Incomplete list of U.S. retail/banking/service sector job loss announcements and shutdowns made or announced in June 2017:

“Employment in retail trade declined by 30,000 in March. Within retail trade, employment in general merchandise stores declined by 35,000 over the month and 89,000 since reaching a recent employment high in October 2016.”-U.S. Bureau of labor Statistics

“The velocity of change is unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Before, things happened over a generation; now they’re happening overnight.”-Matthew Shay, National Retail Federation

Alaska: Pennsylvania based law firm K&L Gates shutdown its office in Anchorage.

 California:  Bankrupt 108 years old retailer Deardens issued shutdown WARNs for five locations, more than 420 jobs gone by August!  Deardens specialized in selling to immigrant workers, but administrators say “It seems like in today’s climate, a lot of our customers are hiding.”  Teen clothier Papaya Clothing now chapter 11 bankrupt busted affecting 1-thousand-3-hundred employees!   San Francisco based children’s clothier Gymboree now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, as many as 450 stores across the U.S. shutting down, thousands of jobs lost!   Louis Vuitton shutting down a San Francisco store by September.  Security company Blacktalon shutdown ops in Napa, 90 jobs gone.  In Indio, Wyndham Vacation Ownership eliminating 62 jobs by the end of August.  Hotel Managers Group issued a shutdown WARN for its San Diego ops, 90 jobs gone by mid-August.  Also in San Diego, Lucky Lady Casino and Cardroom issued a shutdown WARN, 77 jobs gone by the end of August.  In Long Beach, Kammel Enterprises laying off 35 people by the end of August.   In Santa Barbara, after four decades Glenda’s Party Cove shutdown.  In Big Sur, vacation ‘retreat center’ Esalen Institute laid off 45 people and shutdown due to storm damage.  San Francisco  based Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo eliminating 70 regional/area president positions. In Canyon Country, after 20 years Beverly’s Fabrics & Crafts shutting down by the end of August, as part of corporate’s plan to shift to internet sales only.   What automotive industry recovery?  J&T Motors shutting down its Valencia Nissan operations, 61 jobs gone by the end of August.  In Lancaster, JHH Motorcars conducting mass layoffs at its Sierra Toyota ops, 123 jobs gone by mid-August!  In Berkeley, after 41 years cool Dark Carnival Fantasy & Science Fiction Bookstore shutting down when the massively discounted inventory is gone, due to crashing sales.  Also in Berkeley, bookstore The Escapist is threatening to do the same.  In Turlock, after more than 20 years home decor store Silk Garden shutdown, the owner explained “Everything came together at the right time.”  In Ventura, after 90 years Avenue Hardware shutdown (it still sold tools that are out-of-production), the owner reminding people that “It’s 100% important to support local businesses because your money stays local instead of going out of state. You buy local, you employ local people and you’re helping the community. It’s getting harder and harder to run small businesses and make a living out of it unless you have a niche (but) there’s a need for it.”

Georgia: In Athens, after 49 years Bulldog Sporting Goods shutting down, owner Woody Chastain bemoaning “Retail is pretty much gone! When you see Sports Authority close all their stores, when you see Ralph Lauren close its flagship store and say they’re going online, when you see Nike saying they will start selling on Amazon, it’s just different. Too many people carrying the same stuff!”

Illinois:  Thrift store Savers issued shutdown WARNs for stores in Chicago and Bellwood, about 1-hundred jobs gone by the end of August!  Gift store Things Remembered shutdown its Alton Square Mall store, the staff were ordered not to talk to local news media.  Also at Alton Square Mall, gift store Kirlin’s Hallmark shutting down when the inventory is gone.

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, after 91 years Sunny Schick Camera Shop shutting down so the owner can “wrap it up and take it easy for a while.”

Iowa:  In West Des Moines, Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo eliminating at least 32 jobs by mid-August.

