Tag Archives: labor

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 16 – 17 September 2014: “You cannot lie to your employees.” The Cloud already killing jobs!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

It’s been revealed that the draconian cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps) will affect only four U.S. states: Michigan, Wisconsin, New Jersey and New Hampshire.  The rest of the states say they will use their own taxpayer’s money to make up for the federal cuts.  The cuts come at a time when there are record numbers of people needing food help.  The cuts were passed by Congress and signed by the Obama regime. And administrators of SNAP say across the U.S. ‘white’ people are getting the most help for buying food (43%).

Arkansas: Obama Care forced now vacant county owned Crittenden Regional Hospital into chapter 7 bankruptcy (which usually means it’s ‘toast’).  More than 400 healthcare workers lost their jobs!   The draconian insurance reimbursements cuts imposed by Obama Care means the county hospital cannot pay off nearly $7-million USD  in bonds, however, city and even federal government administrators are suing, accusing the county hospital board of essentially taking the bond money because bookkeeping can’t seam to account for it.

California: Microsoft announced it will layoff 160 Microsoft Mobile Oy employees in November as part of a 2nd round of massive international job killing (see Washington below)!  In San Francisco, hotel Marriott Marquis announced a temporary layoff of at least 22 employees in November.  In Campbell, cloud service Hightail (formerly YouSendIt) laid off 74 employees without notice.

Florida: In Pembroke Park, Mitt Romney’s wunderkind Staples announced it will shutdown a delivery operation in November, killing off 68 jobs.

Georgia: After 60 years the iconic Zesto Drive-In restaurant shutdown, the family owners say they were forced to sell by greedy property developers.

Illinois: In Saint Charles, a Savers thrift store shutdown.  In Lake Zurich, a Savers thrift store shutdown.  News reports said Savers administrators refused to explain why.  The Illinois Policy Institute reports that the number of Prairie Staters whose incomes have crashed, and therefore should qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps), has hit 745-thousand.  The institute says for every one person who loses a job at least two people go begging to the government for food.  Chicago based United Airlines is now offering bribes (buyouts) to any flight attendant who quits.  Airline administrators want at least 21-hundred flight attendants to voluntarily quit!

Kansas: Overland Park based cell phone service provider Sprint warned of massive layoffs: “Some managers will make it and some won’t. I told some managers that some are going to be gone…..You cannot lie to your employees.”-Marcelo Claure, CEO

Kentucky: In North Lexington, the YMCA announced they will shutdown their child development center in October, blaming declining enrollment.  In Morehead, after 61 years Perk’s plumbing supply shutdown.

Maryland: What housing market recovery?  In Rockville, RoundPoint Mortgage announced it will kill off 68 mortgage jobs.  Taxsucking military contractor General Dynamics announced it will kill off 61 jobs in October.

Michigan: In Sterling Heights, a 246 room Best Western motel will be auctioned off in October.   News reports say the motel is still operating.  The motel is owned by evil vulture capital investors who want to dump it.  An undisclosed number of bus drivers lost their jobs when Lakeview School District drastically reduced bus service.  District administrators blame DSS (what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome).

Minnesota: Minneapolis based food giant General Mills revealed its profits for its fiscal 1st quarter crashed 25%!  They will continue with job killing.

Missouri: In Ladue, after nearly 70 years Spicer’s toy and candy store shutdown, they couldn’t afford the new lease.  What housing market recovery?  In Saint Louis, Concrete Coring now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Attorneys for the company blame the bad economy saying the company “…has been unable so far to work out from under its debt generated following the faltering economy in late 2008 and into 2009 and beyond.” 

New Hampshire: In Merrimack, reports that after 11 years Swan Chocolates reduced their cafe hours to the public. The owners said they needed to get back to creating new eats, and they can’t do that while running a full time retail eatery.

New York: After 62 years the owners of Hoffman’s Playland amusement park announced they are shutting down, and redeveloping the property.  In NYC, Williams Lea Corporate Information Solutions warned it will shutdown by the end of September, a least 41 jobs lost. In Jamaica (at the JFK airport), LSG Sky Chefs warned it will shutdown by January 2015, at least 139 jobs lost and 200 jobs to be transfered!   In Suffern, Switzerland based evil legal drugs pusher Novartis warned they will be shutting down between December 2014 and sometime in 2015, at least 83 jobs lost.

North Carolina: In High Point, La-Z-Boy announced they are shutting down their Lea Industries kids furniture factory by the end of 2014, at least 100 jobs lost!  UNC Health Care reports that Obama Care has lost them $4-million in revenue!  They are now $8-million behind on their budget!  UNC Health Care administrators say they are still owed $15-million from the state and federal governments!

Ohio: In Urbana, God refused to stop the British empire’s Christian Salvation Army from shutting down their thrift store.  Administrators at the HQ in Cincinnati said their thrift store will shutdown in November, and they told their local Urbana administrators the issue is not open for discussion.

Oregon: The child prison camp known as Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility might be shutdown, due to crashing numbers of child inmates (but isn’t that good news?).

Pennsylvania: California University is blaming DSS (what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome) for eliminating 30 jobs.  The university lost 3.2% of its student body at the beginning of the new school year.

South Carolina: In Columbia, the Belk store shutdown in the Dutch Square mall.

Tennessee: Massive food producer Cargill announced they’re shutting down a Memphis corn mill in January 2015, 440 jobs lost! Cargill A-holes, I mean administrators claim the mill is “underutilized”.

