Tag Archives: labor

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart closing update, 25 February 2015: “…it sucks the lifeblood out of whatever…” Kmart gives away millions despite reporting losses! New York 145 jobs lost! Ohio taxpayers spend $16-million turning former Sears into an accelerator!

Despite shutting down stores and laying off thousands of people over the years, supposedly because of lack of money, it was revealed that Kmart gave $17.5-million USD to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the end of 2014.  In exchange one of the hospital campus buildings was named after Kmart.

In Florida, the property where a Kmart store sits in Racine sold for $2.5-million.  Turns out the property had been foreclosed by the local county Sheriff’s department, even though the Kmart is still open for business!  The new owner refused to talk to local news media about their plans for the property/Kmart.

In Louisville, Kentucky, Kroger grocery chain announced they will take over the abandoned Kmart on Dixie Highway.  Apparently Kroger wants to turn the old Kmart building into it’s first “marketplace” megastore.   This is significant because Kroger has been shutting down grocery stores across the U.S., and basically they’ll be selling the same crap the old Kmart sold!

Sears Canada reports they lost a net $123.6-million CAD at the end of the end of year holiday shopping season, despite pathetic appeals to the public by comedian Mike Myers!

Sears Canada and Hudson’s Bay Company are under investigation for conspiring to price fix mattresses.  Government investigators say it looks like the two companies fooled people into thinking they were paying discounted prices when they were really paying ‘full price’.

Bloomberg reports that Sears Holdings is the next U.S. corporation to fail.  This is based on credit-swaps: “It’s becoming increasing clear that this year is going to be the tipping point for liquidity. Their underlying retail model remains broken, and if it continues like this, it sucks the lifeblood out of whatever remaining value there is in its real estate.”-James Goldstein,  CreditSights

Sears Holdings has canceled their advertising contract with McGarryBrown.  The ad rep had been working for Sears since 2011.

In Ohio, the University of Cincinnati plans to spend $16-million (acquired through bond issues and local taxes) to turn an abandoned Sears building into a medical research accelerator!

In Illinois, the vacated Market Place Mall Sears location to be occupied by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Field & Stream.

In New York, a mall that was threatened by militant terrorists is now being hit by vulture capitalist terrorists.  In Bay Shore the Jewish owned Westfield South Shore mall is losing the Sears store and Sears Auto Center in May.

update, 17 February 2015: Taxpayers forced to eat $1.8-million!

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).

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, recently revealed the property that 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.

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

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

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

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

Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost), Hoffman Estates Headquarters 100 jobs eliminated, another 15 corporate jobs eliminated elsewhere, Chicago-Wicker Park Kmart (106 jobs lost), recently revealed 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 Recently revealed Kroger taking over the building 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).

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).

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

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

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

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

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

New York: Lindenhurst Sears Hardware, North Babylon Sears Hardware, Hauppauge Sears Hardware, Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost), Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost), Staten Island Mall Sears leased out to Ireland’s Primark, recently revealed Bay Shore Sears and Sears Auto Center (145 jobs lost).

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

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

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

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost), Enid Sears and Auto Center (at least 38 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice), Albany Sears (57 jobs lost), in October a BBN reader warned that Oregon City Kmart was being quietly shutdown, confirmed on 06 November 2014 by Sears Holdings (70 jobs lost).

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

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.

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost), Everett Kmart (65 jobs lost), Marysville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost).

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

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Ashwaubenon Kmart recently revealed now owned by Green Bay Packers, will be torn down (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (55 jobs lost), Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost), Glendale Sears store & Auto Center (86 jobs lost), Janesville Kmart (70 jobs lost), Glendale Sears Rebuild center (67 jobs lost), Sheboygan Sears & Auto Center (at least 31 jobs lost), Eau Claire Kmart (93 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (59 jobs lost before Xmas), Sheboygan Sears Rebuild Center (30 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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

Florida: West Oaks Mall

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

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

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

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

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

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

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 11 – 12 February 2015: “It’s becoming a losing battle.” “…it’s coming to an end.” No more Pop-n-Fresh? GM shuts down Siverado parts center despite increased Siverado sales! California stops posting WARNs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

What housing market recovery? “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

Arizona: What building construction industry recovery? 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!

California: For some unknown reason the state Employment Development Department has stop posting WARNs.  The last two WARNs are dated 09 February 2015.  San Diego based Daybreak Game Company announced they are laying off employees in California and Texas, directly affecting the popular EverQuest franchise.  It’s the result of Japan based Sony selling them off to New York based Columbus Nova.  What housing market recovery? RealtyTrac reported a sudden jump in foreclosures by the end of January.  In Los Angeles County 1231 homes were foreclosed on.

Colorado: DCP Midstream reducing fracking ops in the Denver-Julesburg Basin, and shutting down offices in Oklahoma, affecting at least 200 jobs!  But don’t blame crashing oil prices, local news reports say company administrators planned the downsizing in summer 2014, before the prices started crashing!  Crashing oil prices only galvanized their existing plans to downsize.

Connecticut: In Berlin, The Learning Experience preschool shutdown with ten days notice.  The operators blamed “several circumstances beyond our control”.

Florida: Suwannee Valley Transit/North Central Florida Transit Authority to layoff six employees in March.  It’s blamed on crashing revenues due to lack of customers and the fact that two former employees absconded with $200-thousand USD!  But wait, there more bull-shit! For all their whining about not having any money the Transit Authority just replaced their board secretary, who was making $175 per month, with a new secretary who’ll be paid $275 per month!  I though they didn’t have any money?

Georgia: What building construction industry recovery?  Maker of concrete reinforcing steel Insteel Industries shutting down their Newnan factory in March, 20 jobs lost.  They are consolidating ops as part of their takeover of American Spring Wire.

Hawaii: In Honolulu, after 42 years Sanders Piano shutdown.  The owners said “It’s becoming a losing battle.”

Idaho: The state Department of Labor stopped posting WARNs, the last one dated 15 December 2014.

Illinois: Employees went public and revealed that the Ace Hardware on East Oakton Street, in Des Plaines, will shutdown by March.  What housing market recovery?  RealtyTrac reports that foreclosures for January 2015 beat out foreclosures for January 2014.  In Cook County there was a 24% increase!

