Incomplete list of U.S. retail/banking/service sector job loss announcements and shutdowns made or announced in April 2017:
British empire Canada based elitist Kit and Ace shutting down all its outrageously overpriced athletic clothing stores in the United States, as well as stores in Australia and United Kingdom, to focus on internet selling and its Canadian storefronts.
British empire United Kingdom based female underwear seller Agent Provocateur is now bankrupt busted in the United States.
Alabama: Law firm Bradley suddenly laid off 28 people saying “The legal industry and our firm continue to adapt to the efficiencies that technology brings to our attorneys and their client matters, as well as generational differences….” In Mobile, Crescent Theater announced it will shutdown by May.
Arkansas: Bentonville based Walmart laid off hundreds more corporate employees, including 3-hundred Information System Division employees!
California: Temp agency Randstad General Partner issued a shutdown WARN for its San Jose office, 60 jobs lost by June. MUFG Union Bank eliminating 61 Monterey Park jobs in June. Brisbane based bankrupt female clothier bebe says it will shutdown all 175 stores (don’t blame the internet, they also sold online). Irvine based (but owned by a company in Minnesota) old women’s clothier Draper’s and Damon’s shutting down all brick-n-mortar stores, but apparently still sells on Amazon.com. The 87 years old Palo Alto Sport Shop & Toy World shutdown blaming crashing sales, don’t you blame the internet because they even partnered with Google Express to sell online. In Walnut Creek, Consignments Plus suddenly went bankrupt and shutdown, without paying thousands of dollars owed to customers. In San Diego, after 60 years bowling alley Vista Entertainment Center shutting down to be replaced by an unnecessary Honda dealer. After more than ten years Venice Beach Freakshow shutting down due to the property being secretly sold-off six months prior: “This is a classic example of where art, freedom, culture and creativity meets greed, arrogance and just pure deceitfulness.”-Todd Ray, founder of Freakshow
Colorado: In Denver, 36 years old clothier Molly’s shutdown blaming ‘big box’ competition.
Connecticut: Bankrupt Bob’s Stores shutting down in Danbury, Fairfield and Milford. British empire based RBS (Royal bank of Scotland) continues killing jobs, this time 22 Stamford jobs gone by mid-June.
Florida: Estero based rental car company Hertz announced it laid off 24 corporate level employees, yet at the same time claims it’s hiring. The second oldest retailer in Palm Beach, elitist Cartier, suddenly and unexplainedly announced it would shutdown. PHH Mortgage issued another layoff WARN for Jacksonville, 20 jobs gone by the end of June. Dollar Express issued shutdown WARNs for 17 stores, about 125 jobs lost by the end of June!
Idaho: In Nampa, after 44 years the Yesteryear Shoppe shutdown due to eviction after the lease was canceled. The owner of the shop blamed his crashing revenues on radically changing trends.
Illinois: United Rentals issued a shutdown WARN for its Chicago ops, 45 jobs lost by June, no reason given. In Chicago, anti-Trump World’s of Music shutdown claiming they were being harassed by Trump fans. In Evanston, after ten years clothing shop 2nd Time Around shutdown. In Naperville, Russel’s Dry Cleaning shutting down some time during Summer due to business “rapidly” crashing over the past eight years. After 60 years Erickson’s Auto Service shutting down in May: “I’m almost legally blind and I’ve been struggling to work on cars. The right opportunity came up; somebody wanted to buy the property, so we pulled the trigger.”-Rick Erickson
Indiana: After 62 years Indianapolis based electronics retailer hhgregg suddenly died, all 220 stores and 14 distribution centers shutting down and hundreds of jobs lost by the end of May! Ashley Furniture Hometown shutdown its 12 years old Schererville store, local news media blame recent skyrocketing openings of mattress stores, eight now within 4km (2.5 miles) of each other!