Texas: Comcast SportsNet Houston could laid off 75 employees, if a judge approves their sale to DirecTV and AT&T.   The 75 employees make up almost three quarters of the staff.  In Houston, oil industry company HighMount Exploration & Production warned it is shutting down and will kill off at least 35 jobs by November.  Austin based pawn shop chain store EZCorp revealed it will kill off an undisclosed number of jobs.  Company administrators say they must “right size” their pawn operations due to the bad economy.  They currently employ more than 7-thousand people across the U.S.

Virginia: In Richmond, after 38 years Buddy’s Place announced it will shutdown in January 2015. The owner blames the greedy landlord for demanding more rent.

Washington: Reports say Redmond based Microsoft will begin a 2nd round of layoffs.  The computer company already killed off 13-thousand jobs in its 1st round of layoffs!  Reports say most of the 2nd round of job killing will directly affect employees of Nokia, which Microsoft took over in April.  Nokia is now called Microsoft Mobile Oy.  In Yakima, after 29 years Off the Record record and CD store shutdown.

13-15 September 2014

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

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 13 – 15 September 2014: Public transportation killing jobs! Japanese car parts makers killing U.S. jobs! British oil companies killing U.S. jobs! Nextel killed by 23% crash in sales?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alaska: British empire BP (British Petroleum) announced they will kill 475 U.S. oil jobs by the beginning of 2015!  BP has sold off its Alaska ops to a rival oil company, which will result in at least 275 people becoming unemployed, the other 200 might be hired on by the new company.

California:  Nor-Cal Beverage sold off their beer distribution service, 128 people could become unemployed in November!  What automotive industry recovery?  In La Mesa, car dealer Drew Ford (aka Penske Ford) warned it will shutdown in November, 281 jobs lost!  In San Diego, United Technologies warned it will shutdown in November.  In Carlsbad, internet tech company Yahoo warned it will shutdown in November, 59 jobs lost.  In North Hollywood, Warren’s Blackboard “food & drink workshop” announced it will layoff 58 employees in November.  In Whittier, Kroger announced it will shutdown yet another Ralph’s grocery store, 62 jobs lost.  Kroger has been blaming the increase health insurance costs for employees, forced by Obama Care.  In Fountain Valley, Obama Care killing off Morrison Healthcare.  The provider of meals to hospitals and nursing homes announced they will shutdown in November, 91 jobs lost.  What housing market recovery?  In Irvine, Discover announced it will kill 25 mortgage service jobs in November.

Florida: In Winter Haven, after 35 years Yarn Basket shutdown.  It’s blamed on the deteriorating health of one of the co-owners.

Illinois:  Chicago Public Schools (CPS) killed 476 contracted janitor jobs!  The Obama regime mayor, Rahm Emanuel, refused to discuss the issue with local news media and referred them to the CPS, who were conveniently not available to explain the sudden job killing spree.  In Inverness, Obama Care killing off 14 years old non-profit Wellness Place cancer center.  Kathy Scortino, clinical director and interim executive director, hinted that Obama Care was the last straw because “It just became very difficult to sustain it financially.” 

Massachusetts: After 56 years Hyannis based Mill Stores chain furniture store shutdown at least nine of its brick-n-mortar outlets, including all its New Hampshire and Rhode Island stores!  Local news reports say stores will remain open in Maine and Connecticut, however, when I checked the Mill Stores website it lists only three brick-n-mortar stores in Massachusetts, and the Harwich store is listed as “closed for the season”.

Michigan: After only seven years Detroit based (and Gannett owned) StyleLine magazine announced it will shutdown after printing its October issue.

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

New York: Legal drugs maker Siga Technologies now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Apparently a rival drugs maker is claiming Siga ripped off their smallpox anti-viral drug.  In NYC, 50 Restaurant Group announced it will shutdown in December, at least 39 jobs lost.

Ohio: What automotive industry recovery? Japan based YSK laid off 19 people at its Chillicothe car parts factory.  Company administrators were surprised by their crashing sales: “While a difficult decision and an unprecedented one in its 25 year history, YSK’s Management Team felt that it was necessary for the long term health of the company.” 

Virginia: Reston based international telecom NII Holdings is now chapter 11 bankrupt busted in the U.S. and Europe.  NII promotes Nextel products in the U.S.   In August NII failed to make an interest payment on a massive loan.   Company administrators blame their money problems on a 23% crash in sales since last year.

11-12 September 2014

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

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart closing update, 21 November 2014: Kmart infected with MRSA, woman dies! Analysts say dump Sears, buy Lowe’s! Sears to dump credit card service! Kansas Sears shutting down before Thanksgiving!

The Manhattan, Kansas, Sears is closing by 23 November, that’s according to the latest local news reports.  Initial reports (back in September) said the store was shutting down by 07 December.  It also turns out that the Auto Center has already shutdown.

In the U.S. state of Illinois, a lawsuit has revealed that Kmart store shelves are covered with deadly MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus)!  While Thanksgiving holiday shopping (in 2012) a shopper scratched her leg on a shelf in the Streator Kmart.  She developed MRSA, and suffered a long time before dying seven months ago.  The Streator Kmart was shutdown.  The victim’s son is now suing Sears Holdings, local news reports say administrators at Sears Holdings are not commenting.

The U.S. Sears used to be the number 1 home appliance seller.  Credit Suisse Group claims home improvement store Lowe’s is on the verge of becoming the new King of home appliance sales.   Credit Suisse Group is also advising Sears stockholders to dump their Sears shares and buy shares in Lowe’s, or even Home Depot!

