so much debt that they listed some as “unknown”.  Fresh Produce has several dozens of stores across six U.S. states.

Florida: FlexSteel Pipeline shutdown their Panama City factory, 76 jobs lost.  Administrators blame oil prices.

Illinois:  School District 65 will eliminate 29 full time jobs for the upcoming school year.  School administrators say they’re preparing for the state to slash and burn their funding even more.

Indiana: What automotive industry recovery?  Heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar continues to kill jobs, this time 250 jobs will be eliminated in Lafayette!  Also, driveline maker Oerlikon Fairfield laid off 35 people at its Lafayette factory.  The new Obama Care medical device tax, combined with a takeover by Tecomet, forcing Symmetry Medical Manufacturing to shutdown its Noble County factory by the end of the year, 130 jobs lost (layoffs start in June)!  In Indianapolis, Too Big to Jail Chase Bank announced it is shutting down its student loan center in May, 73 jobs lost.  It’s the final stage of the bank’s exit from higher education: “We have gotten out of the student loan business; that was announced years ago. So this is the trailing end of the servicing of the loans that were still on the books.”

Kentucky: In Paducah, the U.S. Postal Service shutting down the mail Processing Center, at least 41 jobs affected.  The loading dock will remain in operation, but work hours for those employees remaining will be greatly reduced.

Maine: Massachusetts based aerospace and oil industry parts supplier Midstate Berkshire laid off 70 people in Winslow and Waterville.  On top of that the Waterville factory will be shutdown by the end of the year, so more job losses are expected: “The market conditions are severe, we’ve seen a 30% decrease in our key markets over the past year!”-Duane Pekar, CEO

Massachusetts: In the state known as Boston Weak, the new Obama Care medical device tax, combined with a takeover by Tecomet, forcing Symmetry Medical Manufacturing to shutdown its New Bedford factory over the next 12 months.  Layoffs begin in June, 190 jobs lost!

Minnesota:  After 57 years Richfield’s Lariat Lanes bowling alley announced it will shutdown in May.

Missouri: In Cape Girardeau, the U.S. Postal Service shutting down the mail Processing Center, at least 45 jobs affected.

New York: In Clifton Park, California based Everett Charles Technology joined the exodus and announced they will layoff 25 people in August, by offshoring the jobs to Malaysia.  In Syracuse, Too Big to Jail JP Morgan Chase issued a shutdown WARN saying their Global Technology Department will cease to exist in June, 91 jobs lost.  In Bay Shore, Duralee Fabrics issued a WARN saying they’re joining the exodus from The Empire State and moving 64 jobs to North Carolina by July.  In Bronx, That Which Cannot be Named refuses to stop the sell-off of its Yeshiva University Albert Einstein School of Medicine, 1,512 jobs affected!  Apparently the school is being taken over by the College of Medicine.

North Carolina: In Raleigh, legal drugs maker Salix Pharmaceuticals is laying off 258 people!  Administrators blame it on the $11-billion they spent taking over Canadian drugs maker Valeant Pharmaceuticals.

Ohio:  After 130 years (surviving numerous depressions and recessions) God refuses to stop the shutdown of his Saint Aloysius School. It’s blamed on the Rapture, I mean what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome.  From the 2012-13 school year to 2014-15 they suffered a 50% drop in enrollment! Regency Hospital of Akron shutting down, 85 jobs lost.  New York based insurance company Assurant laid off 125 people in Dayton and Springfield due to lack of sales!  Gee, what happened to Obama Care forcing everybody to get insurance?

Oklahoma: SandRidge Energy laid off 132 people, blaming “Market conditions”!

Oregon: Netflix is going ahead with their May shutdown of their Hillsboro call center, saying the remaining 68 employees will become unemployed.  Last year news reports said 188 people worked at the call center!

Pennsylvania: In Honesdale, after 34 years the owners of Country Dawn say their greedy landlord is forcing them to shutdown in May.  The landlord wants to replace the gift shop with a bar.

Virginia: In Charlottesville, after almost 70 years Downtown Athletic Store shutdown.  It sounds like the company is going to focus on internet sales only.  Richmond based Health Diagnostic Laboratory announced it will begin laying off 42 more employees across the country.   Last year the medical testing company laid off 162 people!  It’s connected to a federal investigation, and subsequent $47-million fine, in which the company is accused of bribing doctors and hospitals.

Washington: What housing market recovery? Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle will layoff 109 people between now and January 2016!  Administrators say they still haven’t recovered from the 2008-09 housing market crash.

Washington DC: Steptoe & Johnson, a law firm that represents the oil industry, revealed it laid off 34 people across the U.S.

Wisconsin: Ohio based natural gas company Chart Industries laid off 50 more people from its La Crosse factory.  That’s on top of the 55 laid off at the end of 2014.  Company administrators said the economy still sucks, despite shelling out $50-million to expand their La Crosse ops.  University of Wisconsin Madison warned it must eliminate 4-hundred jobs and drop 320 courses over the next two years, no thanks to the new Right to Work (you over) state education budget!  Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) laid off less than 20 people from its central office.  MPS has a terrible graduation rate for high school students; in 2014 only 60.9% of students succeeded in graduating after four years of high school!  Of the students who took five years only 68.8% graduated, and those who took six years only 73.4% graduated!

01 April 2015: “we lost some very good people”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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.”

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 01 April 2015: God joins exodus from The Big Apple! Proof the economy sucks, fewer tax returns! “These were deep and painful…We lost some very good people…”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: In Berkeley, Obama Care forced East Bay Perinatal Medical to issue a layoff WARN, saying 34 people will become jobless by the end of May.  British empire Australia based oil service company WorleyParsons Group issued two layoff WARNs, saying 90 Californians will become jobless at the end of May. It’s part of their plan to eliminate 2-thousand oil jobs, mainly in North America!  The Rolling Hills Country Club issued a layoff WARN, saying 60 people will be laid off by June.  In San Luis Obispo, after 42 years the Coastal Pool Center shutting down because the greedy property owner is evicting the family business.

Indiana: In Elkhart, the Youth and Community Center shutdown, due to repairs that the community center can’t afford to pay for.

Michigan: Hazel Park Schools announced they will eliminate 116 jobs and slash salaries over the next five years, due to what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome (a 30% decline since 2010)!

Minnesota: US Steel continues to kill jobs, this time 680 jobs are being eliminated at its Minntac ops!

Mississippi: In Jackson, after 87 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) the owner of Mori Luggage & Gifts announced he will shut it down at the end of May: “To be honest, retailing isn’t fun any more because of online shoppers and social media…..All of our suppliers are on the Internet themselves.”-George S. Mori

Missouri: The taxman taketh, H&R Block announced it will eliminate 90 jobs, mainly from its Kansas City HQ.  Administrators blame 4.2% fewer tax returns being filed by the increasingly unemployed and underemployed U.S. workforce.

New York: LifeMed Pharmacy has been sold, 65 employees to be laid off in May.  In NYC, God refuses to stop his American Bible Society from shutting down.  Their WARN says layoffs begin in June, and they expect to be shutdown by December.  American Bible Society has joined the mass exodus from New York and is moving to Pennsylvania.  The Center for Educational Innovation issued a WARN saying they’ve lost a contract and at least 32 people will be laid off by July.  In Ward’s Island, Volunteers of America Keener Assessment & Rapid Rehousing issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their homeless shelter by June, 39 jobs affected due to loss of contract.  Some good news; in Staten Island, Richmond University Medical Center has rescinded their plans to outsource their security guard jobs.

