Incomplete list of announced closings and layoffs.
Aircraft engine maker, Pratt & Whitney, laid off 400 employees! This is on top of the employee buyout back in May. Since January, the government tax sucker has laid off 1400 people!
Arizona: In Yuma, 50 years old La Casa Gutierrez Restaurant shut down. The restaurant was in the family’s home, built in 1895. They wanted to make sure the home was preserved for Yuma’s history. They also admitted “…the foundation is compromised…”
Arkansas: 23 years old Brown & Hawkins closed down. The family owners want to retire, they tried to sell the clothing store but nobody was interested.
California: In Palo Alto, Hewlett Packard laid off 500 people! It’s blamed on crashing computer sales. Another video game maker, Crystal Dynamics, laid off about 12 employees. In Hollywood the marketing company, The Cimarron Group, out-o-business. The company that promoted movies like Ice Age and Brave has been quietly closing offices around the World for several months. In Los Gatos, restaurant Hobee’s Los Gatos shut down. The owners said weekday business was so slow they couldn’t pay the “premier rent”. The newspaper, Appeal-Democrat, laid off 19 employees. The publisher blamed the suck ass economy: “We are very sorry that we had to let some good people go, but the reduction in workforce was necessary to keep our business healthy.”-Paula Patton
Connecticut: Tax sucker, Northrop Grumman, laid off more employees in Norwalk. The factory is being shut down, a total of 315 people will be out-o-work by the end of 2014! In Bloomfield, Netflix announced it “….has closed the Bloomfield DVD distribution center due mainly to United States Postal Service transportation and service changes, along with increased internal production efficiencies….”
Iowa: In Dubuque, the Main St. Falbo Brothers Pizzeria closed. The owners said it wasn’t making a profit.
Maine: Maine Medical Center eliminates 225 filled and vacant positions. It’s blamed on Obama Care and reduced number of patients.
Massachusetts: In Plymouth, the Used Book Superstore closed after only 10 months in business. It’s blamed on the suck ass economy: “We hired a remarkable staff in this location, who all did their best to provide a clean, well-stocked and well-merchandised bookstore. Unfortunately, we have not been able to hit the numbers we need to hit to make this location work.”-Bob Ticehurst, president
Michigan: The Portage Manufacturing Plant shut down, 40 people unemployed. The factory was taken over by competition. In Flint, Bearded Lady Records shut down after only one year in business. The owner said he had too many projects to deal with.
New York: In Forest Hills, Laytner’s Linen & Home to close at the end of the year. An unnamed employee told local news media “The landlord jacked up the price on the rent!”
North Carolina: In Winston-Salem, 70 years old Community Shoe Store shut down. The owners wanted to retire. Their children did not want to take over the business and they could not find buyers. Sales had been declining. The Iredell-Statesville Schools laid off 52 teachers and teacher assistants. That’s on top of the 54 laid off back in June. It’s blamed on a “surprising” crash in student enrollment. One school official says many teachers still can’t believe their jobs are at risk: “There are people right now that think they have jobs that will not have jobs.”-Alvera Lesane, associate superintendent
Ohio: In Columbus privately run youth prison, Starr Commonwealth, shut down, 77 layoffs. Back in April they closed their Van Wert prison, lamenting “….we can’t get the state or private people to put enough kids into the system…to make it economically feasible.” Vinton County’s only major grocery store, McArtur SuperValu, closed after 27 years of operations. The owners said “Words cannot express the sadness that this decision carries; however, it simply is not feasible for us to continue.” Retail fixtures supplier, CSC Worldwide, laid off 94 people. Company officials said they were getting out of building fixtures like dairy coolers for grocery stores. They blamed the suck ass economy: “The decision to conduct layoffs and cease operations at this facility was the result of an unforeseeable economic environment, including an unprecedented deterioration of market conditions with no foreseeable improvement.”-company statement
Pennsylvania: In Pittsburgh, 350 people lost their jobs with Heinz. It’s part of H.J. Heinz’ plans to layoff 600 people in the U.S. and Canada. Heinz has been letting employees go ever since Warren Buffet, and 3G Capital, took them over. Mexico based Bimbo Bakeries shut down their factory in Wilson. 78 people out-o-work. The company is building a new bakery in Upper Macungie Township.
Wisconsin: In Milwaukee, Blount International laid off 200 people at its chain saw factory! Spokesman David Dugan said the company is moving operations “…closer to where our customers are in Brazil, China and Canada.”
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 shut down.