Too Big to Jail JPMorgan Chase says they will quit managing the Sears Canada credit card, when their contract expires next year.  Currently Sears Canada consumer credit program is managed by JPMorgan Chase (co-owned? On paper JPMorgan Chase ‘bought’ Sears Canada credit service in 2005).   Sears Canada is now trying to sell off the service.  Analysts suspect the sale could be worth $174-million CAD, and that’s just the amount Sears Canada would get from JPMorgan Chase!  It’s just another way a desperate retailer is trying to raise cash.

update 14 November 2014

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), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (number of employees affected not made public, no WARN filed).

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

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

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

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

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

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

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

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

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

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

Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost), Clive Kmart (at least 49 jobs lost), Ames Kmart (44 jobs lost), Fort Dodge Sears (no job loss numbers made public, yet. The Auto Center was secretly shutdown in September).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown), Wichita Sears store & Auto Center (103 jobs lost), recently revealed Manhattan Sears & Auto Center (number of jobs lost were never revealed).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart, Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost).

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

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Aroostook Centre Mall Sears (63 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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

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

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

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost), Great Falls Kmart (closed “until further notice” due to fire, 63 jobs on hold), Great Falls Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost) due to great sales (ironically) the shutdown date has been moved from 07 December 2014 to 23 November, Bozeman Kmart (37 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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).

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.

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 Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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. Food Crisis, October 2014: “…we took the money and ran…” Obamacare kills more grocery stores! 250% increase in cost of Turkeys! Inflation kills donuts! General Mills kills nearly 1-thousand jobs! No more Stouffers or Lean Cuisine?

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

Alabama: Winn-Dixie shutting down five grocery stores by November, about 325 jobs lost!  In Spanish Fort, after four years Tacky Jacks restaurant shutdown.  The owners say their restaurant needs improvements which they can’t afford.

Arizona: After 46 years Baker Nursery shutdown.  The family owners said they could no longer compete with ‘big box’ stores.

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

California: In Hawthorne, evil Cerberus owned Albertson’s grocery store warned it will shutdown in November, 78 jobs lost.  Kroger announced they’re shutting down yet another Ralph’s grocery store, this time in Santa Clarita in November.  A Ralph’s in Oceanside is also being shutdown in November, 70 jobs lost.  Kroger administrators blame Obama Care for increasing their costs of operations (via health insurance for employees), and they say the sales at the Santa Clarita and Oceanside Ralph’s can’t support those increased insurance costs.  In Pleasant Hills, Save Mart announced their Lucky grocery store will shutdown in November, 65 jobs lost.  Save Mart administrators blamed the “intense nonunion competitive environment”. In San Francisco, after 20 years the Eagle Donuts shop shutdown. The owner said her sales could barely handle the rent increases, but when the price of milk, sugar, and even minimum wage for employees went up, her donut sales couldn’t handle it anymore.  Also in San Francisco, Ghirardelli Chocolates issued a WARN saying they will shutdown just three days after Xmas, 84 jobs lost. However, it’s supposed to be temporary.  In Santa Clara, Bon Appetit Management issued a WARN saying they will shutdown in November, 97 jobs lost. In Modesto, Olam Spices issued a WARN saying they will kill off 242 jobs before Xmas!  In Hollywood, after 32 years the iconic Cat & Fiddle restaurant shutdown by the greedy landlord: “Looks like the landlord would prefer a chain to move into this gorgeous building instead of having us here. The landlord lives out of town and doesn’t really know Hollywood. He just knows Hollywood is booming and he can get a heck of a lot more money.”-Ashlee Gardner, co-owner of restaurant

Colorado: In Steamboat Springs, after more than 25 years a Wendy’s burger joint shutdown.  Apparently there were problems between the restaurant management and the property owners.

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

Florida: In Fort Lauderdale, the franchise owner of The Melting Pot restaurant gave up and shut it down, 20 jobs lost.  Administrators for The Melting Pot would only say that the franchise owner ran out of money.  In Miami, another iconic bar shutdown.  After 101 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Tobacco Road Bar being shutdown by the greedy property owner, who refuses to renew the lease.  Jacksonville based grocery store operator Bi-Lo announced they are shutting down 23 Bi-Lo and Winn Dixie stores by November.  That includes the stores in Alabama (mentioned above) and stores in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina.  At least 1-thousand food jobs lost!  It’s blamed on Bi-Lo’s takeover of Winn-Dixie and Delhaize America grocery stores.

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

Illinois: In Galva, after 18 years pet food maker All Feed Processing and Packaging shutting down.  Apparently they’ve violated many OSHA workplace safety rules.  In Buffalo Grove, after almost 30 years Winberie’s Restaurant & Bar shutdown.

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, after 38 years a Time Corners Pizza Hut on Covington Road shutdown due to crashing sales.  In Newburgh, after 32 years the popular Pizza Chef restaurant shutdown.

Iowa: Six Des Moines area CherryBerry self serve yogurt stores shutdown.  Apparently the self serve concept didn’t playout, as the owner said sales totally crashed since last summer.  Farm equipment maker Deere (formerly known as John Deere) continues job killing, this time 462 people in Waterloo are now jobless!

Maryland: In Ellicott City, after 36 years the owners of the Shanty Grille (Crab Shanty) announced they will shutdown after Xmas.  The owners called the bad economy a losing uphill battle.

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

Michigan: In Allen Park, the owners of The Daily Scoop ice cream and candy store announced they will shutdown in October.  Administrators with Hiller’s grocery stores warned their unionized employees that “severe financial problems” could lead to hundreds of layoffs if a new contract isn’t agreed to.    Hiller’s administrators directly blamed skyrocketing Obama Care insurance costs as a major contributor to their “severe financial problems”!