North Carolina: The Fayetteville Observer laid off 16 employees due to crashing revenues: “These were deep and painful cuts today…We lost some very good people…”-Charles Broadwell, publisher

Ohio: Evil CCA (Corrections Corporation of America), the for-profit contractor running the evil Northeast Ohio Correctional Center, has lost their contract and will eliminate 185 jobs!  Last year CCA got kicked out of Idaho for creating what became known as the Gladiator School prison.  After 17 years office supply business CP&E Marketing will shutdown in Coshocton by the end of the month.  It’s blamed partly on a death in the family.   Too Big to Jail Chase Bank announced it is shutting down its Warren office in June.

Pennsylvania: Spring based Carpenter Technology announced that the economy is so bad they will eliminate 260 jobs!  Administrators blame cuts in spending in the petroleum and military industries.  After 29 years Massachusetts based advertising company Mullen shutdown their Pittsburgh office.

Tennessee: The YMCA announced it is shutting down three operations; one in North Clarksville and two in Nashville, 130 jobs lost!  Administrators say the bad economy has caused them to lose more than $850-thousand USD last year.

Texas: Halliburton laid off more petroleum industry employees, this time 60 people at its Alice fracking ops.  Houston based oil equipment maker Frank’s International announced they are eliminating 6-hundred jobs!  ConocoPhillips, the largest independent oil company within the U.S., claims to have lost money in its last quarter and will begin eliminating an undisclosed number of jobs.

28 – 31 March 2015: “I don’t think we’ve seen the bottom yet.”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the thousands of layoffs in its 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.”

Business/Economics

U.S. Food Crisis 10 May 2015: Albertsons Safeway Vons shuts down more stores, kills hundreds of jobs! Demands money for earthquake victims!

Cerberus-AB Acquisition controlled Albertsons-Safeway announced more store shutdowns; two Vons in California and 10 Safeway stores in Colorado!  Administrators claim all 12 stores are not making enough money!

While Cerberus-AB Acquisition has been slashing and burning jobs at their Albertsons-Safeway-Vons stores they’ve been asking their customers to donate food to Nepal! A press release sates that their United Supermarket, Market Street, Amigos, United Express and Albertson’s Market locations, in Texas and New Mexico, are asking customers to donate money, supposedly to help the victims of the earthquake. How about donate money to help the victims of Cerberus-AB Acquisition?

New Jersey based food distributor BeaconUnited-B&G Foods’ has signed a major deal with Albertsons-Safeway.

A maker of eating utensils made from recycled materials, Repurpose, signed a deal with Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores in California.

Cerberus-AB Acquisition now controls Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United (aka United Supermarket & United Express), Pavilions, Star Market, Market Street, Amigos (aka Amigos United) and Carrs.

29 April 2015: Albertsons Safeway to kill 800+ California jobs! 

Updated list:

Manitoba, Canada: Sobeys-Safeway announced it will shutdown it’s King Edward Street warehouse by 2016, at least 172 jobs lost!

Arizona, U.S.A.: The following grocery stores will become Haggen; Anthem Safeway, two Tucson Safeways, Tucson Albertsons, two Scottsdale Albertsons, Flagstaff Albertsons, Prescott Valley Albertsons. In Lake Havasu, three Safeway and seven Albertsons are being switched over to Haggen.

California, U.S.A.: Two Albertsons-Safeway owned Vons stores will shutdown in Fresno, by June, 127 jobs lost!  Albertsons-Safeway laid off 129 people from their Pleasanton HQ in April. Albertsons-Safeway issued a WARN saying another 188 layoffs are scheduled for the Pleasanton by the end of May! Albertsons-Vons announced it will shutdown its Riverside La Sierra Plaza Vons and two Bakersfield Vons in May, because they are “not meeting company goals.” Arcadia Vons Pavillions SuperStore shutdown on 18 March 2015, at least 168 jobs lost! The 32 years old Hemet Vons shutdown on 28 December 2014, at least 55 jobs lost. Company administrators claimed it had nothing to do with the hostile takeover by Cerberus. Marina Del Ray Albertsons, shutdown by 26 February 2015, at least 80 jobs lost. Pleasanton Safeway HQ laid off at least 26 people in February 2015. In Pleasonton, Safeway laid off an additional 18 HQ employees in March. A San Diego Albertsons shutdown by 26 February 2015, at least 63 jobs lost. The following additional grocery stores will become Haggen; Vons in Palm Desert, Pavillions in Rancho Mirage, two Santa Barbara Albertsons, two Goleta Vons, Lompoc Albertsons, Paso Robles Vons, Arroyo Grande Albertsons, San Louis Obispo Albertsons, Atascadero Albertsons, Los Osos Vons, Palmdale Albertsons, three Bakersfield Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), two Simi Valley Albertsons, Simi Valley Vons, Oxnard Albertsons, Carpinteria Vons, Camarillo Albertsons, Ventura albertsons, Yorba Linda Albertsons, two Tustin Vons, Mission Viejo Vons, Mission Viejo Albertsons, Trabuco Canyon Albertsons, Laguna Beach Albertsons, Laguna Niguel Vons, Corona Del Mar Albertsons, Irvine (Vons) Pavillions, eight San Diego Albertsons (don’t be surprised if several are closed), San Yisidro Albertsons, Rancho Bernardo Albertsons, Coronado Albertsons, San Marcos Vons, two El Cajon Vons, Santee Albertsons, Poway Albertsons, Del Mar Albertsons, two Carlsbad Albertsons, two La Mesa Vons, three Chula Vista Vons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), Upland Albertsons, Diamond Bar Vons, Rancho Cucamonga Albertsons, Chino Hills Vons, Burbank Albertsons, Woodland Hills Vons, Westlake Village Albertsons, Thousand Oaks Albertsons, Santa Clarita (Vons) Pavillions, Saugus Vons, Newbury Park Vons, Tujunga Albertsons, Long Beach Albertsons, two San Pedro Albertsons, Lomita Albertsons, Torrance Albertsons, Santa Monica Albertsons, three Redondo Beach Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), two Los Angeles Albertsons.

Colorado, U.S.A.: Redlands Safeway, Castle Rock Safeway, Thornton Safeway, Westminster Safeway, three Aurora Safeways, Littleton Safeway, Denver Safeway and Centennial Safeway, hundreds of jobs lost by June!  Colorado Springs Albertsons shutdown in March. Cerberus administrators say it has nothing to do with their takeover of Safeway-Vons: “That store basically has not been profitable for quite some time, despite the best efforts of our company and associates there and the location…..That’s why we’re closing it.”

Florida, U.S.A.: Albertsons issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Clearwater store in May, 86 jobs lost.

Hawaii, U.S.A.: Drugs pusher Walgreens canceled plans to open a pharmacy in the Kauai Safeway: “As part of this process, Walgreens did a comprehensive financial reassessment of its plans to open a new store in Lihue on Kauai, and have concluded that it is not in the company’s best interests to move forward with opening a store in that location.”

Illinois: The Jewel-Osco HQ in Itasca was sold for $23.7-million.  A local news report implied it was the result of the hostile takeover of Safeway by Albertsons.

Nevada, U.S.A.: The following grocery stores will become Haggen; Boulder City Vons, three Henderson Albertsons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed), three Las Vegas Vons (don’t be surprised if at least one is closed).

