Incomplete list of U.S. retail/banking/service sector job loss announcements and shutdowns for July 2016:
After 23 years men’s clothing store Universal Gear shutdown its last two stores in New York and Washington DC!
California: Team AMVETS Thrift Store forced to shutdown one of its Fresno locations saying “it was never a huge profit source for us.” In Petaluma, after two years Toy B Ville shutdown due to sales not being enough to pay the rent. At one time the owner had several toy stores spread through two counties, but now has only one store in Napa. Tustin based direct seller Vivi Jewelry (Cookie Lee) now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Comments on the company’s Facebook page indicate it has shutdown affecting 40-thousand people working as ‘direct sellers’ (6-thousand 4-hundred just in California)! In Los Angeles, “legendary” stationary store Pulp Cards & Paper shutdown due to “We lost our lease!” In Stevenson Ranch after $2-million USD in remodeling costs, furniture seller Urban Home shutting down their Westfield Valencia Town Center store by the end of August (they actually wanted to shut it down in July).
Colorado: In Grand Junction, after 31 years Crawford Boot & Western Wear shutting down by the end of August.
Connecticut: In Stamford, British empire based RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) laying off 21 people by mid-September.
Florida: Belk issued a shutdown WARN for their Jacksonville store, 52 jobs lost between Xmas and mid-January 2017. Ameris Bank shutdown their Hawthorne office, local news media say it was the last bank office in the city and that the majority of residents are not willing to switch to electronic banking. In Sarasota, clothier Brooks Brothers shutdown their Main Street store.
Idaho: After five years, the first locally franchised Flip Flop Shops (in Boise Towne Square Mall) shutdown, five jobs lost: “…we just had several years of decreasing sales, to the point where we can no longer finance the business.”-Dustin Preece, co-owner
Illinois: Too Big to Jail Bank of America laying off 141 people in Rolling Meadows, due to consolidation ops! In Ukrainian Village, Columbia Furniture shutdown due to selling the property: “Apparently our real estate is better than the furniture business.”-Wally Papciak, co-owner
In Chicago, National Opinion Research Center issued a shutdown WARN, 285 jobs gone in September! After more than 20 years music venue Double Doors shutdown due to being evicted. Also in Chicago, the Ulta Beauty shop on South State Street shutdown permanently due to property damage caused by nearby construction projects. Ulta administrators blame the property developer. Convenience store Jiffi Stop shutting down multiple locations due to selling out to a competitor, at least 230 jobs lost by the end of September! Management company Group O eliminating 48 jobs in Milan, no reason given. ‘Christian’ Mitt Romney wunderkind Staples shutting down their Moline store by September. In Freeport, after 63 years DeGrote Television shutdown. A co-owner lamented that at one time he was busy doing 20 repairs per day: “It’s time to close it down. In this day and age, nobody wants a business like this.”-Tom Moth
Indiana: In Clarksville, after 53 years Granpa’s Outdoor hardware store shutdown. In Muncie, MC Sports shutting down by the end of Summer. In Michigan City, after more than $90-thousand USD in high-tech upgrades Lakeshore Lanes (formerly Suburban Lanes) shutdown: “We tried our best but financially it just didn’t work out.”-Dave Backstrom, frustrated owner
Kansas: Genesis Health Clubs shutdown three locations in Kansas City. It’s connected to their takeover of rival 24 Hour Fitness last month.
Kentucky: In Bardstown, after 30 years Plantation Furniture shutdown.
Massachusetts: In Boston Weak, Boston Grand Prix now chapter 7 bankrupt busted due to IndyCar canceling the race, after ticket sales had already begun. The state Attorney General could file charges because ticket sales are not being refunded. IndyCar pulled out of the Boston race back in April because “The relationship between us and the city is not working.”, however Boston Grand Prix kept selling tickets in the hopes they could start a “Plan B” race. In Cambridge, Stellabella Toys shutdown, the owner blamed competition from “iPods and iPads”.
Michigan: In Bay City, after 61 years Fabric Fair shutdown, the store is for sale as well as the property.
Minnesota: After 43 years Ganite City Pawn Shop shutting down in October. The owner is selling the property so he can finally retire.
Mississippi: Jackson based All American Check Cashing shutting down stores in Alabama and Louisiana due to losing battles with state and federal regulators!
Missouri: Total Hockey now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and being sold-off due to crashing sales, 32 stores affected. One of the last true variety stores Nagel’s shutting down after 44 years, the tired owners say they need to retire. Too Big to Jail lender of rigged home loans NovaStar Financial getting what it deserves, now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.
Montana: In Billings, after 23 years the once profitable Bead Depot shutting down due to internet competition.
Nebraska: The last roller rink in Lincoln shutting down in 2017, after 63 years the owners of Skate Zone said “It’s just too expensive a piece of property to operate as a roller skating rink” and are selling-out to a property developer.
New Hampshire: In Rochester the Starlite Cinemas shutdown due to crashing sales.
New Jersey: After 20 years Somerville Antiques Center shutdown due to crashing sales. In Norwood, after 35 years successful Colonial Inn shutdown because the 70 years old owner’s children didn’t want to take over the business.