Kansas: That which cannot be named powerless to stop ‘its’ Topeka based Jewish founded (in 1956) cheap-o shoe seller Payless almost ‘died’ after filing for bankruptcy. 4-hundred U.S. stores forced to shutdown immediately! The thousands of remaining stores around the world will undergo ‘managed’ shutdowns! Feldkamp’s Furniture shutting down its Topeka store, no reason given.
Louisiana: After only two years GLO Airlines already bankrupt busted, it’s blamed on a contractor who manages GLO’s flights. However, the contractor says GLO has failed to pay them for services rendered. In Metairie, after 46 years Rudman’s Card and Party Shop shutdown due to decreasing sales plus increasing competition and costs of operations.
Maine: In Bangor, ten years old Hands of Hope Thrift Store suddenly shutdown due to a 70% crash in sales! The property is already sold.
Maryland: Barns & Noble shutting down its 20 years old three-level bookstore in Bethesda, when the lease expires.
Massachusetts: MassMutual Financial Group laid off an undisclosed number of people.
Michigan: After almost 1-hundred years (started towards the end of the First World War) Busy Bee Hardware shutdown due to the current owners’ health problems, and radically changing market conditions.
Minnesota: Barnes & Noble shutdown its 23 years old Nicollet Mall store, as part of its plan to shutdown numerous stores this year. In Duluth, the Lake Superior Bottle Shop shutting down in May due to the property being sold for a major partially taxpayer funded re-development project. Despite TV and internet sales, Donald Trump supporter My Pillow suddenly laid off 140 people in Chaska, due to the loss of its Better Business Bureau accreditation over complaints of false advertising! In Saint Cloud, after 67 years Schepers Jewelers shutdown, apparently it was causing more stress than it was worth. Pawn America now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.
Mississippi: In Pearl, god powerless to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ British empire based Salvation Army Family Thrift Store.
New Hampshire: In Portsmouth, after 40 years the last shoe repair shop in town, Ye Old Cobbler, shutting down in May so the owner can be closer to his grandchildren.
New Jersey: Dollar Express issued shutdown WARNs for 17 stores, about 125 jobs gone by the end of June! God powerless to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ 24 years old Saint Michael Shop: “Over the past eight years, business has been gravely declining and we have no choice but to close.”-Charlie Gordon, co-owner of the christian store
New Mexico: Shidoni Foundry and Galleries shutting down its bronze foundry, 12 jobs lost due to crashing sales.
New York: Bankrupt Eastern Mountain Sports shutting down its store in Niskayuna. Gander Mountain shutting down its store in New Hartford, 32 jobs lost in August. In Buffalo, Littman Jewelers shutdown its Boulevard Mall store. Also in Buffalo, god powerless to stop ‘his’ Catholic Charities from shutting down its Fidelis Parenting/Fatherhood Program due to lack of funding. The last FYE music store in Bronx-NYC shutdown. In Rochester, after 19 years Antiques-All That Jazz (aka All That Jazz Antique Mall) being replaced with yet another ‘craft’ brewery. Elitist Ralph Lauren shutdown its flagship Fifth Avenue store killing 125 jobs, but don’t blame the internet, Ralph Lauren also killing 72 e-commerce jobs as well! In Staten Island-NYC, after almost 50 years Doody’s Home Center shutting down by the end of May “Due to an unfortunate turn of events”. In NYC, Morgans Hotel issued a shutdown WARN, 57 jobs lost in July. NH Jolly MadisonTowers Hotel shutting down as well, 81 jobs lost by the end of June, supposedly temporarily. PHH Mortgage shutting down its ops in Williamsville in July. JCPenney shutting down its West Nyack store, 89 jobs lost by the end of July.
North Carolina: Dollar General’s sudden takeover and shutdown of Dollar Express (not to be confused with car rental company Dollar EXPRESS) will kill 2-thousand-7-hundred jobs! That’s according to news media in the state of North Carolina, where Dollar Express is headquartered. After 37 years shoe seller Phidipidies shutdown its Carolina Mall location due to crashing sales, but Keith Alley, the franchise owner of the store, told local news media “The shoe companies don’t give you as much support. NIKE used to be very supportive but now NIKE and others concentrate their efforts with the big boxes like Academy Sports and Dick’s.”