Minnesota: Minneapolis based food maker General Mills announced they will kill off as many as 800 salaried jobs by February 2015!  These are on top of the hundreds of jobs killed by their shutdown of a cereal factory and a yogurt factory.  Administrators of General Mills, the largest cereal maker in the U.S.,  blame the suck-ass economy for their crashing sales.  Lakeside Foods announced it will kill 90 jobs  at its Plainview factory in November.  Administrators blame it on the loss of  a contract with Hormel Foods.

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

Montana: In Kalispell, after 40 years the Sizzler steak restaurant shutdown, 25 jobs lost.  Local news reports say the owner ran out of money.  Evil Coca-Cola shutdown their Great Falls bottling plant, with little notice.  Local news reports said that employees were threatened with the loss of their piddly severance if they went public with how many people lost their jobs.  Coca-Cola administrators claim they will help some employees transfer to other bottling plants.

Nebraska: In Lincoln, after 25 years pumpkin and apple seller Sunwest Farms shutdown.  The owners admit they sold out: “…we had an opportunity this spring, we had a buyer, and we took the money and ran…”-Steph Spangler, co-owner

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

New York: In Flushing, Korean Plaza food store issued a WARN saying they will shutdown by December, 60 jobs lost.  In Batavia, Alpina Foods laid off 32 people, without notice.  Administrators blame it on the sudden loss of a major yogurt contract.  In Long Island, after ten years the Communitea coffee shop shutdown, the owners saying “We have been unable to renew the lease…”  In NYC, after 60 years iconic Smith’s Bar & Restaurant shutdown due to the rent being jacked up, employees were given a one  week notice.   In Buffalo, food processor Zemco announced they are shutting down in January 2015, at least 287 jobs lost! And the Pizza Plant restaurant shutdown because of the greedy landlord: “We couldn’t come to terms with the landlord on a lease.”-Bob Syracuse, owner

North Carolina: There’s no beef in Elizabeth City as yet another Arby’s restaurant shuts down.  Turkey based food producer House of Raeford announced they’re shutting down their turkey cooking factory by Xmas, 400 jobs lost!  Company administrators say the cost to process turkeys for grocery stores has skyrocketed 250% since last year, and they know customers are not willing to pay for it!  House of Raeford is also killing their contracts with 140 turkey farms!  In 2013 House of Raeford killed 1060 jobs, again because of skyrocketing operating costs!  In Durham, after 37 years Leo’s Seafood shutdown. The old owners blame the skyrocketing cost of fish, saying “Fish used to be one of the cheapest meats you could buy, it’s not like that anymore!”  By the way neither one of the owner’s name is Leo.

Ohio: In Solon, Switzerland based Nestlé laid off 100 Stouffers and Lean Cuisine workers! On top of that Nestlé administrators say another 200 jobs could be eliminated by November!

Oregon:  After three years the owners of the Cosmic Soda & Candy Shop announced they will shutdown in time for Xmas.

Pennsylvania:  O’Hara Township based Giant Eagle supermarket shutdown in-store child care service at 61 stores across Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.  In Pottsville, after 51 years beer distributor Brewers’ Outlet shutdown by evil and greedy city planners.  The owners said it was not their choice: “This has developed in a ‘perfect storm’ manner, and this development is not Brewers’ Outlet desire and completely out of our control.”-Liz and Bob Carl

Evil Pottsville city administrators decided to take the property from Brewers’ Outlet so that a CVS legal drugs pushing op could be built!

Texas: In Houston, after 28 years Van Loc Restaurant shutdown by evil city officials who approved a plan by greedy property developers to build a massive apartment and retail complex in the Midtown area!

Vermont:  In Richmond, after 14 years the Bridge Street Cafe shutdown.  The owner said “I’m an old man” and his even older mother wants to live in Florida.

Virginia:  In Carytown, a second Dixie Donuts shop shutdown, the owners of the “best donut shop in Virginia” basically saying the economy can’t support all their store fronts, so they’re focusing all their efforts on their original store.   In Fredericksburg, after six years the Pinkadilly Tea restaurant shutdown.  The owner, a former worker in the mortgage industry, blamed it on crashing sales.  In Manassas, after 49 years iconic Kline’s Freeze soft serve ice cream shop killed off by greedy property owner: “We have been informed by our landlord that the Kline’s Freeze property is being sold. It seems our little blue and white building, serving our loyal customers and friends for 49 years will be torn own sometime in 2015.”-James and Lorraine Kline Croushorn, shop owners

At least 4-thousand people protested the closing on social media!

Wisconsin: 90 people laid off by Associated Milk Producers in Portage. Operations are being consolidated to Ohio.  Manitowoc Ice announced a second round of layoffs, this time 110 people will become unemployed between December 2014 and March 2015!  CNH (aka CASE, International Harvester, New Holland) is joining competitor Deere and shutting down farm tractor production. 150 second shift employees will become unemployed on 01 December, at the Mount Pleasant factory!

U.S. Food Crisis, September 2014

Business/Economics

Show me the money! Move over 1%, the .004% New World Ultra Wealthy are taking over!

19 November 2014 (10:05 UTC-07 Tango)/26 Muharram 1436/28 Aban 1393/27 Yi-Hai 4712

The new phenomenon of ultra wealth is being tracked by the elitist think tank Wealth-X, and the elitist Swiss bank UBS.  They’ve just released the result of their latest survey, which shows the 1% have a new threat known as the .004%, or New World Ultra Wealthy.

Here’s the basic breakdown:

0.004% of the World’s population now controls 13% of global society’s wealth.

While the working class continue to see their earning and spending power decline, the Ultra Wealthy saw their wealth increase by 6% in 2013.  This is more proof of where all the World’s wealth (specifically money-currency) is going.   Another way to look at the Ultra Wealthy is that they are nothing more than money hoarders.

