“I’m getting out!” “we just can’t make it, we won’t make it.”: U.S. Retail/Banking/Service sector collapse, September 2017

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

Alabama: In Albertville, after 69 years Whitten’s Town & Country Clothes shutdown.

Alaska:  PenAir now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, flights to Oregon and Colorado canceled.  In Juno, after 32 years outfitter Invisible World shutdown blaming the cost of operating a brick-n-mortar store: “When the market was really good, I could basically run a seasonal part time business and make enough money to do my writing. That’s no longer possible.”-Stuart Cohen, owner

Arkansas: Bentonville based, ‘christian’ founded, Walmart-Sam’s Club announced 7-hundred layoffs planned for ‘back-office’ jobs at Sam’s Clubs across the country!  In Fort Smith, after five years movie-restaurant concept MovieLounge shutdown.

 California: After 33 years Hayfork Video Rental shutdown.  Singapore owned Zetta Jet now chapter 11 bankrupt busted in Burbank, after an executive was accused of stealing company money (among other things).  A San Diego based company once touted as ‘the saviour of retail’ is now part of the Zombie Jesus Apocalypse!  Appliance retailer Pirch suddenly began shutting down most of its stores across the U.S. as part of a new plan to refocus on California ops only, hundreds of jobs lost by Thanksgiving!  In August, Pirch boasted sales that rivaled Apple Inc stores.  Schizophrenic San Francisco based clothier GAP shutting down 2-hundred more namesake and Banana Republic stores, however, claims it plans to open 270 new Old Navy and Athleta stores.  Total Woman Gym + Spa shutdown its Enchinitas location, 59 jobs gone.  Event venue Eventbrite suddenly laid off 47 people in Oakland and San Francisco.

Connecticut:  Sterling National Bank eliminating six jobs in Norwalk, right after Xmas.

Florida:  Luke Brothers eliminating 55 jobs by Xmas.

Idaho:  While the state’s Department of Labor boasts record low unemployment numbers, and despite some rural counties reporting record low population numbers, the U.S. Census Bureau is reporting record numbers of homeless people in the sparsely populated Gem State and it’s only going up!  Also, a state run homeless Point-In-Time counting program claims a 10% drop in homeless people since 2016, but the Vice President of Housing and Support Programs, Brady Ellis, admits “We believe there’s a considerable number of more homeless individuals…..a lot of variables there in terms of identifying them and being able to include them in the numbers we use.”  It should also be noted that the Point-In-Time homeless survey counts only those people who are willing to answer the survey questions.   East Idaho News recently conducted an experiment to see how beggars were being treated in eastern Idaho.

Homeless in Idaho related:  Despite Mormon dominated Pocatello City Council, and the Bonneville Neighborhood Association, denying her request to open a homeless shelter Pastor Jacqualine ‘Big Momma’ Thomas is still at it!  

BOISE RENDERS 400 WAR REFUGEES HOMELESS IN THE NAME OF JACKING UP RENTS! DISABLED PEOPLE BEING KICKED OUT AS WELL!

HOMELESS BEING FORCED INTO CONCENTRATION CAMP! PROOF IDAHO’S ECONOMY SUCKS!

Illinois:  “I’m getting out!” says Rik Mallin about his home state and never ending across-the-board tax hikes, including the latest 32% hike in state income tax!  The U.S. Census Bureau says Illinois is losing the most citizens of any other state,  because of tax hikes and the suck-ass-economy.  In Rockford, after 33 years Enders Flowers shutting down in October, so the long-time owner can retire.  In Bloomington, after 63 years Hobbyland shutting down in October, after a failed attempt to sell the store.

Indiana: In Indianapolis, Vital Skates roller skate shop announced on Facebook it was shutting down when the inventory is gone.

Kansas: In Wichita, after only three years Party Zone Supply Store shutdown, the owners blaming the size of the store saying “In a nutshell, we underestimated…..”

Massachusetts:  In Dartmouth, after 41 years Ustinov Jewelers shutdown.  In Worcester, after 235 years(!) Elwood Adams Hardware shutdown without explanation, and yes, they have a website.  Staying in Worcester, after 89 years the pissed-off owner of Shack’s Clothing say he’s forced to shutdown by outrageous property tax: “It had nothing to do with business and everything to do with tax assessments……We sold the building….I’m retiring, I don’t care. I’ve been doing this for 47 years and have seen the city deteriorate, little by little.”-Jeffrey Shack

Michigan:  Chemical Financial Corporation eliminating at least 230 jobs and shutting down dozens of offices in Michigan and Ohio due to its 2016 merger with Talmer Bank!

Minnesota: Christian founded Walmart shutting down its 30 years old store in Blue Earth by the beginning of October, apparently due to lack of profits (prophets?).

Missouri:  Iconic Rothman Furniture shutdown all remaining stores after 90 years in Missouri and Illinois, the remaining 230 jobs gone!  The CEO didn’t blame the internet: “My competition is no longer local guys that are doing similar volumes as I am……We’re competing against multi-billion dollar national organizations.”-Jay Steinback