Ohio: Beachwood based retail property owner DDR suddenly laid off 65 people in an attempt to save money. Curry’s Video Plus shutdown after 27 years.
Pennsylvania: Warrendale based rue21 issued a massive 4-hundred store shutdown list. Unnamed sources inside rue21 told main stream news media that the ‘teen’ clothing retailer is about to go bankrupt, and has hired counselors who specialize in shutting down and/or selling off brick-n-mortar stores. Don’t blame the internet, or hi-tech, rue21 has a website and uses the latest retail tech platform called Aptos. The use of hi-tech resulted in rue21 winning the Gold Award for Customer Engagement, just last year! In Bryn Mawr, after more than 90 years Suburban Hardware shutdown, partly due to competition from ‘big box’ stores. After 33 years J&C Hobbies shutdown so the owners could take a “proper vacation”.
Tennessee: ‘Wealth managers’ Avondale Partners eliminating 25 stock-market buying & selling jobs warning “It’s shrinking for us, and it’s shrinking nationwide. There are a myriad of factors causing it….”
Texas: In Galveston, barber shop The Razor’s Edge shutdown. Workout joint Houston City Club shutting down, 128 jobs lost to a competitor by mid-June! What construction industry recovery? Pool builder Clearwater Pools & More now bankrupt busted. The company actually halted pool construction leaving many customers with literally holes in their backyards! Local news media say many customers had paid upfront, and didn’t find out about the bankruptcy until a local TV station’s news report.
Vermont: Bankrupt Eastern Mountain Sports shutting down all three of its Green Mountain State stores, at least 60 jobs lost. In Saint Johnsbury, after 45 years Sunshine Boutique jewelry store shutdown, so the owners could focus on their other store.
Virginia: In Orange, after more than 80 years the owners of Faulconer Hardware warned they were shutting down in May. in Arlington, 61 years old Casual Adventure shutting down because they “received a reasonable offer for the sale of our building”. In Shockoe Bottom, after ten years Frame Nation shutdown because the owner couldn’t afford to sign a new lease.
Washington: Furney’s Nursery halting all retail and wholesale ops in May, supposedly not willingly. God powerless to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Lakewood Christian Gift Center & Bookstore, no reason given. In Tacoma, after 21 years Learning Sprout Toys shutdown with former manager Angel Calvin saying “…you can’t do something forever when it doesn’t have the means to support itself…”
Wisconsin: Pier 1 Imports shutting down its Wauwakosa store by the end of May, possible due to continued crashing sales. Family Dollar shutting down six stores.
U.S. Retail/Banking/Service sector March 2017: “We just didn’t want to do it anymore.”
OBAMA LEGACY: DEATH OF ‘OUTDOORS’ STORES, AND DON’T BLAME THE INTERNET!
OBAMA LEGACY: U.S. APPAREL INDUSTRY DEATH-SPIRAL
U.S. Mining/Industrial/Logistics layoffs, April 2017: “Due to a large loss of business….”
U.S. Hi-Tech/Communications breakdown, April 2017: “our digital revenue is not growing fast enough”
U.S. Food Crisis, April 2017: “This is usually the busiest time of the year. Usually we’re hiring extra help.” Not this year!
Dumbing Down the U.S. of A., April 2017: “…..we were done!”
ObamaCare Death Spiral, April 2017: “We are actively course correcting”
Sears Kmart Death Spiral, April 2017: “identify additional opportunities for….reduction”
Destroy U.S. Dollar: Japan recognizes Bitcoin as official money! Charities accept it for donations!
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.”
Despite earlier threats by Donald Trump, HVAC company Carrier suddenly began eliminating 3-hundred jobs! Carrier also warned that more layoffs will take place later in the year as work is shifted to Mexico!