Oregon, U.S.A.: In Lake Oswego, Albertsons taken over by Haggen. Cerberus administrators made the exact same claim as in their Colorado Springs shutdown saying “The store has not been profitable for quite some time.” This is interesting because according to local news reports there are only two grocery stores in the city! In Lake Grove, the Albertsons being switch over to Haggen. Safeway shutting down their Clackamas regional office, 91 jobs lost by March. Safeway in Ashland, two in Klamath Falls and one in Springfield to become Haggen. Albertsons in Baker, Beaver, two in Bend, one in Clackamas, two in Eugene and in Grants Pass, one in Keizer, Milwaukee, Sherwood, West Linn and two in Tigard.

Texas, U.S.A.: In East Dallas, an Albertsons was renamed Minyard Sun Fresh Market. Reports said the grand opening was delayed due to problems switching over the cash register system. A second East Dallas Alberstons is expected to make the changeover to Minyard Sun Fresh Market on 16 February. Only one of the three East Dallas Albertsons will remain Albertsons. One store manager said the changes are a direct result of the takeover of Safeway. Interestingly I found a report that said Cerberus swore there would be no name changes after the takeover of Safeway, but they failed to explain the sale of 12 stores to RLS Supermarkets (apparently the result of a court order). The Tom Thumb grocery stores in Bedford and Grapevine converting to Minyard Sun Fresh Market.

Washington, U.S.A.: The Safeway in Spokane Valley shutdown in March, 60 jobs lost. Company administrators said it was not due to the takeover by Cerberus controlled Albertsons, but that the lease expired and it wasn’t worth renewing it. In Kirkland, reports that Goodwill thrift store is taking over the now vacant Albertsons store. Haggen took control of the Monroe Albertsons. Safeway becoming Haggen in Gig Harbor and Tacoma beginning in March. Albertsons becoming Haggen in Olympia, Puyallup, Tacoma and Lakewood beginning in March. Albertsons becoming Haggen in Federal Way and Milton by June. Albertsons in Port Angeles, Wenatchee and Shoreline becoming Haggen in February. Albertsons in Redmond, Walla Walla, Snohomish, Silverdale, Burien, becoming Haggen in March. Albertsons in Seattle, another one in Burien, Renton, Bremerton and Milton becoming Haggen in June. Shoreline Safeway becomeing Haggen in February. Safeway in Everett, Renton, Oak Harbor and Port Orchard in March. Liberty Lake Safeway becomes Haggen in June.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Business/Economics

What Housing Market Recovery? 1st Quarter 2015: “I know…a manager…who said they lose $200-thousand a year!”

Incomplete list of residential and commercial construction industry job destruction that took place, or were announced, from January to March 2015:

“The number of future foreclosure auctions scheduled in January continued to increase in many states, foreshadowing more foreclosure spring cleaning to come in the next several months…”-RealtyTrac

According to the National Association of Counties, only 65 out of 3,143 counties across the United States have “fully” ‘recovered’ since 2008!!!

Internet based commercial office space seller 42Floors laid off at least 14 people in the cities of New York and San Francisco. The company halted its commercial real estate brokerage ops and will focus on providing internet searches and listings only: “Over the past few months, 42Floors has experimented with being a brokerage in addition to being a commercial real estate data and search website. We’ve decided today to stick with what we’re best at…”-Jason Freedman, founder

Alabama: After 25 years Applebee’s shutdown their Brookwood Village restaurant. The Texas based property owner refused to renew the lease with the restaurant.

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

Arizona: The Grand Canyon State lost 43-hundred construction jobs in 2014, the most in the U.S.! The Associated General Contractors warns that even more jobs will be lost in 2015. RealtyTrac says foreclosures jumped 100% from December 2014 to January 2015!  The city of Phoenix now has a 22% office vacancy rate, or more than one in five!  In Tucson, after ten years The District Tavern shutdown, it’s blamed on jacked up rent.

California: The U.S. Census Bureau reports a net of 32,090 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!  RealtyTrac reported a sudden jump in foreclosures by the end of January. In Los Angeles County 1,231 homes were foreclosed on.  Agoura Hills based InterThink sold off its mortgage division, resulting in at least 70 people being laid off.  In Santa Barbara, after six years the Bizerk Costume Store shutdown, the owners blamed the greedy landlord, LYNX, for giving them a 30 day eviction notice (instead of the required 60). Local news sources say LYNX administrators refused to say why they kicked out their tenant. Bizerk co-owner says its all about jacking up the rent: “At the rates that are being charged on State Street, I think it’s very possible that a lot of chain store business might be taking a loss. I know someone who is a manager at Abercrombie & Fitch on State Street who said they lose $200-thousand a year…..!”-David Sampanis

Connecticut:  The U.S. Census Bureau reports at least 2,664 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!  In Wallingford, Acuity Brands Lighting issued a shutdown for April, 93 jobs lost.

Florida:  In Jacksonville, Too Big to Jail Bank of America Mortgage issued a layoff WARN for April saying 69 people will be laid off. JPMorgan Chase Mortgage rendered 163 people jobless!  In Dania Beach, Boomers! Greater Ft. Lauderdale amusement park shutdown and being forced to liquidate by greedy property developers.  Taxsucking developer of so called affordable housing, Aburn Trace, is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted! This could mean no chance of recovering any taxpayer funding the company got. It’s blamed on numerous lawsuits filed by and against home developers, banks and even the federal government! (classic cluster f*ck with taxpayer and investor funds)  In Plantation, the Fashion Mall chapter 7 bankrupt busted and now up for sale. The mall has been vacant since 2007!

Georgia: Maker of concrete reinforcing steel Insteel Industries shutdown their Newnan factory, 20 jobs lost. They are consolidating ops as part of their takeover of American Spring Wire.

Hawaii: The U.S. Census Bureau reports a net of 5,141 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!  The Children’s Place clothing store in the GGP owned Ala Moana Center shutdown. Store administrators say they couldn’t afford to renew the lease.

Idaho:  Washington based wood products company Plum Creek Timber sold-off its Meridian remanufacturing factory, at least 61 jobs lost.  According to National Association of Counties most recent data eastern Idaho’s Bannock County has failed to make any recovery in the areas of Jobs, Unemployment, GDP or Home Prices since 2008! Never mind that Bannock County is still assessing the value of homes at tens of thousands of dollars above what they will actually sell for!

Illinois:  The U.S. Census Bureau reports a net of 94,956 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!  In Chicago, housewares retailer Crate & Barrel laid off under 30 of its HQ employees. Administrators admit they don’t see any economic recovery happening, saying they need “to align our work force with our future business strategies.”  Employees went public and revealed that the Ace Hardware on East Oakton Street, in Des Plaines, shutdown.  RealtyTrac reports that foreclosures for January 2015 beat out foreclosures for January 2014. In Cook County there was a 24% increase!  After 26 years Soapy’s laundromat being shutdown by greedy property developers.

Kentucky: Remke Markets announced they could not afford to renew their lease on their Newport grocery store and shut it down, 58 jobs lost.  In Louisville, Cunningham’s Restaurant shutdown without warning, 30 jobs lost. The property is for sale, but the current lease is good until 2022. Gatti’s Pizza shutdown their Westport Village Gattiland restaurant, the owners blamed the greedy landlord: “The lease is expiring, and after months of attempting to negotiate with the landlord, a satisfactory agreement has not been reached.”