New Mexico: In Los Alamos, Nu2U Consignment and Gift Store shutting down by the end of September.
New York: In Getzville, a shutdown WARN issued for University-Ramada Hotel & Conference Center, 72 jobs lost by the end of September. Too Big to Jail KeyCorp (Keybank) eliminating 250 jobs and shutting down 18 offices as part of its take over of First Niagara Bank! CRT Capital finally notified state employment administrators that they shutdown their NYC location, 84 jobs suddenly gone. Visium Asset Management laying off at least 24 employees starting in October. Too Big to Jail Goldman Sachs issued yet another WARN (the evil money temple calling it a “4th round of layoffs”), 55 people becoming jobless in time for Xmas. What housing market recovery? In Elma, Seneca Mortgage laying off 43 people due to the sale of their mortgage ops to a competitor. Direct marketer Trusted Media Brands (Reader’s Digest) issued a shutdown WARN for their White Plains location, 31 jobs gone starting in October. They’ll also shutdown their Studio Fun International operations. In Brooklyn NYC, The Big Apple Circus laid off dozens of employees due to “insufficient funding”.
North Carolina: Charlotte based Too Big to Jail Bank of America revealed it eliminated 2-thousand 667 jobs in its 2nd quarter! Since its 2nd quarter of 2015 Bank of America has killed more than 6-thousand 1-hundred jobs! In Winston Salem, after only two years Camel City News & Gifts shutdown due to the landlord not renewing the lease.
Ohio: In Trotwood, the Hara Arena shopping center shutdown. Local politicians, and property developers, are pushing cash strapped taxpayers to fund revitalization of the 1-hundred acre site. What housing market recovery? Forest City Realty Trust eliminated an additional 25 jobs. Local news media say the realty company killed 150 jobs since the end of 2015! In Aurora, after 34 years Chet Edwards General Home Refurnishings shutting down, the owners blame multiple factors. In Mount Vernon, after 20 years antique seller Farley and Moore shutdown, after four failed years of trying to sell the business.
Oregon: North Carolina based Too Big to Jail Bank of America issued a mass layoff WARN for their Hillsboro location, 109 jobs lost by September! In Medford after surviving The Great Depression, Ead’s Furniture shutting down in August. The owner said with the bad economy it was the only thing that “made sense”. In Portland, yarn seller Yarnia announced it will shutdown its eight years old brick-n-mortar store and sell on the internet only.
Pennsylvania: In Palmyra, Royer’s Flowers and Gifts shutdown due to losing their lease. In Dunmore, dress boutique Head To Toe shutdown, the owner saying “It’s time to have a life.” Hippie and the Hound Vapor Store shutting down by September due to new tobacco taxes. In East Vandergrift, after more than 44 years Henry’s TV & Appliance shutdown due to family illness. In Chambersburg, after 32 years Elite Tattoo shutdown, due to the owner’s health problems. In Bethlehem, after 35 years the owner of Play It Again music store shutting it down after being made an ‘un-refusable’ offer for the property. The owner of 1-hundred-plus years old West Washington Hardware announced they will shutdown by October, blaming the Big Box stores: “All mom-and-pop stores have been run out. There are no small businesses left in this town.”-Tom Rogers
Rhode Island: GUESS shutdown their clothing store in the Providence Place Mall.
Tennessee: What housing market recovery? In Nashville, Georgia based SunTrustBank shutdown their mortgage loan center, 83 jobs lost. Like the rest of unAmerican corporate America, SunTrustBank is consolidating operations.
Texas: Too Big to Jail Comerica Bank eliminating 8-hundred jobs and shutting down 40 offices because “We are fundamentally changing the way we operate…”! Amarillo based bankrupt video/music/bookstore chain Hastings announced “All Hastings stores, our e-Commerce business and our corporate office will all discontinue operations….”, thousands of jobs lost!
Virginia: Too Big to Jail BB&T laying off 61 bank employees, but did not say when. In Portsmouth, after more than 60 years Dail’s Hardware shutdown. Too Big to Jail Genworth Financial eliminated 27 jobs. According to local news media Genworth Financial has killed at least 6-hundred jobs since 2011! After 32 years Lilies of Gent clothing store shutdown.
Washington: Too Big to Jail Capital One eliminating 187 internet based ING Online jobs by 2017! Capital One is consolidating “nondigital product management” jobs.
Wisconsin: Saint Clair’s Menswear shutting down their Wausau store in August, blaming “A shift in clientele….”
“NO SIGNS OF FUTURE IMPROVEMENT” : JULY 2016 U.S. MINING/INDUSTRIAL/LOGISTICS LAYOFFS
JULY 2016 U.S. FEDERAL/STATE/LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHENANIGANS
June 2016: “People….never returned.”
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification.
I found a 2010 AFL-CIO analysis (titled The Public Availability of WARN Notices: Lack of Accessibility and Disclosure…) which proves what I’ve been suspecting in my search of state WARN notices; most states are not complying with federal WARN regulations and are not publicizing or tracking mass layoffs.
Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!
Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”