Kentucky: After 25 years JJ’s Consignment Shop shutdown without notice, clients say they’re owed big money!  The owner disappeared months ago and apparently his son was running the store for the last few weeks.

Louisiana:  TeleServices Direct announced they will shutdown their Lafayette office in March, 125 jobs lost!  Administrators blame the bad economy.

Maryland: Spain based Santander Bank announced it is shutting down all ten of its Old Line State offices!  Arrogant bank administrators told customers they could do their banking over the internet.

Massachusetts:  France based legal drugs pusher Sanofi announced it will layoff about 1-hundred employees from several disease research centers!

Michigan: God refuses to stop ‘his’ bible seller, Family Christian, from becoming  chapter 11 bankrupt busted, 266 stores across 36 states now threatened.  The president of the ‘christian’ company, Chuck Bengochea, admitted the want of money caused by the 2008 crash forced them to take “on too much debt”.

Minnesota: Minneapolis based retailer Target laid off 550 people at its HQ!  It’s part of Target’s massive and sudden exit from Canada.  The Imperial Room bar and restaurant shutdown after losing its license to operate due to failure to pay taxes.

New Jersey: The Trenton School District says it must eliminate 113 teaching jobs 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!)

New York: What construction market recovery?  In Alden, building contractor Gamma North issued a WARN saying they will layoff 81 of their 99 employees by April.  Administrators also admitted they already started layoffs back in January.

North Carolina: For the third year in a row Durham based legal drugs pusher Quintiles announced layoffs, this year at least 270 people will become jobless!   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.  What housing market recovery? RealtyTrac ranks North Carolina number 10 for zombie foreclosures (foreclosure of abandoned homes), at 3177 by the end of January!

Ohio: The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities announced plans to shutdown the Montgomery Developmental Center by 2017, at least 213 jobs lost!  Apparently Obama Care is forcing them to consolidate operations.  What automotive industry recovery?  General Motors (GM) is in the middle of shutting down their contractor run Trotwood distribution center, 107 jobs affected! This is strange because GM’s global profits are coming thanks to a 10% increase in Silverado sales (in 2014), especially in China and Venezuela  which are the two countries the Trotwood distribution center ships Silverado parts to!   Food maker General Mills confirming it will shutdown its 56 years old New Albany Pillsbury dough factory by the middle of 2016, at least 440 jobs will be lost!  General Mills and worker’s union administrators claim the employees will get a generous severance package if they stay on until the shutdown, and could even make 26 bucks per hour.  The shutdown will also affect 70 contracted workers at the nearby package making factory Sonoco (they make the tube cans for the Pillsbury Pop-n-Fresh dough products).  The New Albany Pillsbury dough factory is the lifeblood of the community, half of the employees will be retired early: “My brother’s been there as long as I have, my dad retired from there, my wife works there, her nephew works there, so it’s a big family thing. These people have been around each other all this time, and it’s coming to an end.”-Steve Early, employed at the mill for the past 21 years

Oklahoma: In Jenks, after only ten years the RiverWalk movie theater shutdown by property developers who claim they will spend the next few years building a mega entertainment center.

Oregon: China based Hanjin Shipping has ended its operations at the Port of Portland, $83-million per year in wages and tax revenues lost, as well as 657 jobs!

Pennsylvania: Latrobe based industrial supplier Kennametal trying to bribe 1-thousand employees to quit by offering buyouts, administrators blame the oil, coal and construction industries!  Administrators also revealed they began laying off employees back in December.

South Carolina: Milliken announced it will shutdown its Greenville textile mill starting in April, 200 jobs affected! Company administrators say the bad economy is forcing them to consolidate operations.

Tennessee: Illinois based R.R. Donnelley shutting down their Nashville printers, 133 jobs lost!

Texas: Houston based FMC says it will eliminate 2-thousand jobs, blaming the oil industry for projected crashing sales of its fracking equipment!

Wisconsin: After only one year the Shops of Grand Avenue Office Max shutdown!   What housing market recovery? 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.”  University of Wisconsin Madison warned of layoffs: “I just want to say how sorry I am. Because some of the people in this room are going to be impacted by cuts. I know how hard you work for this university and this state… we will get through this.”-Rebecca Blank, Chancellor, apologizing for the actions of Right to Work you over gov’na Scott Walker

07 – 10 February 2015: “You’ll starve to damn death….!”

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, 07 – 10 February 2015: “You’ll starve to damn death….!” LEGAL immigration kills thousands of jobs in California while Off shoring of U.S. jobs continues!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: Georgia based EarthLink laid off 110 people in Anniston and Arab!

California: It’s being revealed that the thousands of jobs held by U.S. citizens, that Southern California Edison killed off (and continues to kill off), actually went to LEGAL immigrants with H-1B visas!  In Sacramento, Practice Yoga shutdown.  The owner, Jim Cahill, blamed “The business climate and rents in downtown don’t support small enterprise.”

Connecticut: What housing market recovery? In Wallingford, Acuity Brands Lighting issued a WARN saying it will shutdown in April, 93 jobs lost.  It’s part of the company’s consolidation plans.   In Fairfield, after 82 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Blinn’s toy store shutdown.  The co-owner said the economy is worse now than in 2008: “Things were going pretty normal until about two years ago. Two years ago was bad, but the last year was just terrible!”-Mark Crofutt

Florida: After more than 20 years the Myrtle Beach Flea Market shutdown.   The owner blamed the suck-ass economy: “I’ve lost my butt here in the last five years. I lost my life savings and everything I made here in the six or eight years it was good……You’ll starve to damn death on local business!”-Jim Lee

Idaho: What housing market recovery?  Washington based wood products company Plum Creek Timber announced it will sell-off its Meridian remanufacturing factory in March, at least 61 jobs lost.  I did not find any WARN issued by the company.

Indiana: At the South Bend International Airport, Towne Air Freight was sold-off to Tennessee based Forward Air, layoffs will be next.

Iowa: In Muscatine, Kirlin’s Hallmark shutdown: “…in today’s challenging economic climate, we sometimes have to take the difficult step of closing a location.”