Massachusetts: It may have survived the Marathon bombing but it can’t survive the Boston Weak property owners; the iconic FORUM Bar & Restaurant shutdown, the owner blames evil property owners for killing it off: “After the tragic events of the 2013 Boston Marathon….four long months of reconstruction…bureaucracy…the current real estate climate on Boylston Street has motivated FORUM’s landlord to raise rent…nearly three times our current rate…makes it financially impossible…”

Michigan: The tax auctions of homes in Detroit are now considered failures. In 2014, 394 homes were put up for auction, but by January 2015 only 138 auctions actually sold!  In Grand Rapids, after 14 years Louis Benton Steakhouse shutdown with a one day notice, 35 jobs lost. It sounds like the landlords have other plans for the property.

Minnesota: In Morris, the owners of Cullen’s Home Center shut it down: “It’s just a number of different factors and we feel terrible about it, obviously it was the last thing we wanted to do…”-John Cullen

Barnes & Nobel shutdown its 20 years old Saint Paul Highland Park book store, not because the store wasn’t making money. The store was shutdown by the greedy landlord. Barnes & Noble administrators are looking for a new home: “We are diligently working on a new store offering…There’s nothing immediate. In fact, I can honestly tell you, we have not selected any locations for a new store offering, but we’ll probably look to that by the middle of 2015″-David Deason

Missouri:  Ten years old Town & Country Masonry and Tuckpointing now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Texas based Romano’s Macaroni Grill forced to shutdown all their Saint Louis restaurants, and one in Columbia, due to greedy property owner! Employees had no warning, it turns out the property owner made a secret deal with evil Christian Chick fil-A back in September 2014!

Nebraska: After 37 years, the new owner of Duggan’s Pub (formerly Sam’s Pub) shut it down. The new owner is a property developer.  In Lincoln, after nearly 60 years Baker Ace Hardware shutdown by the greedy property owners who sold the property to an apartment developer.

New Jersey: Atlantic City reports that property values have crashed 35% since last year!

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

New York: The U.S. Census Bureau reports 153,921 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!  In Rochester, Too Big to Jail JP Morgan Chase issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their mortgage ops in June, 390 jobs lost!  In NYC, Homes for the Homeless issued a shutdown WARN saying 34 people will become jobless in June.  Too Big to Jail Bank of America announced that 53 people will become unemployed as they shutdown their Jericho mortgage office.  In Alden, building contractor Gamma North issued a layoff WARN for April, saying they will layoff 81 of their 99 employees.  Administrators also admitted they already started layoffs back in January.

North Carolina:  In Wilson, bathtub maker Bathcraft announced they will shutdown in May, 87 jobs lost. HR director Sandy Moore directly blamed the crashing housing market.   Bank of America Mortgage laying off 250 people in Charlotte! Apparently that’s on top of the 540 layoffs announced back in June 2014!  Monument stone provider North Carolina Granite laid off 28 people. The 125 years old (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) company has been laying off people since the early 2000s, reports say they are down to only 97 employees. RealtyTrac ranks North Carolina number 10 for zombie foreclosures (foreclosure of abandoned homes), at 3,177 by the end of January! In Franklin, hardwood flooring maker Shaw Floors  laid off 25 employees.

Ohio: After more than 70 years Springboro Hardware shutdown.  Florida based Trulite Glass and Aluminum Solutions  shutdown their Hebron factory, as a result of taking over a competitor, 70 jobs lost.

Oklahoma:  In Sand Springs, after 59 years Morrow-Gill Lumber Company shutdown. The family owners say they’ve had the business up for sale, but nobody wanted to buy it.

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

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

Texas: In Angelina County, T&B Construction Services laid off 20 people, blaming the oil industry for reducing the number of planned construction projects. Local Angelina County judge Wes Suiter summed up the bad economy thusly: “The hits just keep on coming!”

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

Virginia: In Norfolk, Too Big to Jail Bank of America laid off 200+ people in their mortgage servicing division!  In Culpeper, the owner of 109 years old (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Clarke Hardware announced he must shutdown by June. News reports say the owner wants to retire, but the owner blames the local Masonic Lodge, who owns the property: “They told me last Wednesday that I have to be out by the end of June. They want the building to renovate. They plan to split it into two sections to get more rent.”-Claude Minnich

Washington DC: The U.S. Department of Commerce reports new U.S. home construction fell 2% from December 2014 to January 2015. Home sales fell 6.7%.

West Virginia: The U.S. Census Bureau reports 3,269 people left the state from July 2013 to July 2014!

Wisconsin: Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo will layoff 1-thousand people when they shutdown their Milwaukee home loan service center this summer! And Wells Fargo reported a $23.1-billion profit last year!  Lighting company Orion Energy Systems laid off 40 people. Company administrators said of the economy “The issues we face today are far more complex.” In De Pere, Furniture and Appliance Outlet being shutdown due to “The building has been a challenge to operate since the storefront itself got blocked by highway construction.”

Last six months of 2014: “Everybody wants a better outcome, everybody but the landlords.” 

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 28 – 31 March 2015: “I don’t think we’ve seen the bottom yet.” Hallmark going down!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: In Helena, after 13 years the owners of Frankie’s Market Café announced they are shutting down in April. They blame rising costs of operations, especially utility cots.  Jefferson County Board of Education will beginning laying off 160 employees in July!

California: In San Pablo, Obama Care forcing Doctors Medical Center to issue a shutdown WARN for April, 709 jobs lost!  In Fort Irwin, tax-sucker Northrop Grumman issued a WARN saying an additional 476 people will lose their jobs by June!  Vose Technical Systems also issued a WARN saying they will layoff 60 people at Fort Irwin, in May.  In San Francisco, Apollo Education issued two WARNs saying 38 people will be laid off between June and August.  Sutton Place issued a WARN saying they are shutting down by the end of May, 98 jobs lost.  Lightspeed-SkilledUp issued a WARN saying 27 people will be laid off in May.  In Mountain View, tech company Symantech continues to kill jobs, this time their latest WARN says 30 people will be let go in May.

Florida: In Panama City, Flexsteel Pipeline issued a WARN saying 70 people will be laid off by the end of the year.

Idaho: In Nampa, after 69 years Nafziger Men’s Store shutdown.

Indiana: In Evansville, Wesselman’s Supermarkets announced they will shutdown their Pollack Avenue store.

Louisiana: Oil derrick operator Loadmaster Derrick & Equipment revealed  they conducted “very minimal” layoffs the week prior.

Maryland: Men’s clothing chain store Jos. A. Bank issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their Hampstead HQ and 122 people will be laid off between May and December!  It’s blamed on the take over by Texas based Men’s Warehouse.  Reports say at one point Jos. A. Bank employed more than 7-hundred people in Hampstead.

Missouri: Kansas City based Hallmark Cards wants 2-hundred employees to voluntarily quit, and they’re offering buyout bribes for “eligible employees”!  Company administrators blame “changes in consumer spending”.  In Jackson, Nearly Perfect Shoes shutdown, a co-owner said it was because the local economy can no longer support two shoe stores less than eight miles apart.

New York: In Brooklyn, Milestone School for Child Development issued a WARN saying they will shutdown, 73 jobs lost in June.  In NYC, Skyline Tours announced they’ve been sold-off and 120 jobs will be affected! Grandpa’s Bus Service issued a massive shutdown WARN saying they lost their state Department of Education contract, more than 5-hundred jobs threatened!  In Loudonville, Sodexo issued a WARN saying they lost a major food service contract and will shutdown in June, 193 jobs lost!  DAL Global Services continues to warn that they could lose their contract with Etihad Airways at John F. Kennedy International Airport, 122 jobs lost in May!