The United States is home to most of the World’s Ultra Wealthy.

South American countries experienced the biggest decline in Ultra Wealthy individuals.  (is this due to a more fair distribution of wealth?)

The majority of Ultra Wealthy men are “self made” (eugenicist Bill Gates is the top Ultra Wealthy man in the U.S., followed by job killer Warren Buffet).  The majority of Ultra Wealthy women inherited their wealth.

The Ultra Wealthy spend an average of $1.1-million USD per year on luxury items.  Luxury items are not things which require mass production, thus creating a lot of jobs.  In other words, the spending habits of wealthy people only benefit an extreme minority of workers, rendering the concept of trickle down economics impotent.

And if you think you need a university education think again.  12% of the Ultra Wealthy have no more than a 12th grade level of education. But if you are going to go to university make it Harvard, that’s where the overwhelming majority of the ultra rich in the United States got their ‘education’.

See the Wealth-X report here.

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 11 – 12 September 2014: “Our current models are no longer effective…” DSS continues to kill education jobs! New Idaho company kills jobs just months after starting up! New York company kills jobs just 3 weeks after hiring spree! “I’m so confused as to what happened…I just about fell over!”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Alabama:  Maker of insulation and hardware for utility companies, MacLean Power Systems, announced they will shutdown their Red Hollow Road factory in October, 75 jobs lost (although company administrators claim they can transfer to other factories).

Arizona: Reports that military taxsucker General Dynamics is threatening as many as 4-thousand jobs in Scottsdale, by shutting down and moving their Scottsdale ops to Virginia!  General Dynamics has already sold off one huge building, and reports say the massive move will take place in January 2015.

California: Spin Media killed more jobs.  This time 19 people were let go, and they ended publication of their their hard copy magazine Vibe.  Back in January the music news media outlet killed 14 jobs.  The Calaveras Unified School District announced they must kill an estimated 50 jobs. They blame years of what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS) for creating a $2-million USD shortfall!  In San Mateo, Sears Holdings shutdown one of two local Kmarts, 82 jobs lost.  Local news reports say the Kmart is being replaced with a building housing public transportation and apartments.  What automotive industry recovery? Yet another California Superstores  car  dealer going down, this time in Valencia in November, 64 jobs lost. Obama Care killing off Morrison Healthcare, which announced they’re shutting down their Los Alamitos and Palm Springs ops in November, 138 jobs lost!  In San Jose, BD Biosciences warned it will kill 60 jobs in November.

Florida: In Weston, Too Big to Jail American Express announced they will kill 113 Global Billing Services jobs in November! The bad global economy is forcing them to downsize.  In Jacksonville, after 68 years Fred Cotten’s BBQ shutdown, the current owner-operator revealed the U.S. economy has always sucked for him: “The financial aspect of this, I cannot continue to absorb it. I’ve never made a profit here in 14 years, and that’s the truth!”-Bill Cowart, took over restaurant in 2000

Georgia: In Macon, after 43 years music venue Grants Lounge shutdown by violent crime.  The owner says they’ve been trying to address the problem by looking into things like more security and moving to a new location, but nothing seems to be working out for them.

Idaho: The fact that so many former employees of recently created Scientech (a division of nuclear industry Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Company) are applying for unemployment assistance reveals a layoff of at least 25 people in Idaho Falls.  Local news reports say company administrators refuse to talk.  At the end of 2013, Scientech announced they were to set up business in Idaho Falls by the summer of 2014, meaning the company had just barely started ops before killing jobs already.

Illinois: In Wheaton, after 25 years MC Sports supply store shutdown.  There were reports that the new owner of the property is running all the existing business out, such as the IHOP restaurant located on the same property.

Maine: In Portland, after 25 years vegetarian Pepperclub-Good Egg Café shutdown.  Local news reports said the owner had “…anticipated a very profitable summer….but numbers dipped this summer to levels I have never seen!”  The owner also blamed steadily increasing rent: “I’m so confused as to what happened. I know the city has reached a saturation point. I was looking at places that were $35 a square foot and I just about fell over!”-Melissa Sawyer

Minnesota:  It’s been revealed that of the 18 Roundy’s Rainbow grocery stores that were up for sale, nine failed to sell and were shutdown, and two that were sold were shutdown by the new owner (Jerry’s Enterprises), nearly 1-thousand jobs lost!

Mississippi: In Jackson, after more than 85 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home shutdown.  The family owners referred to the bad economy as “changing business conditions”.

Nevada: In Las Vegas, the Kardashian family announced they will shutdown their three years old Kardashian Khaos store in October.

New Jersey:    What I call Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS) forcing Brookdale Community College to warn of layoffs: “These are tough times and the organizational structure we have now is not sustainable; the board is aware of this harsh fact. Our current models are no longer effective in serving today’s students, and we must catch up with the advances that have been made in educational technology.”-Maureen Murphy, president

New York: In Canton, kitchen utensil maker Corning is now asking its newly hired employees to voluntarily quit!  In the middle of August Corning hired on 40 new employees, but now says a sudden and huge crash in sales is forcing them to cancel their plans for expansion.  The Metropolitan Opera laid off 22 administration staff.  Opera administrators said “The reductions are part of an ongoing effort to make the 131-year-old organization leaner fiscally…”

Ohio:  Too Big to Jail PNC Bank announced it is shutting down offices in Cleveland and Elyira between now and November.  Bank administrators blame it on the changing habits of their ‘customers’.