Louisiana: The Gov’na warned that more than 1-hundred state parks employees could become jobless due to crashing tax revenues.  The Pelican State must cut spending by $103.5-million USD before the end of June!  The Gov’na also warned of massive layoffs for the university-higher education system, saying there’s a $1.6-billion shortfall!

Massachusetts: Legal drugs pusher Synta Pharmaceuticals announced it will layoff 20% of its employees.  They laid off workers last year.

Michigan: Ciolino Fruit and Vegetable Market shutdown its Monroe store, saying it wasn’t worth it to renew the lease.  In Northville, decades old Starting Gate Saloon restaurant shutdown and sold-off.

Missouri: What housing market recovery? Ten years old Town & Country Masonry and Tuckpointing now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

Nebraska: After 19 years the Herbs & More store shutdown. The owner is retiring due to massive competition.

New York: In NYC, GL Bus Lines issued a WARN saying they will layoff 149 people in March!  In Hauppauge, God refuses to stop Obama Care from forcing ‘his’ Catholic Health Services from issuing a WARN saying they will shutdown their Home Support Services in May, at least 40 jobs lost.

North Carolina: The new Brazil based owners of iconic Chiquita is shutting down the Charlotte HQ beginning in April, between 262 and 350 jobs lost! State and local administrators are demanding Chiquita pay back all the tax incentives it got. Brazilian Cutrale and Safra group took over Chiquita late last year.

Ohio: In Lancaster, boiler cleaner Diamond Power International laid off 23 employees.  Union reps said the company is contracting out operations, which could result in more layoffs of in-house employees. Evil Texas based fracking company GoFrac announced it will exit the Utica shale fields near Cambridge, after buying 90 acres and promising to hire 250 people!

Pennsylvania: British empire Canada based clothing retailer Lord & Taylor announced it will shutdown its Wilkes-Barre Township store.  Company administrators blame their own successful internet sales!  The store is being closed so they can expand their warehouse to meet internet sales demands.

South Dakota: Michigan based grocery store owner SpartanNash announced they will shutdown their Rapid City food distribution center in April, 49 jobs lost. Company administrators say the bad economy is forcing them to consolidate warehouses.

Tennessee: In Nashville, after 70 years Travel shutdown. The owner of the travel agency blames competition and health problems.

Texas:  Maryland based Apex Tools announced they are shutting down their Garland factory and moving production to South Carolina, 261 jobs affected! In Orange, after 40 years a Conn’s department store shutdown. The administrators of the 120 years old company said the economy isn’t strong enough to support all of their stores.  Infamous fracking company Halliburton upped its kill-off of jobs, from 1-thousand to 65-hundred around the World! Ignorant main stream news media blamed crashing oil prices, but guess what? It’s really because of the Obama regime imposed sanctions on Russia, ebola/civil war turmoil in west Africa, plus their takeover of Baker Hughes.  Oil company Forestar Group announced it will shutdown their Fort Worth office, but don’t blame oil prices, company administrators said the decision to halt their north Texas production was pushed on them by their ‘investors’!   Fort Worth based RadioShack has made public a massive list of 1784 stores across the United States that will be shutdown by the end of March!

Wisconsin: Mitt Romney’s evil Massachusetts based wunderkind Staples announced it will layoff 53 people at their Oak Creek Tech Solutions operations.  In Janesville, industrial supplier Grainger laying off 30 people outright, as well as transfering 130 jobs out-o-country to Panama beginning in October!  Reports say it’s just the “first wave” of layoffs-transfers!  Too Big to Jail Bank Mutual announced it will shutdown seven offices, because it expects to lose $1.5-million!

05 – 06 February 2015: Staples kills off 1-thousand stores!

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

Albertsons Vons Safeway update, 23 February 2015: Starbucks being shutdown!

Former executive with Cerberus Capital Management, Justin Dye, is the new Albertsons-Safeway chief administrative officer.

It was revealed that the 22 years manager of the Pacifica, California Safeway, Rick Galarza, was transfered without notice: “It was quick and sudden. I found out Friday afternoon that I was needed in Redwood City. There wasn’t much time to say goodbye.” 

Associated Wholesale Grocers of Fort Worth and Minyards Food Stores of Richardson, Texas, officially completed their takeover of 12 Albertsons and (Safeway) Tom Thumb grocery stores.  Minyards Food Stores said they will replace the in-store Starbucks coffee shops with Peet’s Coffee & Tea.

Updated list:

Arizona: In Lake Havasu, three Safeway and seven Albertsons are being switched over to Haggen. I suspect that eventually some will be shutdown, it doesn’t make sense to have that many grocery stores of the same brand in one place.  The following additional grocery stores will become Haggen;  Anthem Safeway, two Tucson Safeways, Tucson Albertsons, two Scottsdale Albertsons, Flagstaff Albertsons, Prescott Valley Albertsons.  

California: In yet another WARN, Albertsons-Safeway stated that at least 213 Safeway employees throughout The Golden State will become unemployed by 25 April!  Arcadia Vons Pavillions SuperStore to be 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 will layoff at least 26 people by 13 February 2015. In Pleasonton, Safeway issued a WARN saying an additional 18 HQ employees will be laid off in March.  A San Diego Albertsons will shutdown by 26 February 2015, at least 63 jobs lost.    Vons in Palm Desert to become Haggen. Pavillions in Rancho Mirage to become Haggen. The following additional grocery stores will become Haggen; 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: Colorado Springs Albertsons shutting down 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.”

Nevada: 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: In Lake Oswego, Albertsons being shutdown on 16 February, being taken over by Haggen in March. 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: 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: 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.

Stores being used to spread Measles?

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 05 – 06 February 2015: More proof you can’t blame low oil prices for layoffs! Staples kills off 1-thousand stores! More proof Obamacare kills off access to healthcare! RadioShack is Dead, long live Sprint?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: Obama Care forcing Alabama Psychiatric Services to shutdown.  250 jobs lost and 28-hundred patients affected!  Administrators say Obama Care created a situation in which Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama pushed the majority of people into more expensive insurance plans, and effectively killed off most of Alabama Psychiatric Services business!  (What was that about Obama Care increasing access to healthcare?)   The U.S. Army announced it will kill off 190 jobs at its Anniston Depot: “The reason we’re releasing the temporary employees is due to a change in the workload.”-Colonel Brent T. Bolander

Arizona: Phoenix based Sleep America shutdown after being taken over by Mattress Firm.