North Dakota: In Bismarck, Box Office Video shutdown one of its two stores.

North Carolina: What housing market recovery? In Wilson, bathtub maker Bathcraft announced they will shutdown in May, 87 jobs lost.  HR director Sandy Moore directly blamed the crashing housing market.   In Asheville, the owner of Uncle Junebug’s General Store announced it will shutdown in April.  He blames construction projects: “I had no idea there was going to be so much development of hotels in that area. I’m almost certain that the entire length of my lease, which would have been three years, would have just been eaten up by construction.”-David Hawkins

Ohio: Columbus based oil tank maker Worthington Industries began laying off employees, without any warning.  More than 5-hundred people in Ohio and Kansas now unemployed, as one analyst said “I don’t think we’ve seen the bottom yet.” 

Oklahoma: In Tulsa, after 50 years Amir’s Persian Imports shutdown. The owner says he hopes to continue his rug cleaning business.

Rhode Island: The non-profit East Greenwich Animal Protection League shutdown due to lack of donations.

Virginia: 70 years old The Fine Arts Shop shutdown.  Store managers say the shutdown came without warning, and they thought it was financially stable.  The owners basically said they don’t want to deal with it anymore, and they want to retire while they’re on top.

West Virginia: In Huntington, Oregon based Precision Castparts laid off at least 1-hundred people at their Special Metals factory, without warning!  Administrators blame oil prices for its low “level of business activity.”

26 – 27 March 2015: “all options exhausted…no alternative”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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, 26 – 27 March 2015: “all options exhausted…we are left with no alternative” 2-thousand+ jobs lost in The Empire State! Money making & bailed-out banks kill jobs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: US Steel announced it will kill off 1-thousand 8-hundred jobs in The Yellowhammer State!  Company administrators blamed a plethora of reasons, including low steel prices and low oil prices.

California: In Hawthorne, Schencker issued a WARN saying 29 people will be laid off in May.  In Los Gatos, video game maker Cryptic Studios revealed they laid off 27 people without warning.  In Pico Rivera, Greatwide Distribution Logistics issued a layoff WARN saying 156 people will become jobless by the end of May!   Dex Media finally admitted they shutdown their Los Alamitos ops and laid off 49 people, back in February!  In Redwood City, The Perfect World laid off 31 people.  In Pacoima, Brice Manufacturing issued a layoff WARN saying 19 people will be let go in May.

Florida:  In Weston, American Express issued a layoff WARN saying 21 people will be laid off in May.  In Tampa, Too Big to Jail JP Morgan Chase issued a WARN saying 65 people will be laid off in May.

Illinois: US Steel has upped its Prairie State job killing to 2-thousand! In Lansing, after more than 90 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) De Jong Brothers Farm shutdown. The spinach farmers blamed ever increasing operating costs, especially those created artificially by new federal regulations (Food Safety Modernization Act), 30 jobs lost.

Iowa: In Des Moines, the owners of the 27 years old food store New City Market announced they will shutdown by the end of April: “A lot of it has to do with the business climate.”-Jim Raife

Maine: In Ellsworth, the Coffee Express shutdown, the owner refused to talk to local news media.

Massachusetts: Mitt Romney co-created, Framingham based Staples announced they will kill off 2-hundred jobs in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan!  Staples is shutting down their Regina call center by November.

Minnesota: What housing market recovery?  In Morris, the owners of Cullen’s Home Center announced they are shutting down in April: “It’s just a number of different factors and we feel terrible about it, obviously it was the last thing we wanted to do…”-John Cullen

Montana: Platinum miner Stillwater Mining announced they will shutdown their Billings office by summer.

New Jersey: The Paterson Board of Education has decided it will not jack up taxes on the impoverished taxpayers, but it means 363 school employees will become jobless next school year!

New York: In Lake Placid, after 90 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) another iconic Howard Johnson’s restaurant shutdown. It was one of only three left in the United States. The owner sold the property.   Corning Community College shutdown its 30 years old child care center.  What housing market recovery?  In Rochester, Too Big to Jail JP Morgan Chase issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their mortgage ops in June, 390 jobs lost!   Pioneer Transportation issued a mass layoff WARN saying 991 transportation jobs will be lost, throughout three cities, by June!  In Bronx, Hoyt Transportation issued a shutdown WARN saying 349 people will become jobless in June!  In Long Island, Arrow Electronics announced they are taking part in the exodus from The Empire State, and will move 150 jobs to Colorado!  Arrow Electronics was once the largest employer in Long Island.

North Carolina: After 60 years Mohican Mills shutdown, 157 textile jobs lost!  In 2012 the company was voted Industry of the Year and employed more than 3-hundred people. The textile factory is now for sale: “We are truly sad that this action has to be taken but with all options exhausted to continue in business we are left with no alternative but to close.”-Steven Myers

Ohio: Republic Steel announced it will layoff 2-hundred people at their Lorain operations, blaming “declining conditions in the oil and gas markets as well as the reduced demand”.   The layoffs are rumored to begin at the end of the month.

Oklahoma: IPSCO Tubulars laid off 226 people, blaming “the low commodity price environment”!  Samson Resource laying off 270 people, blaming low oil prices and huge debt!

Oregon: In Portland, after 15 years the Red & Black Cafe shutdown. The owners were known to refuse service to cops. Their reason for shutting down was unclear, as they said they were just being responsible business owners.

Pennsylvania: The Express-Times newspaper announced they laid off an undisclosed number of employees.

Texas: In Amarillo, Too Big to Jail American International Group (AIG) laid off 20 people, this after getting a $1-million USD Amarillo Economic Development grant to create 120 jobs!  Administrators for AIG claim they haven’t touched that free money.  AIG also reported $7.5-billion in revenue for 2014, and don’t forget the $182-billion bailout given to AIG in 2008!

Wisconsin:  After 46 years DeLind’s Gallery of Fine Art shutting down just as soon as their inventory is sold off.

24 – 25 March 2015: “we were unable to get some sort of rescue plan.”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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 – 25 March 2015: “unforeseen circumstances beyond our control” Warren Buffet kills jobs in Texas! “we were unable to get some sort of rescue plan.”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Arkansas:  World Gym announced it is shutting down three gyms in The Natural State.  An official company statement mentioned two; “Due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control we have been forced to close our Bentonville and Lowell World Gym locations.”  However, news reports say at least one other gym is being shutdown, and that the franchise owners claim they cannot afford to renew the leases.  Gym members are reporting they are not being allowed to cancel their memberships without paying penalties!

California: Technicolor issued a mass layoff WARN saying 162 people will become jobless in May!  Apparently Technicolor is also laying off people in London, England.  In Los Angeles, The Patina Group issued a temporary shutdown WARN, saying 75 people will become unemployed in June.

Connecticut: In Stafford Springs, 207 years old (surviving numerous depressions and recessions) Bakers Country Furniture shutdown.

Florida: In Orlando, apparently Aircraft Service International lost their Disney Magical Express contract, 204 jobs lost by May!

Iowa: In Davenport, a decades old Godfather’s Pizza shutdown: “The lease is up and for the amount of revenue it brings, it is not feasible to stay.”-Andy Fuhrman, co-owner

Massachusetts: Facing less funding, due to Disappearing Student Syndrome, Marshfield will eliminate seven elementary school jobs for the next school year.  In Charlton, Masonic Health System-Overlook Life Care Community laid off nine employees and cut the hours for eight others.