Texas: In Round Rock, after only nine months Curly’s Carolina BBQ restaurant shutdown.  Fort Worth based Radio Shack warned its stockholders that they are on the verge of chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Washington DC: What housing market recovery?  At a time when rents are going up the federal government has decided to cut rent subsidies (Section 8) for low income renters in the country’s capital city.  Apparently the Section 8 program for Washington DC is short $37-million!  This doesn’t just affect the renters but the landlords as well, because you can’t squeeze blood from a turnip.

Wisconsin: In Milwaukee, iconic home and industry food canning supplier Ball announced they will kill 24 jobs in November.  They killed 74 jobs at the same factory last year.   Company administrators blame it on crashing sales to corporate food producers.  After almost 40 years Roger Stevens Menswear shutdown.  What housing market recovery?  The Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors reports the city has suffered eight years in a row of crashing home sales!  In La Crosse, Hooters restaurant shutdown.  Restaurant administrators said it’s not worth it to renew the lease.  Bon-Ton announced it will shutdown a Naperville furniture store in January 2015, 20 jobs lost.

09-10 September 2014

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

Business/Economics

While Arby’s promotes its meatful menu the restaurant chain has been bleeding stores & jobs!

15 November 2014 (03:19 UTC-07 Tango)/22 Muharram 1436/24 Aban 1393/23 Yi-Hai 4712

I love Arby’s new pro-meat advertisements, but it might be hiding the fact that Arby’s has gotten lean, and really mean, with its employees.

Just this year nearly a dozen Arby’s restaurants shutdown, without any notice.

Here’s an incomplete list of the 2014 Arby’s shutdowns, so far:

Arkansas: The Jonesboro fire marshall shutdown the Arby’s, saying several trusses supporting the roof were broken and that the only thing holding it together was the rubber membrane roofing material!

Colorado: A Glenwood Springs Arby’s shutdown.  The 15 employees were given three days notice.

Kentucky: Reports that the Elizabethtown Arby’s shutdown, customers were confused thinking it was a temporary closure caused by a fire.

New Jersey: The 15 years old Glassboro Arby’s shutdown, 12 jobs lost.

North Carolina: There’s no beef in Elizabeth City as yet another Arby’s restaurant shuts down.

Ohio: A Salem Arby’s shutdown for a couple weeks of remodeling.

Pennsylvania: The following Arby’s shutdown without notice to employees; Wilkes-Barre Township, Scranton, Frackville,  Kingston, Pine Grove and Pennsdale.  The franchise owner went chapter 7 bankrupt.

South Carolina: A Lexington Arby’s was shutdown for several days after an SUV crashed through the front of the restaurant.  In Walterboro, after 12 years the local Arby’s restaurant shutdown without notice. Local news reports say the restaurant has two signs posted on the building, one saying “Now Hiring!” and the other saying “Sorry we’re close.” (yep, they actually forgot to put the ‘d’ on the end of “close”). Local news reports said no restaurant official would talk to them to explain why the restaurant shutdown.

West Virginia: Two Arby’s shutdown without notice, one in Bluefield and one in Princeton.  A Bluefield code enforcement officer was shocked saying “I don’t think many people had any forewarning about Arby’s. That’s a high traffic area. They didn’t seem to have any shortage of customers.”  The franchise owner went chapter 7 bankrupt.

In 2011 Arby’s was sold off for $430-million.  Between 2011 and 2014 at least one hundred Arby’s were shutdown.

Business/Economics, International, Opinion

Obama spends BooKoo tax dollars on hotel during G20 meeting! Outspends rivals!

15 November 2014 (02:26 UTC-07 Tango)/22 Muharram 1436/24 Aban 1393/23 Yi-Hai 4712

U.S. president Barack Obama is attending the global conspiracy meeting known as G20.  It’s being held in the British empire country of Australia, where World ‘leaders’ had to actually outbid rivals for the best hotel rooms!

U.S. taxpayers can be proud that ‘their’ president was the top bidder, spending $2146 USD per night at the Brisbane Marriott!  That’s almost double what second highest bidder British empire United Kingdom prime minister David Cameron is spending on his hotel room.  (let’s not forget all those security guards get taxpayer funded hotel rooms as well)

What better way to lead the Group of Twenty economies than to spend your taxpayer’s money like there was no tomorrow, while your domestic economy continues to get flushed down the toilet!

Business/Economics

U.S. Food Crisis, September 2014: “I’ve never made a profit here in 14 years, and that’s the truth!” No more Cheerios? Russian sanctions killing U.S. farm jobs? “the situation…is only going to get worse”

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

It’s been revealed that the draconian cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps) will affect only four U.S. states: Michigan, Wisconsin, New Jersey and New Hampshire. The rest of the states say they will use their own taxpayer’s money to make up for the federal cuts. The cuts come at a time when there are record numbers of people needing food help. The cuts were passed by Congress and signed by the Obama regime. And administrators of SNAP say across the U.S. ‘white’ people are getting the most help for buying food (43%). 

California: Cereal maker General Mills announced they will shutdown their 67 years old Lodi factory by the end of 2015, 430 jobs lost!  Administrators blame crashing cereal sales.   In Whittier, Kroger announced it will shutdown yet another Ralph’s grocery store, 62 jobs lost in November. Kroger has been blaming the increase health insurance costs for employees, forced by Obama Care.  Egg supplier Moark announced they are ending operations in several cities by November, 187 jobs lost and the price of eggs will continue going up!  In Fullerton, MBM Foodservice warned it will shutdown in December, 76 jobs lost.

Colorado: In Wheat Ridge, after 26 years Gold’s Corner Grocery store shutdown.