California: Iconic Chico Sportsman’s Den shutting down in two months, the owner says he’s ready to retire.    In Bakersfield, Caesar’s Italian Delicatessen shutdown: “February 13th will be our last day…..We first opened our doors in June of 1971…..It’s been a profound honor to serve everyone who has walked through our doors over the years and this is an incredibly sad day for us.”-owners facebook posting

Florida: At Patrick Air Force Base, taxsucker Computer Sciences Raytheon issued a WARN saying 420 people will be jobless by April!

Idaho: It’s official, six (of approximately 24) Gem State RadioShack stores will be shutdown; in Chubbuck, Meridian, Nampa, Pocatello, Post Falls and Rexburg.  Some stores have already shutdown.

Illinois: The Chicago-Wicker Park area Kmart is shutting down, 106 jobs lost!  Lowe’s apparently paid Sears Holdings in order to take over the Wicker Park Kmart lease, but will not set up shop until 2016.  Also in Chicago, after 18 years Carmichael’s Steakhouse announced it will shutdown in March, blaming the greedy property owner. The property was sold off and will be used to build an apartment complex. The restaurant manager is pissed, as his business was good: “It’s unfortunate that we have to close when we’re still doing really good business.”-Ben Sawyer

Indiana: After seven years Richmond chocolate shop Ghyslain Bistro shutdown. The owner said he’s focusing on his stores in Kentucky and internet sales.

Maryland: The White Flint Mall shutdown and will be demolished.

Massachusetts: Mitt Romney’s evil Farmington based wunderkind Staples is the new owner of Office Depot after trading $6.3-billion USD worth of stocks for it, 1-thousand stores will be shutdown!  The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) recently signed a deal with Staples to kill off your local Post Office jobs! 

Michigan: In Kalamazoo, with little notice to employees the Harding’s grocery store on Howard Street was sold off and is being shutdown, 60 jobs lost.

Minnesota: Colorado based Arrow Electronics issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Saint Paul operations in March, 77 jobs lost. Company administrators are moving their electronics salvage ops to Ohio.

Montana: Bilderberger vaccine pusher GlaxoSmithKline announced they’re shutting down their Hamilton research center during 2015, at least 27 jobs lost.  Administrators also warned shutdowns and layoffs will take place elsewhere: “Other parts of the business are facing similar restructuring. It’s happening companywide, not just Hamilton, but all parts of GSK’s business.”-Melinda Stubbee

New Jersey: The Sports and Exposition Authority announced they will shutdown the 34 years old Izod Center in March, 17-hundred jobs lost!  Administrators say the sports arena has been losing money big time, and expects it would lose $8.5-million in 2015, if they kept it open.  In Middletown, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Mater Dei Prep school: “It is with great sadness that I inform you that Mater Dei Prep will close at the end of this school year, June 2015.  Over the many years, Mater Dei Prep has been running large financial deficits. It had been the hope of the Parish Finance Council and myself that these trends could be reversed. However, the 2014-2015 projected loss is close to one million dollars.”-Jeff Kegley, pastor

Camden based iconic soup maker Cambells announced it will split into three division and begin massive job destruction in order to cut $200-million over the next three years!  For proof there is no economic recovery, company administrators say company profits have been crashing steadily since 2008, with no end in sight: “Like other companies in our industry, we’re contending with now not just the long term impact of the Great Recession on consumer purchasing behavior, or the increasingly complex public dialog when it comes to food, or the regulatory environment for food.”-Denise Morrison, ceo

New York: Lucky Magazine laid off at least 12 people.  In Rouses Point, legal drugs maker Pfizer issued a WARN saying they will shutdown by June.  In NYC, clothing retailer Jack Spade and Kate Spade Saturday issued a WARN saying they will shutdown in May, 47 jobs lost, saying they are undergoing a “brand overhaul”.

North Carolina:  Obama Care forcing Transylvania Regional Hospital to shutdown its  labor and delivery services.  Women in the area are complaining they must now travel out of the area to give birth.  (What was that about Obama Care increasing access to healthcare?)  In Raleigh, decades old Crowley’s restaurant and bar shutdown, with no explanation.   In Research Triangle Park, Massachusetts based data storage company EMC warned of layoffs in an effort to cut $150-million!

Ohio: In Youngstown, France based Vallourec Star announced it will shutdown its oil industry seemless pipe operations for at least three weeks, more than 5-hundred jobs affected!

Oklahoma: In Tulsa, Texas based Team Oil Tools announced they will shutdown in April, 93 jobs lost.  Administrators tried to blame low oil prices but a local Fox23 news TV station discovered the company has been having money problems for a long time.  Oklahoma City based PostRock Energy announced it will kill off 25% of its jobs, conveniently blaming oil prices for its decision to halt oil drilling for 2015.  The ignorant administrators revealed they had assumed WTI oil prices would average $92.73 per barrel through to the end of 2016!  Guess they didn’t think the fact that Islamic State selling off oil on the black market would affect oil prices.  And who’s buying that Islamic State oil? 

Oregon:  Portland based software company VendScreen laid off more employees, earlier this year they had 30, now it’s reported they’re down to 19.  Helicopter maker Erickson laid off 150 people!  Administrators admitted it was connected to their take over of competing companies in the U.S. and Brazil.

Texas:  It’s official, iconic 94 years old (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) RadioShack now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and shutting down as many as 25-hundred stores across the country, the other 15-hundred will be sold to cell phone service company Sprint! Oil service company  Weatherford International killing off 8-thousand jobs, blaming low oil prices!  However, an official company statement revealed it was actually due to “quickly changing market conditions”.  It was revealed that company administrators have been making personnel and operations changes for months now.  Houston based fracking company Royalty Partners now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, don’t blame oil prices, the relatively new company owes more than $1-million in rent and to lawyers.