New Jersey: The Trenton School District says it must eliminate 226 jobs, and will shutdown schools due to a $19-million shortfall! But wait there’s more, previous announcements said a total of 350 jobs could be lost, once the state government puts out its final funding numbers for the 2015-16 school year! (and those layoffs are for just one of many school districts!)   State imposed emergency financial managers warned of massive layoffs for the crashing and burning Atlantic City.  It’s blamed on last year’s implosion of the city’s mega casino industry.   And what housing market recovery?  Atlantic City reports that property values have crashed 35% since last year!  Japan based legal drugs maker Daiichi Sankyo announced they will eliminate 16% of its U.S. workforce in Parsippany.

New York:  In NYC, Homes for the Homeless issued a shutdown WARN saying 34 people will become jobless in June.  In Garden City, Visiting Nurses Association of Long Island issued a shutdown WARN saying 93 people will be jobless by June.  In Brooklyn, Jofaz Transportation issued a shutdown WARN, due to loss of contract, saying 341 people will become jobless in June!  3rd Avenue Transit issued a shutdown WARN, due to loss of contract, saying 60 people will become jobless by June.  In Syracuse, Carrier Corporation issued a shutdown WARN for its warehouse, due to “relocation”, saying at least 58 people will become jobless by March 2016.  In Rochelle, after 65 years the Merry Go Round Toy Discount Center shutdown.  The owner said he tried to sell the business “but nothing panned out.”

North Carolina: British empire legal drugs pusher GlaxoSmithKline continues to kill jobs, this time 180 people in The Tar Heel State will become jobless!  Just the week prior GlaxoSmithKline said they would eliminate 150 jobs in Pennsylvania!

Ohio: Columbus based steel maker Worthington Industries says they will layoff 555 people across the U.S.!  They are shutting down at least one factory, blaming crashing orders from the oil industry.  American Electric Power is shutting down a coal fired electric plant, and laying off 62 people by May.  Administrators say it’s not worth it to update the electricity factory to comply with new EPA standards.

Pennsylvania: In Reading, British empire Canada based Surgical Specialties announced it will shutdown its ops in The Keystone State by December, at least 254 jobs will be moved to Mexico (possibly to avoid the new Obama Care taxes on medical devices)!  The Old Navy store at Carlisle Crossing shutdown, almost overnight!  Local news reports say the store manager posted a closing sign only two days prior to the shutdown.

South Carolina: Aircraft maintainer AvCraft now bankrupt after losing its ass financially and unable to find a buyer: “Unfortunately, we were unable to get some sort of rescue plan. We weren’t able to make that happen, so we were forced to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.”-Mike Hill

South Dakota: Motorcycle Trike maker Champion Investments-Champion Trikes announced they are shutting down their Lehman Trikes factory in Spearfish.  Company administrators admitted the economy is so bad in the U.S. that they’re moving manufacturing to California, and will focus sales ops in Asian countries!

Tennessee: Texas based computer maker Dell announced it will shutdown its international call center in Nashville, 96 jobs lost.

Texas:  Fort Worth based tax-sucking Bell Helicopter announced it will layoff 315 people across the U.S., due to crashing V-22 Osprey orders!  Bell laid off 320 people back in October!  Warren Buffet owned Justin Brands announced they will shutdown their Western Clothing distribution center in Fort Worth, and layoff 68 people by May.

Wisconsin: What housing market recovery?  Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo will layoff 1-thousand people when they shutdown their Milwaukee home loan service center this summer!   And Wells Fargo reported a $23.1-billion USD profit last year!  Rollcast-Advance Die Cast Company issued a WARN saying 75 people will ‘soon’ become jobless.  Sand supplier Chippewa Sand Transport says they must layoff 55 people, by May, due to decreased demand for sand.

21 – 23 March 2015: “LIKE PART OF YOU IS DYING.”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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, 21 – 23 March 2015: “After 30 years…we can’t do it any longer.” “Like part of you is dying.”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama:  In Birmingham, the Bottletree Cafe shutdown, reports say the property was sold, the owners said only “We have ten days left.”

Arkansas: Shale oil company M&M Environmental Group (notice the Orwellian Double Speak name of the oil company) lost a contract and instantly laid off 2-hundred employees!

California: Albertsons-Safeway issued a layoff WARN, saying another 72 people will be laid off in Pleasanton.  The new Los Angeles based owners of former British empire grocery store Fresh & Easy announced they will shutdown 50 Fresh & Easy stores across The Golden State, Arizona and Nevada!

Connecticut: In West Haven, decades old American Steakhouse shutdown. The owners say they have to “downsize” and claim they’re helping their employees find new jobs.

Hawaii:  After 22 years Imperial Jewelers shutdown, apparently to make room for a restaurant.

Massachusetts: Boston Weak ‘streetwear’ clothing company Karmaloop now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

Minnesota: Minneapolis Public Schools announced they will eliminate 120 tax-sucking administrative jobs!  Administrators implied the money saved will now be focused on actual education.  Bloomington based tech company Nerdey laid off 23 employees.  In a complex way administrators blamed the bad economy: “Technology moves fast, forcing market demand to fluctuate. This fluctuation coupled with the pace of change in our industry has driven a shift on our resource utilization.”  

New Jersey: After 34 years the massive and expensive Izod Center is officially dead, 1-thousand 7-hundred jobs lost! “Like part of you is dying.”-Veronica Jackson, employee

New York: In Bronx, HHH Home Care apparently lost its Home health Care Services contract and issued a WARN, saying 72 people will become unemployed at the end of June.  In Syracuse, General Super Plating laid off about 1-hundred people, without notice!   Basically all but one of the company’s laborers were let go, yet company administrators say they’re still open for business.  God refuses to stop his 156 years old Saint Patrick School in Tiago County from shutting down. Administrators say enrollment has crashed & burned, they were able to get only 58 students for the year.

North Carolina:  In Raleigh, the owners of 518 West Italian Cafe said Easter Sunday is their last day of business. It sounds like they’re going to sell the property.

Ohio:  USA Synthetic Fuel now bankrupt busted, halting the Lima Energy Project.  The company is under investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Pennsylvania: In Collegeville, aerospace company Transicoil announced it will layoff at least 99 people by summer, as they shift motion control production to Kansas.  In Petersburg, legal drugs maker UniTao Pharmaceuticals shutdown without notice. Administrators actually said they won’t re-open until “business conditions improve”!  In 2014, govn’a Terry McAuliffe claimed the drugs maker was going to employ 370 people and even gave UniTao  $1-million in free taxpayer funded money!  UniTao now says it won’t accept the money.

South Dakota: In Tea, Oggie’s Grille & Bar shutdown.

Texas: In Hutchins, the Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center warned it no longer has enough money to save wild birds: “After 30 years of absorption we can’t do it any longer.”-Kathy Rogers

19 – 20 March 2015: “the downturn ….will be severe”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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

Business/Economics

SEARS & KMART CLOSING UPDATE, 01 May 2015: Right to Work you over Governor fails to pay his Sears debt? Lampert creates another REIT, to self finance Sears! Bootlegged shoes at Kmart? Long time customer leaves her own ‘Blue Light Special’! More shutdowns!