Kentucky: In Cold Spring, Geiman Furniture Gallery shutting down when the inventory is gone, so the owner can retire.  In Danville, after 43 years Main Street Furniture Market shutting down due to the greedy property owners wanting to split the building into smaller spaces.

Massachusetts: Clothing consignment chain store 2nd Time Around suddenly died, all remaining 23 stores shutdown, blaming online competition and greedy landlords: “Because of a convergence of market forces hitting all brick and mortar stores – including increased competition from online retailers combined with skyrocketing rents….”-official 2nd Time Around statement

Michigan: In Bloomfield, after four decades Hillside Contemporary Furniture shutdown by its new owner, a competing furniture seller.  Craft store Mary Maxim shutting down its decades old brick-n-mortar store in Port Huron, as part of its plan to shift to online selling.

Minnesota: In Moorhead, Tot Spot Moorhead Childcare suddenly shutdown, local news stated that the daycare center always “struggled with staffing, licensure, etc.”

Montana: In Great Falls, after 52 years His & Hers Coins shutdown, the owner Debbe Harris lamented “People are no longer into hobbies like they once used to be.”

New Jersey: In Montclair, after 70 years Hampton House Furniture shutting down, the owners saying “now is the right time”.  Cherry Hill Holiday Inn eliminated 82 jobs.  In Morristown, after 41 years Elephant Nose Pet Center shutdown, the owners blamed “…Millennials…who buy online.”  However, the pet shop owners will continue their pet sitting service, which they claim has “exploded” since the ‘millennials’ came to town. Secaucus based The Children’s Place clothier throwing in the towel and shutting down 3-hundred stores by 2020 after already quietly shutting down 142, it’s all part of a master plan to kill thousands of jobs, CEO Jane Elfers told USAToday that “we have a store closure initiative”.   Mahwah based clothing chain store operator Ascena Retail Group-Ann Taylor-Lane Bryant-Dressbarn-Maurices-Catherines-Justice-Total Kids Fashion throwing in the towel after a $1-billion USD crash in sales across the board with all its fashion brands, 250 stores being shutdown by the end of the year with another 4-hundred store shutdowns after that, tens of thousands of jobs lost by 2019!  But don’t blame the internet, the brands Ascena Retail Group sells are available online, and don’t just blame it on crashing sales blame the brick-n-mortar store shutdowns on greedy landlords: “Over the next two years, we expect to close or achieve substantial rent reductions in more than 650 stores, which represent almost 25% of the total store population with lease term maturity between 2017 and July of 2019.…”

New Mexico: In Albuquerque, record store Krazy Kat shutdown after 32 years: “Because I haven’t made money here in probably three years!”-Edward Stange, owner

New York:  W. P. Carey-Carey Financial & Retail eliminating at least 60 jobs between now and September.  GTA Americas notified the state that it’s outsourcing its Operations and Finance Departments, in September.   In Buffalo, after four decades The Record Theatre record store shutting down in August, due tothe death of the owner.   Bankrupt Gander Mountain outdoors store issued shutdown WARNs for seven stores, 264 jobs gone by the end of August!  American Racing and Entertainment shutting down its Vernon Downs due to lack of state tax relief for the money losing casino: “We are hopeful that at the end of the day the Assembly will join the Senate in passing legislation that will help Vernon Downs keep its doors open. However, every day that we remain open, we simply lose more money and are forced to begin the process of closing Vernon Downs…  …we employ hundreds of local workers, we provide millions of dollars in taxes to the local community….”

What automotive industry recovery?  IEH Auto Parts-Auto Plus issued a shutdown WARN for its Amherst store, 38 jobs gone by the end of September.  In Binghamton, after 60 years Murray’s Auto Repair shutdown.

North Carolina: In Jacksonville, after 23 years Cotton Patch Quilt Shoppe shutdown so the 70 ears old owner can retire.

North Dakota: In West Fargo, after seven decades Stars and Strikes shutdown, it was the only bowling alley in town.