Wisconsin: Gov’na Right to Work you over Scott Walker will preside over the killing of 446 state jobs!  The Right to Work you over policies have resulted in The Badger State facing a $2-billion shortfall!   Right to Work you over Walker says he will also steal $2-million from the Educational Communications Board!  In Janesville, Veterans Affairs contractor Data Dimensions laid off 120 people without warning or explanation: “I got this job and I was so happy, because it was full time and I got off of food stamps, no more W2…..came as a complete surprise to us, because we have been being pushed for months to produce more and more and more.”-Karly Yager, laid off six hours into her shift

01 – 04 February 2015: “All good things come to an end.”

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, 01 – 04 February 2015: “All good things come to an end.” Yet another women’s clothing chain bites the big one!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Reports coming in that San Jose based ebay, and its soon to be sold off electronic payment processor PayPal, began laying off employees.  In Palmdale, taxsucker Lockheed Martin issued a WARN saying 74 people will become unemployed in March.  Japan owned Sony Pictures issued a WARN saying they are shutting down their Culver City ops by April, 69 jobs lost.  In Mountain View, Symantec continues their job destruction, their latest WARN says 85 people will be laid off in March.  In Santa Clara, Florida based software company Citrix Systems issued a WARN saying 99 people will be jobless by April.

Florida: In Orlando, legal drugs seller Walgreens issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their Central Operations by April, 252 jobs lost!  At Naval Air Station Jacksonville, taxsucker Tyonek Services Group issued a WARN saying they will shutdown by the end of March, 311 jobs lost!

Illinois: After 50 years Hyde Park Shoe Rebuilders shutdown, the owner was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.   The Chicago-Sun Times laid off two video producers.

Indiana: Too Big to Jail Old National Bancorp announced they will selloff 17 offices and close-consolidate 19 others.  Bank administrators say they can no longer generate enough profits to justify the size of their operations.

Kentucky: Remke Markets announced they could not afford to renew their lease on their Newport grocery store. The store will shutdown at the beginning of March, 58 jobs lost.

Louisiana: After 40 years J & R Educational Supplies shutdown: “We’ve been lucky to have lasted this long. All good things come to an end.”-Marie Martin-Darby, co-owner

Maryland: In Hagerstown, after 22 years Obama Care forcing the Robinwood Surgery Center to shutdown.  The operators said Obama Care is forcing healthcare providers to become smaller, so much for expanding access to healthcare.

Massachusetts: Acton based software company SeaChange laying off about 70 employees by the end of the year.

Missouri: Too Big to Jail NCO Financial issued a WARN saying 275 people will become unemployed by the end of March!  It’s blamed on the loss of a major client.

Nebraska: In Hastings, after 30 years Applause Video shutdown, the owner said it wasn’t worth it to renew the lease.

New York:  NYC based women’s clothing chain Cache now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  It was also revealed they shutdown 20 stores just since December!  Another 218 stores now threatened.  NYC based already bankrupt women’s clothing retailer Jones New York-Jones Apparel issued a WARN saying at least 229 New Yorkers will become unemployed by July!  In Painted Post, Sitel Operating Corporation issued a WARN saying they will shutdown by April, at least 278 jobs lost!   In Fredonia, food company ConAgra-The Carriage House issued a WARN saying they will shutdown in May, 423 jobs lost!  They also revealed the layoffs actually began back in October!   In Syracuse, Pyramid Management Group issued a WARN saying they will halt in-house janitor services in May, at least 50 jobs being outsourced to cheap-o contractors.   In Plattsburgh, Japan based Fujitsu Frontech issued a WARN saying 38 people will be laid off in May, due to reorganization.

North Carolina: In Asheville, Featherheads Emporium shutdown.  The owners will focus on their Chimney Rock store.

North Dakota: In Bismarck, after ten years Stringbean Music & Sound shutdown.

Oklahoma: Oil industry company Chaparral Energy announced it will layoff 121 people in Oklahoma City: “While we expect the market to rebound to a more economically favorable level, we cannot predict when that will occur. That being the case, we are taking a conservative approach to decrease our capital, operating and administrative costs.”  

Oregon: Seven Feathers Casino laid off 93 people.  Casino administrators say there is no economic recovery, and there too much competition: “The post 2008 economy has forced businesses to change. The demographics of today’s typical gaming customer have also changed. Those facts accompanied with the potentially devastating threat the Cow Creek Tribe is facing by a neighboring tribe’s intent to build an illegal casino in Medford demands our business approach be more conservative. We have had to respond to this reality.”

Pennsylvania: Russia based oil industry pipe maker OAO TMK announced it will layoff about 75 people at their factories in Beaver County.

Texas: Reports that Fort Worth based iconic RadioShack might go bankrupt and shutdown at least 550 stores!  British empire Canada based oil pumping company Trican Well Service issued a WARN saying 129 Texans will become unemployed in March!   In Lufkin, GE (General Electric) revealed just how many people will become jobless; 330!

Virginia: What housing market recovery?  In Norfolk, Too Big to Jail Bank of America announced it will layoff 200+ people in their mortgage servicing division, by the end of March!

Wisconsin:  In New Holstein, after ten years Tennessee based Tractor Supply Company shutdown. Administrators would only say that “many factors” were behind the decision to shutdown the store.  What housing market recovery?  In Shell Lake, maker of home products like door hardware and light fixtures, Hampton Products, issued a WARN saying they will layoff 29 employees by April.

30-31-January-2015: “How can human beings that have given so much be cast aside?” 

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, 17 February 2015: Profit making Kmart to shutdown? Taxpayers forced to eat $1.8-million!

Sears Auto Center is holding a contest for the city with the most potholes, why?  Because it means big bucks for them repairing wheel alignments and tires: “The city that records the most submissions will receive an exclusive deal on alignment services for their pothole-ridden city at the end of the program at nearby Sears Auto Centers.”

The Sears at the College Mall in Indiana will be replaced by a Whole Foods grocery store.  Apparently this is one of the Sears stores that Sears Holdings swore, last October, was not being shutdown!

The taxpayers of Northport, Alabama, can be proud that their City Council has decided the taxpayers will bend over and get $1.8-million USD in tax incentives yanked outta their arse for the re-development of an abandoned Kmart!

First the Frackville Sears, now the 35 years old Frackville Kmart will shutdown in October. The employees found out this morning!