Police report that a female Kmart shopper decided to leave her own ‘blue light special’ by doin’ a dump right in a Racine Kmart’s box of security tags.  The Wisconsin woman has been accused of crapping and pissing in a box next to a cash register.   The woman was returning merchandise, so maybe she was upset by the lack of customer service?  She denied she did it, but police have security camera video of her doing her duty.

Maybe she was upset by her Right to Work you over governor, Scott Walker, for failing to pay his Sears credit card debt?  The Daily Beast says Walker owes Sears MasterCard $50-thousand USD.  The report says that at the end of 2014, Walker still owed as much as $100-thousand to credit cards.  This by a governor that claims he gives back $370-thousand of his ill-gotten money to the impoverished people of Wisconsin!  Walker’s Our American Revival Political Action Committee says Walker’s personal fiances are “pretty ordinary stuff.”

In Illinois, the Tinley Park Super Kmart is being switched to the smaller format K-Fresh plan, which means fewer product, fewer hours of operations and fewer employees.   Sears Holdings is almost finished converting all the remaining Super Kmarts to the smaller K-Fresh format.

In Kentucky, an abandoned Newport Kmart is reportedly being replaced with a ALDI grocery store.  Nothing has been confirmed.

Complex Media reporting that Kmart is selling ‘bootlegs’ of luxury brand shoes.

Sears Holdings announced they will “reward” you for buying your drugs at the local Kmart: “We listened to our members and transformed the Kmart pharmacy rewards program to better fit their needs…”

In Oklahoma, a Big Kmart will shutdown in July.

In Connecticut, a Sears Appliance & Hardware will shutdown in May.  Local news reports said employees were shocked.  Apparently the lease was not renewed.

Eddie Lampert just can’t stop playing the finance shell game.  He’s created yet another real estate ‘holding’ company to self finance his failing Sears Holdings.  The new REIT is a 50-50 deal with mall owner Macerich.  Nine Sears stores are being sold (some reports say “contributing”)  to the new REIT and will then rent the stores back!  Lampert has reportedly already made $150-million in this latest self financing shell game.

THE SHUTDOWN OF ANOTHER KMART CALLED A “GOOD SIGN”!

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings that I’ve been compiling since the end of 2011:

Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost), Dothan Sears (68 jobs lost), Huntsville Kmart (73 jobs lost).

California: El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (more than 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears repair center (75 jobs lost), San Mateo Kmart (82 jobs lost to an apartment building connected to public transportation), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown. Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why? Yuba City Kmart (63 jobs lost), Rocklin Kmart (at least 63 jobs lost, the store had just posted “Now Hiring” signs), San Leandro Kmart (102 jobs lost), San Jose Mercury News says the El Centro Kmart to shutdown in January, the website Foursquare says the Covina Kmart is now shutdown (other sources say it will shutdown in December), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (number of employees affected not made public, no WARN filed), somebody posted on yelp* that the Diamond Bar Kmart was shutting down in December (confirmed by Armijo Newspapers), Westfield Topanga Sears (122 jobs lost), it looks like the Blythe Kmart is being slowly shutdown despite denial by Sears Holdings.

Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost), Fort Collins Sears (67 jobs lost), Denver-Cherry Creek North Sears store & Auto Center (66 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart, Torrington Kmart (73 jobs lost), Enfield Sears Optical (no word on jobs lost), Wallingford Sears Appliance & Hardware (employees say the shutdown was a surprise, I guess they don’t read Blind Bat News), recently revealed Wallingford Sears Appliance & Hardware (at least 13 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), Kmart on Northeast 108 Street being annexed by Miami Shores, Sears Holdings threatens to shutdown Kmart as a result of higher local taxes. The property that’s home to an operating Kmart, on South Green Bay Road in Racine, was foreclosed by the local Sheriff and sold-off for $2.5-million, no word on what the new property owner will do with it. Fort Myers Kmart (67 jobs lost).

Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost), Coweta County Kmart distribution center (164 jobs lost), one of the last two North Augusta Kmart to be torn down by new property owner from Canada, Sears Holdings denies the Kmart will shutdown.

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost! GGP spending $573-million chopping it up into smaller store spaces), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears shutdown by the end of October/beginning of November 2014 (the remaining 28 jobs lost). Across the street, in Pocatello, the property where the Kmart is located has a “pad site available” sign, posted ever since the Kmart bankruptcy. The Kmart building takes up most of the ‘pad’. Latest news from inside sources say Sears Holdings will not comment on any plans to expand the small amount of Craftsman products already being sold at the Kmart, or shift the Kenmore products line, from the closing Chubbuck Sears to the Pocatello Kmart. In fact all plans for the Pokey Kmart are in a ‘holding pattern’.

Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost), Hoffman Estates Headquarters 100 jobs eliminated, another 15 corporate jobs eliminated elsewhere, Chicago-Wicker Park Kmart (106 jobs lost), abandoned Market Place Mall Sears location to be occupied by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Field & Stream. 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost), Muncie Kmart (59 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on Coliseum Boulevard North (69 jobs lost), Decatur Kmart (49 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Madison Avenue (131 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Washington Street (139 jobs lost), Bedford Kmart (62 jobs lost), Indianapolis (Evansville) Sears & Auto Center at Washington Square Mall (91 jobs lost), Greenwood Kmart (78 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (“approximately” 68 jobs lost), Bloomington Sears to be replaced by Whole Foods grocery store.

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 shutdown and now being taken over by Kroger basically to sell the same crap the old Kmart did! Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost), Metairie Kmart secretly sold off, no word if it will be shutdown.

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

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears rebuild & call center (115 jobs lost), Baltimore Kmart on Wabash Avenue (107 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost), Kingston Kmart (73 jobs lost).

Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Saginaw Kmart on Bay Road, Flint Kmart on Dort Highway (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost), Waterford Township Sears (no word on how many jobs lost), Rochester Hills Kmart (77 jobs lost), ‘perfect Kmart town’ of Port Huron Kmart (188 jobs lost), Flint Kmart on Miller Road (81 jobs lost), Burton Kmart (85 jobs lost), Madison Heights Kmart (179 jobs lost), it’s now official the last remaining Saginaw Kmart (on Gratiot Road) will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January 2014 (Sears Holdings claims only 18 people worked there at the time of the collapse!), Ann Arbor Kmart (59 jobs lost), Iron Mountain Kmart (54 jobs lost), Bangor Township Sears aka Bay City Mall Sears, the Auto Center was already secretly shutdown some time ago (at least 47 jobs lost), Big Rapids Kmart (about 50 jobs lost). Vacant Wyandotte Sears Auto Center is being renovated at a cost to taxpayers of $1-million & 20-thousand, plus 15 years worth of tax breaks valued at $2-million!

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost), Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost), Oakdale Kmart (77 hourly wage employees losing their jobs, unknown how many salaried employees will become unemployed), Winona Kmart (67 jobs lost), Minneapolis city officials trying to shutdown profit making Nicollet Avenue Kmart, to make way for a new road. Anoka Kmart (47 jobs lost), Blaine Kmart (60 jobs lost), Burnsville Kmart (62 jobs lost), Waite Park Kmart (57 jobs lost), Northeast Minneapolis Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale, Coon Rapids Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale.

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost), Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall, Olive Branch distribution center (unknown how many jobs lost).

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost), South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost), Florissant Kmart (100 jobs lost), O’Fallon Kmart (76 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), Missoula Sears store and Auto Center (57 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost), Omaha Kmart near West Maple Road (50 jobs lost).