Florida: In Miami, after 44 years Miami’s Best Pizza shutdown. The property owner pulled the rug out from under the restaurant owner’s feet, by renting the building to somebody willing to pay far more in rent.   It was revealed that Reilly’s Westshore Taphouse shutdown “…due to circumstance beyond our control between the city of Tampa and our landlord.” Kerry’s Nursery lost 51 hectares (128 acres) to foreclosure! The nursery was planning on growing medical marijuana under the recent law, but for some odd reason the state government has yet to approve any applications for growing the potentially money making crop.  In Myrtle Beach, after only a few years the Celtic themed Tilted Kilt pub shutdown, despite having 17 years to go on their lease! According to local reports the franchisee owner sold out to somebody else, and company administrators refuse comment.  In Jacksonville, after 68 years Fred Cotten’s BBQ shutdown, the current owner-operator revealed the U.S. economy has always sucked for him: “The financial aspect of this, I cannot continue to absorb it. I’ve never made a profit here in 14 years, and that’s the truth!”-Bill Cowart, took over restaurant in 2000

Georgia: In Atlanta, after two years Dough Bakery vegetarian restaurant suddenly shutdown. No reason given by the owners.  After 60 years the iconic Zesto Drive-In restaurant shutdown, the family owners say they were forced to sell by greedy property developers.  In Augusta, artificial sweetener maker Nutrasweet announced they must halt production and kill 200 jobs due to tough competition from  imported artificial sweeteners!

Illinois: In Geneva, after 35 years the owners of the ‘health’ food store Soup to Nuts announced they will shutdown in October.  In Alton, a Dairy Queen shutdown.  The franchise owners said sales were so bad it wasn’t worth it to renew their franchise license.  The Illinois Policy Institute reports that the number of Prairie Staters whose incomes have crashed, and therefore should qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps), has hit 745-thousand. The institute says for every one person who loses a job at least two adults go begging to the government for food.

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, the owner of all three Papa Murphy’s take-n-bake pizza joints announced they will shutdown in November!  Local news reports say employees blamed the lack of sales.  Also in Fort Wayne, after more than 50 years iconic Atz’s Ice Cream Shoppes shutdown without notice! Local news reports say the family business took an economic nosedive three years ago, when they were forced to shutdown their Kendallville ice cream factory.  County tax assessors say the family now owes several thousands of dollars in property taxes.

Kansas: Farm equipment maker AGCO tried to blame their factory shutdown and killing of at least 111 jobs on the embargo against U.S. farm equipment by Russia, however, ag analysts say it’s really the suck-ass economy: “With depressed crop prices, farmers don’t want to spend money, and large equipment dealers like John Deere, like AGCO, are starting to see the effects, and they’re being proactive.”-John Jenkinson, The Ag Network

Kentucky: In the Nulu district of Louisville, Taco Punk shutdown.  The owners blame road construction which “decisively cut off easy access for downtown workers to NuLu during the crucial lunch hours. … It is clear that the situation in NuLu is only going to get worse…”

Maine: Anti-2nd Amendment Pepsi shutting down their warehouse ops in Portland and Augusta, about 100 jobs affected!  Pepsi says the bad economy is forcing them to consolidate operations.  In Portland, after 25 years vegetarian Pepperclub-Good Egg Café shutdown. Local news reports said the owner had “…anticipated a very profitable summer….but numbers dipped this summer to levels I have never seen!” The owner also blamed steadily increasing rent: “I’m so confused as to what happened. I know the city has reached a saturation point. I was looking at places that were $35 a square foot and I just about fell over!”-Melissa Sawyer

Maryland: In Hagerstown, Sheetz Fresh Food Made to Order shutdown.

Massachusetts: General Mills announced they will shutdown their Methuen yogurt factory, 144 jobs lost!

Michigan:  In Rochester Hills, the Sweet Spot Candy Shoppe shutdown. In Saginaw, after nearly 40 years the Ponderosa Steakhouse shutdown without notice, or reason given.

Minnesota: It’s been revealed that of the 18 Roundy’s Rainbow grocery stores that were up for sale, nine failed to sell and were shutdown, and two that were sold were shutdown by the new owner (Jerry’s Enterprises), nearly 1-thousand jobs lost!  Minneapolis based food giant General Mills revealed its profits for its fiscal 1st quarter crashed 25%! They will continue with job killing.

Mississippi: In Biloxi, after two years the Margaritaville Casino and Restaurant shutdown. Attorneys for the casino said the property owner refused to allow the building of a hotel, which was part of the original plan.  In Long Beach, Rouses Supermarket shutdown.

Missouri: In Ladue, after nearly 70 years Spicer’s toy and candy store shutdown, they couldn’t afford the new lease.  In Florissant, after 95 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Yacovelli Restaurant shutdown. In Saint Louis, California based Hamburger Mary’s shutdown due to the landlord losing “…the building in foreclosure, and the bank is now forcing us out in order to sell the building.” 

Nebraska: British empire Canada based Agrium laid off 33 people at their fertilizer and feed factory in Fairbury. They’re shutting down their zinc sulfate ops, local news reports said company administrators refused to say why.  In North Platte, after five years Margie’s Bar and Grill shutdown.

Nevada: In Reno, after 27 years Scolari’s Food & Drug Company announced it will shutdown in October, 48 jobs lost.  Company administrators said the bad economy was forcing them to “streamline” ops.

New Hampshire: In Merrimack, reports that after 11 years Swan Chocolates reduced their cafe hours to the public.  The owners said they needed to get back to creating new eats, and they can’t do that while running a full time retail eatery.

New Mexico: In Clovis, after 46 years family owned grocery store Stansell’s Thriftway shutdown.