Missouri losing another Kmart in May.  O’Fallon city administrators admitted to local news media they were told about the shutdown last week, but for some reason they said nothing.  However, Michael Hurlbert, O’Fallon’s economic development director, implied there was no good reason for shutting down the store because “it was one of the better performing stores in the Saint Louis area.”

update, 16 February 2015: 10-thousand jobs killed off by…..Kmart’s new president….? 

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).

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

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost), Clearwater Sears Auto Center (21 jobs lost), Zephyrhills Kmart (70 jobs lost), Winter Springs Kmart (69 jobs lost), Naples Kmart (72 jobs lost), New Port Richey Kmart (58 jobs lost), ‘redevelopment’ of Aventura Sears & Auto Center into an “open-air village” (unknown how many jobs affected), Kmart on Northeast 108 Street being annexed by Miami Shores, Sears Holdings threatens to shutdown Kmart as a result of higher local taxes.

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

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

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

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

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

Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost), Muncie Kmart (59 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on Coliseum Boulevard North (69 jobs lost), Decatur Kmart (49 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Madison Avenue (131 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Washington Street (139 jobs lost), Bedford Kmart (62 jobs lost), Indianapolis (Evansville) Sears & Auto Center at Washington Square Mall (91 jobs lost), Greenwood Kmart (78 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (“approximately” 68 jobs lost), recently revealed 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, Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost), South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost), Florissant Kmart (100 jobs lost), recently revealed 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).

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

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

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

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

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

New York: Lindenhurst Sears Hardware, North Babylon Sears Hardware, Hauppauge Sears Hardware, Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost), Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost), Staten Island Mall Sears leased out to Ireland’s Primark.

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

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

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

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost), Enid Sears and Auto Center (at least 38 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice), Albany Sears (57 jobs lost), in October a BBN reader warned that Oregon City Kmart was being quietly shutdown, confirmed on 06 November 2014 by Sears Holdings (70 jobs lost).

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

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost), Everett Kmart (65 jobs lost), Marysville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost).

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

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Ashwaubenon Kmart recently revealed now owned by Green Bay Packers, will be torn down (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (55 jobs lost), Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost), Glendale Sears store & Auto Center (86 jobs lost), Janesville Kmart (70 jobs lost), Glendale Sears Rebuild center (67 jobs lost), Sheboygan Sears & Auto Center (at least 31 jobs lost), Eau Claire Kmart (93 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (59 jobs lost before Xmas), Sheboygan Sears Rebuild Center (30 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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

Florida: West Oaks Mall

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

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

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

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

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

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

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart update, 16 February 2015: 10-thousand jobs killed off by Tesco, is Kmart’s new president to blame? Kmart gets rid of Super K, get ready for K-Fresh!

In Warner Robins, Georgia, it’s been revealed that plans to replace the Kmart were already in place before Sears Holdings made the announcement last Summer.   So the whole thing was a deal between Sears Holdings and Texas based At Home (formerly known as Garden Ridge).  By the way, the new At Home store still has not opened and Kmart vacated the property in October 2014.  On top of that, At Home says they will employ not even half the number of people the Kmart did (25 vs 70).

Sears Holdings has made property deals with At Home as the home decor and garden center is taking over several vacated Kmart locations across the U.S.

The Super Kmart in Chillicothe, Ohio, is now called K-Fresh.  The new format store (somewhere in between a Big Kmart and a Super Kmart) also ceased in-house butcher/baker/deli operations which will now be contracted out.  The new K-Fresh is no longer open 24 hours.   No layoffs were announced, but administrators did say there would be “changes” to staffing.   It’s apparently the latest Sears Holdings scheme, now being implemented by Kmart’s new president who previously oversaw the destruction, I mean worked for the British empire grocery chain store Tesco.

Speaking of Tesco, since Alasdair James was appointed president of Kmart his former stead Tesco has announced they must kill off 10-thousand jobs!  Tesco is supposed to be the biggest grocery store chain in the United Kingdom, and sales even went up at the end of last year, so for the average Brit this massive job culling is a shocker.

It turns out that while Alasdair James was working at Tesco some shenanigans were going on with the ‘books’.  Company administrators revealed that during the first six months of 2014 their reported profits were ‘overstated’, and seven people connected to the overstatement were suspended.  Now they say they need to cut $284-million USD per year!  Apparently Alasdair James was still commercial director for Tesco when Sears Holdings hired him.  James also worked for Tesco’s China operations.

New British empire leader of Kmart spends big bucks on new house! 

New executives have track record of destruction?

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 30 – 31 January 2015: “How can human beings that have given so much be cast aside?” More proof it’s not the internet! Disney kills hundreds of jobs! No more RyKrisp!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Japan based video game maker Sega Sammy said it will push 300 employees to “voluntarily retire”, that includes employees in the United States!

Alabama: Cafe and market V.Richards shutting down, the store owner made the decision suddenly saying he will chase “other ventures”.

Arizona: What real estate market recovery?  The city of Phoenix now has a 22% office vacancy rate, or more than one in five!

California: In Pleasanton, Too Big to Jail JPMorgan Chase Mortgage issued a WARN saying 63 people will become unemployed in March.  Obama Care forcing Fallbrook Hospital to issue a WARN saying they’re shutting down their Skilled Nursing ops by the end of March, 96 jobs lost.  Boeing issued more WARNs saying another 127 Californians will become jobless by April!  In Shafter, Baker Hughes issued a WARN saying 130 people will be laid off immediately!  Don’t blame oil prices, it’s totally related to Halliburton’s $35-billion USD takeover of Baker Hughes! At the U.S. Army’s National Training Center, Fort Irwin, taxsucker Northrop Grumman issued a WARN saying 443 people will become jobless by May!

Florida: What housing market recovery?  In Jacksonville, JPMorgan Chase Mortgage issued a WARN saying 163 people will be rendered jobless by the end of March!  Walt Disney World laid off 500 IT employees!  Many employees told local news there was no warning, while other employees say they were suspicious when last year they were told to re-apply for their jobs.  Disney administrators refuse to confirm the number of laid off employees, as well as reports that IT jobs are being contracted out.  C1 Bank announced they are shutting down their Tampa office in March.