Nevada: Sparks Kmart distribution center (100 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost), Claremont Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost), Randolf Kmart (91 jobs lost), Paramus Kmart (74 jobs lost).

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost), Rio Rancho Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New York: Lindenhurst Sears Hardware, North Babylon Sears Hardware, Hauppauge Sears Hardware, Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost) now revealed to be turned into a Town Center with more than 200 apartments at an estimated cost of $50-million, Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost), Staten Island Mall Sears leased out to Ireland’s Primark, Bay Shore Sears and Sears Auto Center (144 jobs lost), New Hartford Sears & Auto Center (109 jobs lost).

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost), Gastonia Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), Kinston Kmart (64 jobs lost), Cary Sears (66 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart distribution center (130 jobs lost).

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

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost), Columbus Lockbourne Industrial Parkway Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost), also in Columbus, Sears Product Rebuild-Call Center (112 jobs lost), Marion Sears Auto Center (at least nine jobs lost), Springfield Kmart #3767 (68 jobs lost), Fairborn Kmart (66 jobs lost), Solon Sears & Auto Center (at least 53 jobs lost). Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location. Fairlawn Sears Appliance & Hardware, Macedonia Sears Appliance & Hardware, Lorain Sears Appliance & Hardware, Elyria Sears Appliance & Hardware, North Olmsted Sears Appliance & Hardware, Sheffield Village Sears Appliance & Hardware, Akron Sears Appliance & Hardware.

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), recently revealed Tulsa BigKmart (51 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). Ontario Kmart (55 jobs lost).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost), Sanatoga-Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 jobs lost, the store was also advertising for new hires!), West Mifflin Sears store & Auto Center (88 jobs lost), Rochester Kmart (78 jobs lost), Frazer (Pittsburg Mills Mall) Sears and Auto Center (97 jobs lost), Bloomsburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Frackville Sears and Auto Center (84 jobs lost), North Cornwall Township Sears (51 jobs lost), King of Prussia Sears and Auto Center (no word on number of jobs lost), Lebanon Sears (51 jobs lost), Scotland Chambersburg Mall Sears and Auto Center (62 jobs lost), the upper level of the Willow Grove Mall Sears store to be leased by Primark, King of Prussia Sears store leased out to clothing retailer Primark, East Towne Mall Kmart (51 jobs lost), Frackville Kmart in the Skuylkill Mall (80 jobs lost), Mount Pocono Kmart (66 jobs lost).

Puerto Rico: Vega Baja Kmart (206 jobs lost).

South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost), both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two), Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost), Myrtle Beach Kmart (59 jobs lost), Easley Kmart (62 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin Cool Springs Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost), Dickson Kmart (65 jobs lost), talks in progress to end lease for Bellevue (Nashville) Center Mall Sears.

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors, Dallas Sears home appliance parts distribution center (77 jobs lost).

Utah: Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they reported that the building was demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported), Woods Cross Kmart (54 jobs lost).

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

Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News-Denbigh Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 jobs lost), Pembroke Mall Sears renting out part of their store to DSW & Nordstrom Rack, Sears Holdings say they’re still looking for a “third tenant” for their occupied space. The current nearby Sears Auto Center will be rented out to REI. Colonial Heights Kmart (113 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), Wauwatosa Kmart (103 jobs lost).

On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.

Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)

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

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

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

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

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

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 19 – 20 March 2015: “preparing for the future” ObamaCare causes more layoffs in The Golden State! “the downturn…will be severe”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Sunnyvale based internet company Yahoo announced it will shutdown its last office in China, as many as 3-hundred jobs lost!  Gold River based eHealthInsurance Services continues to blame Obama Care as it  plans to eliminate 160 more jobs!  eHealth administrators blame The Golden State’s Obama Care exchange program for stealing thousands of eHealth customers!  Keck Medicine of USC issued several WARNS saying 94 people will become unemployed in may.  Redwood City based video game maker Perfect World Entertainment laid off 18 employees, affecting their Star Trek Online ops.   Boeing issued several more WARNs saying 196 Californians will become jobless in May!

Florida: Miami based Norwegian Cruise Line laid off an undisclosed number of employees, some reports said it was more than 2-hundred!   The company failed to issue a mandatory WARN!  It might be connected to the take over of Prestige Cruise lines last year.

Illinois: Yellow Cab of Chicago now chapter 11 bankrupt!  News reports indicate the evil taxi company did so to stop the court award of $26-million USD to a victim of a high speed taxi crash!  Chicago Transit Authority warns that state leaders plan to cut funding by 45% will result in layoffs and fee hikes.  Warsaw Community School District laid off 11 employees and eliminated vacant jobs, and administrators are now pushing to jack up local property taxes.  In Geneva, after 28 years Irish Sisters Imports shutdown, their lease expired and they couldn’t renew.

Louisiana: Texas based Parker Drilling laid off 35 employees in New Iberia, but issued a WARN saying as many as 297 people could become unemployed, because “We anticipate the downturn in our U.S. markets will be severe…”

Massachusetts: Boston weak law firm Goodwin Procter laid off 38 employees, blaming a crash in lawsuits.

Minnesota: Minneapolis based Target laid off an undisclosed number of HQ employees, without notice.

New York: In NYC, cable TV empire Viacom issued a WARN saying 264 employees in The Big Apple will become unemployed by July!  It’s blamed on crashing advertising revenues caused by crashing ratings.  In Suffern, Switzerland based legal drugs maker Novartis began a 4th round of layoffs, letting go 89 employees.  By the time the drugs factory is shutdown in 2017, 525 jobs will be lost!  Toys R Us announced they will shutdown their NYC Times Square store.  The lease ends in January 2016, and administrators say it’s not worth it to renew.  The store is known for its 20 feet tall animated T-Rex.

North Carolina:  In Asheville, the owner of the brand new Katuah Market says the economy is so bad he’s already giving up: “We’ve been struggling ever since we opened and, for whatever reason, sales dropped off a cliff at the first of the year! At this point we can’t continue, we’d need to be 50% higher in sales.”-John Swann

Ohio: Homecare product maker Proctor & Gamble is shutting down the Sharon Woods Innovation Center by 2018, as many as 13-hundred jobs affected!

Oklahoma: What construction industry recovery?  In Sand Springs, after 59 years Morrow-Gill Lumber Company shutdown.  The family owners say they’ve had the business up for sale, but nobody wanted to buy it.

Pennsylvania: British empire United Kingdom based legal drugs maker GlaxoSmithKline laid off 150 people in the Philadelphia region!

Texas: Gainesville Foundry laid off 30 people.  Administrators blame the oil, mining, earth moving, industrial machinery, power, construction and many other industries!

Vermont: Lyndon State College laid off five employees, blaming a huge decline in enrollment.

Virginia: Kroger announced another shutdown of a grocery store, this time in Portsmouth in April. The store was originally owned by Hannaford, but Kroger took that company over in 2000.

Washington DC: The U.S. ABC News (not to be confused with Australia’s ABC news) laid off 12 District of Columbia employees, saying they are “preparing for the future” .

Wisconsin: Veggie canning company Del Monte shutting down operations; their Sager Creek processing facility in Pulaski, and their warehousing and labeling facilities in Oconto Falls. Nearly 250 jobs will be lost by June! Company administrators would say only that it’s a move they had to take in order to keep Del Monte “strong”.

15 – 18 March 2015: “SUDDEN AND UNANTICIPATED EVENTS…”

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

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.