New York: In Canton, kitchen utensil maker Corning is now asking its newly hired employees to voluntarily quit! In the middle of August Corning hired on 40 new employees, but now says a sudden, and huge crash in sales is forcing them to cancel their plans for expansion. In Jamaica (at the JFK airport), LSG Sky Chefs warned it will shutdown by January 2015, at least 139 jobs lost and 200 jobs to be transfered!  In Binghamton, anti-2nd Amendment Pepsi warned it will shutdown their bottling factory in November, 74 jobs lost. In the same city dairy distributor HP Hood also warned they will shutdown in November, 32 jobs lost.

North Carolina: I warned back in February that iconic cereal maker Kelloggs (aka Kellogg) was about to launch its job killing operation Project K. Local news reports say Project K has begun with the first victims, numbering 161, to be made unemployed in January! The job killing under Project K is said to last until 2018! Company officials say they’re hopeful they can cut their costs by $475-million over the next four years, meaning they are not optimistic about any economic recovery!

Ohio: In Cincinnati, after almost six years the owners of the Mainstay Rock Bar announced they will shutdown in October. There was no official reason, but rumors say the building is being renovated.

Oklahoma: In Tulsa, Reasor’s announced they will shutdown a grocery store within the next two months. It could be blamed on Reasor’s takeover of two competing Food Pyramid grocery stores.  After 11 years LaDonna’s Fancy Foods store shutdown.

Oregon: In Portland, Produce Row Cafe beer bar shutdown: “It is with a heavy heart that we close Produce Row today for an indefinite hiatus. We understand this is a surprise for many and know that we could not be more grateful for all of your support over the last 40 years.”

Pennsylvania:  In Shamokin Dam after 50 years of eats, the owners of Tedd’s Landing restaurant announced they’ll shutdown by November, due to the suck-ass economy.  In Hazleton (Hazle Township), Archer Daniels Midland killed 90 chocolate maker jobs after being taken over by evil food processor Cargill. Local news reports say the remaining 118 Umpa Lumpas are in limbo as Cargill has made no announcement about what they’re going to do with their newly acquired chocolate factory. Cargill administrators say they are in the middle of a $440-million deal involving taking over food factories around the World. Their plan is to consolidate operations, which means massive layoffs, possibly in the thousands.  In Lemoyne, after 18 years Bob’s Bagels & Philly Style Hoagies shutdown.  In Robesonia, food distributor Associated Wholesales now bankrupt busted and already selling off its assets.

Rhode Island: After 31 years French restaurant Basil’s of Narragansett shutdown because the greedy property owner refused to reduce the rent. Local news reports say the owners of the restaurant were active in supporting the community.

South Carolina: In Columbia, hope is lost for the Harvest Hope Food Bank. They have to layoff ten employees, and reduce hours for the other 78. The operators of the po-folks food non-profit claim it’s not because of decreased donations, rather demand for food has skyrocketed, and they had some equipment breakdown which must be repaired.  In Eutaw, after 29 years Chef’s Choice Steakhouse shutdown: “These are difficult times. Financially, steak prices are really high. It is hard to make ends meet. It was a tough decision for us to make.”-Dareen Bell Connor, co-owner

Tennessee: Bread & Company shutdown their West Nashville restaurant, due to being unable to pay the rent.  Massive food producer Cargill announced they’re shutting down a Memphis corn mill in January 2015, 440 jobs lost!  Cargill A-holes, I mean administrators claim the mill is “underutilized”.  In Chattanooga, Ferrara Candy announced they are selling off their factory, 95 jobs affected.  They already killed 100 jobs prior to the announcement!  At one point the factory employed 450 people, back when it was owned by Farley’s & Sathers.

Texas: In Round Rock, after only nine months Curly’s Carolina BBQ restaurant shutdown.

Utah: In Saint George, Iowa based Blue Bunny shutdown an ice cream factory, 100 jobs lost! Company administrators claim they must consolidate operations back to Iowa to “remain competitive” in this suck-ass economy.

Vermont: Guild Fine Meats sandwich shop shutdown.

Virginia: In Troutville, after 32 years the Waffle House shutdown. The restaurant owners claim they are moving to a new location that can increase profits, in other words the old property owner wants more rent.  In Richmond, after 38 years Buddy’s Place announced it will shutdown in January 2015.  The owner blames the greedy landlord for demanding more rent.

Wisconsin: In Green Bay, The Urban Frog restaurant warned it might shutdown, due to the death of the owner.  In Milwaukee, iconic home and industry food canning supplier Ball announced they will kill 24 jobs in November. They killed 74 jobs at the same factory last year. Company administrators blame it on crashing sales to corporate food producers.  In La Crosse, Hooters restaurant shutdown. Restaurant administrators said it’s not worth it to renew the lease.

U.S. Food Crisis, August 2014

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart closing update, 14 November 2014: Sudden shutdown of a Wisconsin Kmart!

It’s been revealed that another Wisconsin Kmart is shutting down, this time in just a couple of weeks from now.

update 12 November 2014

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), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (number of employees affected not made public, no WARN filed).

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

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

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

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

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

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

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

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

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

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

Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost), Clive Kmart (at least 49 jobs lost), Ames Kmart (44 jobs lost), Fort Dodge Sears (no job loss numbers made public, yet. The Auto Center was secretly shutdown in September).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown), Wichita Sears store & Auto Center (103 jobs lost).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart, Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost).

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

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Aroostook Centre Mall Sears (63 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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

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

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

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost), Great Falls Kmart (closed “until further notice” due to fire, 63 jobs on hold), Great Falls Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost) due to great sales (ironically) the shutdown date has been moved from 07 December 2014 to 23 November, Bozeman Kmart (37 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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).

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.

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 Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 jobs lost).

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

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

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

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)