Indiana: After only 18 months Skate America shutting down their rink in Lafayette by the middle of February, blaming the greedy landlord.

Kansas: Vess Oil Corporation has halted all “new projects”, but said nothing about jobs.  News reports say oil drilling in the Wichita area has declined by 23%.

Michigan: The city of Detroit is kicking many retired city employees off the city health insurance plan! Here’s what one ignorant retired city worker said: “How can human beings that have given so much be cast aside?”-Nancy Headapohl   (that’s exactly what happened to millions of people in the former Soviet Union, and good ol’ Ronald Reagan took credit for wining that Cold War)

Minnesota: No more RyKrisp crackers! ConAgra stated “After a careful evaluation of our options, ConAgra Foods has decided to exit the RyKrisp and rye cracker business and close the [Twin Cities] plant.”  Administrators with the Minnesota Zoo warned of layoffs and exhibit shutdowns.

Mississippi: In Jackson, Kroger announced they will shutdown their more than 20 years old grocery store on Terry Road in February 2015, at least 109 jobs affected!

Missouri: In Fenton, industrial packaging maker Greif issued a WARN saying at least 33 people will become jobless by May.  Administrators say their company is still making profits, but those profits have been getting smaller and smaller year after year.

Montana: In Helena, after more than 25 years The Donut Hole shutting down. A financial partner backed out of a deal that would have seen the donut shop move to a new location, now it’s up for sale.

New Mexico: Flying Star now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and shutting down two Santa Fe restaurants.

New York: More proof you can’t blame the internet for killing brick-n-mortar stores; Georgia based internet service provider EarthLink issued a WARN saying 60 employees in Rochester and Pittsford will be laid off between now and May.  Too Big to Jail JPMorgan Chase Mortgage killing off 350 jobs in Rochester by Autumn!  NYC based communication company Viacom warned employees of massive layoffs before the end of the 1st quarter 2015, saying the bad economy is forcing them to “pull all the levers”.

North Carolina: What automotive industry recovery?  In Fayetteville, employees of tire maker Goodyear have gone to the local news media saying at least 40 salaried workers will be laid off.  It sounds like they’re being forced to ‘retire’.  Company administrators refuse to comment.

Ohio: Zane State College laid off eight people.  Enrollment has been falling since 2011.  After six years Big Fun Cleveland toy store shutdown.  The owners say the economy is so bad in Cleveland that they will focus on their store in Coventry.

Oregon: Safeway shutting down their Clackamas regional office, due to the takeover by Cerberus owned Albertsons. 91 jobs lost by March.

Pennsylvania: In Hazelton, OfficeMax announced they will shutdown their Humboldt Industrial Park distribution center by Summer, 200 jobs lost!  It’s blamed on the merger with Office Depot.

Texas: In East Austin, Live Oak BBQ being shutdown and sold off by the owner, who said “simple math” proved it wasn’t worth it anymore.  Oil drilling company Lariat Services laid off 245 people in the Permian Basin!  Carrizo Oil & Gas reducing their Eagle Ford Shale production by 35%, but said nothing about layoffs.   Houston based oil company ConocoPhillips claims they’ve lost $39-million during their 4th quarter of 2014, and made this warning: “We’ve informed our workforce that reductions should be expected.” 

Virginia: SunCoke Energy has shutdown a coal mine in Buchanan County, 150 jobs lost!

Washington DC: Seven Pinkberry frozen yogurt stores now for sale as a result of chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Wisconsin: Publisher of many model kit building magazines Kalmbach Publishers laid off 15 people from their Discover and Art Jeweler magazines, blaming crashing sales.  Don’t blame the internet most of their publications are available on the internet, in fact Kalmbach has twice as many websites (including one about drones) as it does hardcopy magazine titles!

27-29-January-2015: “Was the writing on the wall? Certainly!”

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, 27 – 29 January 2015: “Was the writing on the wall? Certainly!” No more Bonnie Bell! The new employee bonus; getting fired? Another women’s clothing chain goes down! Big Blue begins big layoffs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama: U.S. Steel issued a massive WARN saying 16-hundred Fairfield employees are on notice that layoffs could happen at any time!  The market conditions are so bad that U.S. Steel administrators say they cannot predict exactly how many people will become jobless, or when it will happen.  It’s being blamed on deflationary trends.

Arizona: In Tucson, after ten years The District Tavern shutdown, it’s blamed on jacked up rent.

Arkansas: Walmart announced they laid off 50 Bentonville HQ employees.  Administrators claim the layoffs are ‘normal’ for this time of year.

California: In Thousand Oaks, 45 years old Hart’s Jewelers shutdown.  In Santa Monica, after 30 years video store Vidiots shutdown.  In San Jose, IBM (International Business Machine) issued a WARN saying 68 people will be laid off in March.  In West Hills, Too Big to Jail Bank of America issued a WARN saying 113 people will become jobless in March!  In Pleasonton, Safeway issued a WARN saying an additional 18 HQ employees will be laid off in March. Ryder Logistics revealed they’ve shutdown their Inglewood ops, 73 jobs lost without warning.  Sears Holdings issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down their Canoga Park (West Topanga Mall) Sears in May, 122 jobs lost!  Ireland based legal drugs pusher Actavis issued a WARN saying they will layoff 40 people in Corona, in April.  In Aliso Viejo, Fluor Enterprises issued a WARN saying at least six people will be laid off in March.  In Lakeview, Access Business Group finally issued a WARN revealing they shutdown back in December, 72 jobs lost.  Mexico based Bimbo Bakeries announced they will shutdown their Fresno bakery in March, 92 jobs lost.

Colorado: With only four days notice EVRAZ steel mill laid off 200 people involved in making pipes for the oil industry!  iQor issued a WARN saying they will shutdown their Pueblo call center in March, 251 jobs lost!  Administrators blame “unforeseen business circumstances”.  (this seems to be the latest excuse for corporations to shutdown)

Connecticut: After 49 years the owner of Wallingford Optical said he must shutdown at the end of February, blaming his suppliers: “I’m paying more for product than Walmart or BJ’s are even selling stuff for. I can’t compete with the big box stores.”-James Comeau

Florida: After forcing 289 employees into early retirement, railroad company CSX laid off 52 Jacksonville HQ employees.  Fort Lauderdale based software company Citrix Systems announced it will eliminate 900 in-house and contracted jobs!  They blame crashing sales.  In Weston, Too Big to Jail American Express issued a WARN saying 27 people will be laid off in April.