Ohio: Mormon Mitt Romney co-founded wunderkind Staples shutdown its store in Boardman, blaming crashing sales (Staples sells online).   What real estate market recovery?  Cleveland based retail (malls, shopping plazas) property owner Forest City Realty Trust eliminating 50 jobs nationwide, as well as selling-off most of its malls and plazas as part of its plan to shift focus on residential rental properties.  In Marietta, after 132 years Woman’s Home retirement center shutdown due to skyrocketing operating costs: “…utilities, payroll, food, supplies, licensing fees and elevator maintenance and repairs to name a few. Payroll is our biggest expense.”-Mary Antons

“Not only would you have to be at full bed capacity 100% of the time, but you’d have to double rent to make operations sustainable. That’s not what the purpose of this home was.”-Rebekah Mathis-Stump

Pennsylvania: In Bensalem, Ascena Retail Group-Catherines Stores eliminating 191 jobs by mid-August!

South Dakota: In Rapid City, after 40 years Jolly Lane Floral shutdown, the owner saying “…needed change, kind of little burnt out….I just kind of wanted a lighter load.”   Bankrupt Pawn America shutting down its store in Sioux Falls by the end of July.

Texas: San Antonio Museum of Art suddenly laid off 11 people blaming it on the cost of repairing the roof and HVAC system.   In Brownsville, after 110 years R.H. Lackner’s Fine Jewelry shutdown, the owners blaming everything including “violence” from “Mexico”.  In Denison, after 69 years Hubbard Furniture shutdown, the owner said skyrocketing ‘big box’ competition is a sign for him to retire: “It is just a headache being in retail these days. The problem is you have all these chains now. You’ve got a lot of big box stores. We’ve been doing good for all these years, but this year has been hard.”-Marcus Hubbard

Virginia: Privately run living history museum Colonial Williamsburg continues to kill jobs, this time 71 people are losing their jobs altogether while another 333 jobs are being outsourced, due to lack of tourist who want to relive the creation of the United States!   In Richmond, after 31 years Video Fan suddenly shutdown, the owners explained on Facebook “We can no longer sustain the business…”  In Fredericksburg, after more than 16 years River Run Antique Mall shutting down due to the owner’s health problems.  What automotive industry recovery? Roanoke based retailer Advance Auto Parts eliminating 475 corporate/supply/management jobs blaming two years of crashing sales (they have a website, so don’t blame it on them not selling on the internet)!

Washington: In Seattle, tourist trap Space Needle being shutdown, 153 jobs lost to renovations to strengthen the now iconic tower against what is expected to be a super earthquake/tsunami!

Wisconsin: In Mukwonago, after eight years My Sister’s Closet shutdown so the owner can “start a new adventure.”

Wyoming: Newcastle Hardware shutting down when the inventory is gone.

OBAMA LEGACY: U.S. APPAREL INDUSTRY DEATH-SPIRAL “I HAVE NO CLUE. IT JUST DOESN’T SEEM TO BE WORKING…”

U.S. Retail/Banking/Service sector May 2017: “YOU CAN’T STOP THE BLEEDING”

SEARS KMART DEATH SPIRAL, June 2017: “ALREADY-DEAD”

U.S. MINING/INDUSTRIAL/LOGISTICS LAYOFFS, June 2017: “CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL”

U.S. HI-TECH/COMMUNICATIONS BREAKDOWN, June 2017: “A LOT OF EXPERIMENTATION.”

U.S. FOOD CRISIS, June 2017: “EVERY MONTH IT’S LOWER AND LOWER.”

OBAMACARE ACA DEATH SPIRAL, June 2017: “IT IS ALREADY TOO LATE”

DUMBING DOWN THE U.S. OF A., June 2017: “…YOU HAVE A STORM WARNING.”

U.S. government shenanigans, June 2017: “AMERICA’S MOST MESSED-UP STATE”