New York: NYC based Too Big to Jail JPMorgan created 2-thousand-5-hundred new jobs, in Poland!   Sterling National Bank and Astoria Bank issued multiple shutdown WARNs, 230 jobs threatened by the merger of the two banks!  At JFK Airport, ABM Aviation issued a shutdown WARN for its contracted security ops, 560 jobs gone by Thanksgiving!  OfficeMax shutting down its Batavia location.  A company that helps people deal with Social Security insecurity, Binder & Binder, shutting down offices in Queens and Hauppauge with at least 2-hundred people losing their jobs by Xmas!  Local news reports say Binder & Binder also shutdown offices in the state of Florida.  In Potsdam, Northwoods Outfitters shutdown after 23 years, the owner says its time for him to enjoy the outdoors.  Consumer ‘intelligence’ company Greenwich Associates shutting down its office in Cheektowaga, 149 jobs gone by Thanksgiving!  Echo Farms Golf Club shutting down after a failed lawsuit by locals who wanted to stop the redevelopment of the property, it’s being turned into apartments. More proof the vinyl revival was a lie! In Geneva, after 40 years Area Records and Music shutting down when the inventory is gone.  What housing market recovery?  Yet again, mortgage giant PHH Mortgage issued a shutdown WARN, this time for “remote employees” in Williamsville.   Chandler Hotel issued a shutdown WARN for its NYC hotel-restaurant ops, 60 jobs gone right after Xmas.  In Melville, FedEx is shutting down its Corporate Services, 61 jobs gone by May 2018.  DynaServ International lost a major contract, at least 114 jobs gone by Xmas!  In Dansville, McCarthy Tire Service shutting down, 33 jobs gone by Xmas.

North Carolina: In Raleigh, after 32 years Home Comfort Furniture & Mattress shutdown.  Professional portrait studio Portrait Innovations now chapter 11 bankrupt busted, 63 stores suddenly shutdown.   Too Big to Jail California based Wells Fargo added more layoffs to its never ending list in Charlotte, this time Wells Fargo refused to say how many employees would become unemployed.   In Lynn, after 17 years Tryon Mountain Hardware shutdown, the property was sold, the Christian hardware owners saying “God has a plan” in reference to their sudden ‘retirement’.  In Statesville, Saslow’s Jewelers shutdown its Signal Hill Mall store.  Also in Statesville, clothier Salice Boutique shutting down, the owner said it was better to spend time with family than continue playing the look for a cheaper rent location game, again: “We’ve moved three times, and rather than keep this up, it’s just too much for me to handle.”-Kristen Greer

North Dakota: In Bismarck, after 20 years the owners of One World announced on Facebook they’re shutting down.  Also in Bismarck, Juke Joint Comics shutting down in October: “Unfortunately rent goes up, bills go up. Our products is a fixed price product, and there’s nothing we can do about that.”-Mike Swenson, owner

Ohio: What housing market recovery?  Too Big to Jail People’s Bank shutting down its central Ohio mortgage office, 31 jobs gone. 

Oregon: In Beaverton, after 25 years the year-round Halloween Warehouse shutting down because “The economy. It’s just gone way downhill and we just can’t make it, we won’t make it.”

Pennsylvania: In York, after 30 years Adventure Cycling and Fitness shutdown due to a co-owner’s health problems.  Too Big to Jail BB&T shutting down two bank offices in Berks County, in time for Xmas.   Moyer Electronics shutdown its 70 years old store in Hazelton: “There is no longer a need for consumer electronics. It is too expensive to run a shop. The new stuff sells so cheap you can’t afford to fix it.”-Bill Moyer

Rhode Island: After 93 years family owned chain store Benny’s announced on its website it’s calling it quits, 31 stores and a distribution center shutting down, the owners say competition is forcing them to retire, 751 jobs gone in time for Xmas!  In North Providence, after 56 years Andor’s TV & Furniture (which has a website) shutdown because the owners say they want to try something different.

South Carolina: In Columbia, after only about a year Palmetto Twist monogramming and gift boutique shutdown.   After 15 years Bluffton Bicycle Shop shutdown by Hurricane Irma, the owner said he was still struggling to financially recover from Hurricane Matthew in 2016.  Aiken based Prestige Appliance now chapter 7 bankrupt and dead, suddenly shutting down all stores in South Carolina and Georgia. Local news media says many angry customers want to know where their appliances are.

Texas: In Amarillo, ‘landmark’ Wyndham Garden Hotel shutdown without warning, unnamed employees revealed the shutdown to local news media.  Those employees also claim they haven’t been paid for at least three weeks!  In San Antonio, River Walk gallery of Garcia Art Glass shutdown, the operators didn’t want to renew the lease “because we’re doing a lot more on social media.”  Dallas based Neiman Marcus shutting down ten of its Last Call stores as part of a plan to refocus on its namesake stores, 241 jobs gone!

Vermont: After 60 years of selling made in the U.S.A. only products the owners of Kibby Equipment gave up, because not enough people want to buy made in the U.S.A. products. Also, they tried selling the business but nobody wanted to buy it.

Washington: In Poulsbo, after 60 years James Lumber and Ace Hardware shutting down in November.

West Virginia: Too Big to Jail BB&T eliminating 56 jobs in Charleston.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

U.S. RETAIL/BANKING/SERVICE SECTOR COLLAPSE, August 2017:  “I REALLY THINK IT WILL BE ARMAGEDDON.”

SEARS KMART DEATH SPIRAL, September 2017: “Remorseful”

U.S. INDUSTRIAL/MINING/LOGISTICS LAYOFFS, September 2017: “MARKET TURNDOWN, INDUSTRY-WIDE”

Dumbing Down the U.S.A., September 2017: “NOT ONLY DID THEY CHANGE HER GRADES…THEY OSTRACIZED HER!”

U.S. HI-TECH/COMMUNICATIONS BREAKDOWN, September 2017:  “WE ARE NOT IMMUNE TO ECONOMICS”

U.S. government shenanigans, September 2017: “I’m not stupid!”

U.S. food crisis, September 2017: “WE’RE SPREAD TOO THIN, HONESTLY.”

ObamaCare ACA death spiral, September 2017:  “THIS FACILITY FAILED ITS RESIDENTS MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THIS HORRIFYING ORDEAL!”