Illinois: Sears Holdings laid off 100 Hoffman Estates HQ employees, and another 15 jobs were eliminated elsewhere in the company!  In Rockford, girl’s prison Rock River Academy shutdown amid accusations of child abuse including sex crimes.  The evil girl’s prison was revealed by local news hounds who aren’t afraid to take on The Man!  There were increasing cases of girls escaping the prison and reporting to police their abuse.

Indiana: Kingdom of Luxembourg based ArcelorMittal announced it will shutdown two steel operations beginning in March, 304 jobs lost!  Company administrators say the operations have lost money since 2011.

Iowa: In Cedar Rapids, the owner of women’s clothing store Positively Plus announced it will shutdown in March, saying “I’m a registered nurse, and I would like to go back and work in an office for someone else.”   Des Moines based Meredith Corporation ended hardcopy publication of its newly aquired magazines Fit Pregnancy and Natural Health.   It was revealed that IBM (International Business Machine) will layoff 202 people at their Dubuque facility in February!  After 16 years recycling center Ames Area Redemption Center shutdown: “We couldn’t make it anymore, that’s the whole thing in a nutshell.  The redemption on bottles is only a penny and everything else keeps going up and that doesn’t.”-Sandy Warren, co-owner

Maine: After 46 years Iconic Kittery based Weathervane Seafood Restaurants has shutdown a restaurant in New Hampshire and three restaurants in Maine. The COO of the family run chain said “My family and I are sorry to have to make this difficult decision…” blaming “…current economic conditions…”   The general manager of the Waterville Weathervane said any fool could see the economy is crashing and burning: “The final ending is certainly a shock. Was the writing on the wall? Certainly!”-Sean Callahan, whose restaurant had a big sign in the window saying “due to current economic conditions, this location is closed”

Michigan:  Baraga Area School District warned that Pelkie Elementary School could shutdown due to massive DSS (what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome): “The primary problem is shared actually across the district. We have been experiencing declining enrollments in a very similar pattern that the State of Michigan has, but it really hit hard about two years ago.”-Jennifer Lynn, superintendent

New York: NYC based, AOL (formerly America OnLine) shutting down internet video game website Joystick.   NYC based Jones New York-Jones Apparel announced they are shutting down all 127 stores across the U.S. and 36 in Canada, 1-thousand plus jobs lost!  In NYC, 30 years old The Family Jewels shutting down in April.   In Mount Vernon, crashing metals prices and rising operating costs forcing Hugo Neu Recycling to issue a WARN saying they will shutdown in April, 27 jobs lost.  In Elmsford, internet publisher MYPublisher-Shutterfly issued a WARN saying they will layoff 47 people between May and July.  Obama Care forcing Saint James Mercy Hospital to kill off 342 healthcare jobs between April and August!  Administrators say the changes made by Obama Care are forcing them to shutdown their inpatient medical surgery and inpatient maternity care services.  What was that about Obama Care increasing access to healthcare?

Ohio: Germany based logistics company Exel (Deutsche Post DHL) issued a WARN saying 278 people will be laid off by April!  Administrators blame it on a major client.  Cosmetic company Bonnie Bell shutting down their Westlake factory, 91 jobs lost by March. Bonnie Bell has been quietly taken over by Markwins International.   Akron based FirstMerit Bank announced it will shutdown 16 offices in Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan.  In Dayton, RadioShack on Wilmington shutting down.

Oregon: In Hillsboro, after 26 years Mary’s Saddle & Tack shutdown, the owners blame the bad economy saying “We just can’t make money.”  

South Dakota: After 45 years the Ming Wah Cafe shutdown.

Tennessee: The Chattanooga Times Free Press paid out bonuses then immediately laid off an undisclosed number of employees.  It’s blamed on crashing advertising sales.  In Lawrenceburg, Jones New York announced it will shutdown its Jones Apparel distribution center, at least 207 jobs lost!

Texas: In Lufkin, GE (General Electric) warned that layoffs are coming.    Their Lufkin ops support the oil industry and not only are jobs threatened but so is their planned $60-million foundry expansion.   British empire British Petroleum (BP, formerly known as the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, formerly known as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company) confirmed it will eliminate jobs at its Houston office.  Here’s what one historically ignorant Houstonian said: “It was always a big goal of mine to get into oil and gas. I never thought it would come to this where we’re having layoffs.”  (I’ve lived long enough to see and personally experience dozens of oil boom & bust cycles, why are so many people in love with the oil industry and so ignorant about its normal down cycle?)

Virginia: nTelos wireless communication laid off 48 people at its HQ in Waynesboro.  It’s the result of company administrators deciding to exit the Richmond and Hampton Roads area, back in December.

Washington: In Panther Lake, the Great American Casino shutdown despite gambling taxes being reduced, 90 jobs lost.  In Seattle, the one year old OfficeMax on Broadway shutting down in February.

Wisconsin: More proof it’s not the internet killing brick-n-mortar stores.  SupplementWarehouse, which sells mainly on the internet and has only two brick-n-mortar stores, is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  The administrators blame “inventory leakage” for their massive profit losses, and the Too Big to Jail banks who refused to continue floating them with debt financing.  The University of Wisconsin warned of more layoffs and student services cuts.  It’s because the Right to Work you over governor Scott Walker wants to cut higher education funding by $300-million over the next two years!  Dean Foods announced it will shutdown its Sheboygan Verifine Dairy before April, at least 70 jobs lost. Company administrators said the suck-ass economy is forcing them to eliminate “redundancies”.  In Green Bay, Excel Driving School shutdown without notice.  Somehow the state DMV heard of the shutdown before anybody else.  The owner of the driving school said he could no longer juggle his personal life with his business.  About 250 paid up students looking for answers and refunds.

24-26-January-2015: “unforeseeable circumstance”

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.