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Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 14 – 16 November 2014: “It was like watching people get executed.” 11-thousand+ jobs killed off in New Jersey! Boastful female owned company looses contract “due to unprofessionalism”!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Arizona: In Tucson, Bring Funeral Homes on Scott Avenue died.  The owners had to consolidate ops to their Broadway location.  The morbid owners actually blamed it on the lack of dying people near their Scott Avenue location!

California: In Calabasas, Microsoft controlled HERE North America (formerly Nokia Location & Commerce) issued a WARN saying at least 18 people will be laid off between January and February 2015.  In Los Angeles, Trinity Sports issued a WARN saying they will shutdown by January 2015, at least 135 jobs lost!

Florida: After barely 12 years the Sea Breeze Winery announced they’re shutting down in December. The owner says she’ll continue to sell grapes to other wineries.  In University Park, Shapes Total Fitness discriminatory women’s only fitness club shutdown, it’s blamed on the property owners for jacking up the rent.  In Panama City, after 80 years commercial printer Boyd Brothers shutdown, blaming the economy and the Too Big to Jail banks for killing off 100 jobs: “…due to the changing dynamics of the industry and lack of access to capital, Boyd is forced to close its doors.”  

Indiana: In Jasper, after 66 years Inwood Office Furniture shutdown, 85 jobs lost.  The owners blamed crashing sales and an offer for their property they couldn’t refuse: “…demand for quality wood private office furniture continues to decline, and because we have a committed purchaser for our plant and land…” 

Iowa: What automotive industry recovery?  Vehicle muffler maker Donaldson announced they are shutting down their Grinnel factory and consolidating operations to Alabama, 75 jobs lost.  In Iowa City, after 34 years the local owner of the soap store The Soap Opera announced it will shutdown in January 2015, for personal reasons.

Kentucky: O’Brien & Gere engineering laid off 27 employees as it shutdown its Louisville office, blaming a decline in taxpayer funded government construction projects.

Maine: The Big Lots rip off store in Bangor is shutting down in January 2015.  I say it’s a ripoff because I’ve found many of the items I price checked to be much cheaper at first run retailers (at least here in Idaho)!  By the way, Big Lots exited the Canadian market in 2013, a portent of things to come for U.S. retailers wanting to do business in the Great White North?

New Jersey: In Atlantic City, the owner of Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort (the owner is not Donald Trump) made it official and announced its shutdown, 3-thousand jobs will be lost!  It’s the 5th Atlantic City casino to shutdown in 2014, for a total of 11-thousand jobs lost, not counting all the outside suppliers and mom & pops that relied on the casinos for business!!!   In Ridgewood, Obama Care is the final straw that killed off decades old Harding Pharmacy and Liquors.  The independent owner of the store directly blamed “reduced reimbursements” for forcing him to sell out and go to work for a competing pharmacy.   In Raritan, after 11 years women’s clothing store Chaos shutdown.  The owner, Karen Brooks, said “With rent, utilities and other operating costs, it’s hard to see the value in trying to keep up.”  Englewood based CNBC (formerly the Consumer News and Business Channel) unexpectedly laid off eight employees: “The total bloodbath was unexpected. They pushed out a lot of loyal, very qualified people. It was like watching people get executed.”-unnamed source quoted by Business Insider

Brookdale Community College administrators say crashing enrollment is causing them to be short $8.5-million USD for the upcoming 2015-16 school year and warned of 210 layoffs: “These are tough times and the organizational structure we have now is not sustainable; the board is aware of this harsh fact. Our current models are no longer effective in serving today’s students, and we must catch up with the advances that have been made in educational technology.”-Maureen Murphy, president

Ohio: Hocking College laid off 36 employees and warned of mandatory furloughs for others, blaming DSS (what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome). In 2010 the college had 6,599 students, in 2013 there were 4,094 students and for the 2014-15 year they’re down to 3,474; almost a 50% drop in enrollment since 2010!

Pennsylvania: In Hazelton, it was revealed that Weir Minerals will shutdown and move ops to Wisconsin and Georgia by March 2015, at least 90 jobs lost.  Anti-2nd Amendment Pepsi shutdown yet another distribution center, this time in West Goshen. 60 employees are being forced to move, if they want to stay employed, while at least six employees were rendered unemployed.   In Dallas, Offset Paperback Manufacturers issued a WARN saying 37 people will become jobless in January 2015.  In Towanda, Global Tungsten & Powders laid off 120 people saying “The company has been severely impacted by the low pricing of finished phosphor exported from China, which has affected (GTP’s) ability to competitively manufacture phosphors from rare earth concentrates and also from GTP’s rare earth recycling plant.” 

South Dakota: Electronic gadget insurance company Asurion announced they’re shutting down their seven years old Rapid City call center in January 2015, about 232 jobs lost!

Texas: In Bryan, the company that loves to boast that they are the largest female owned accounts receivables-customer relationship operations in the country, Pennsylvania based Penncro Associates, laid off 175 people with only a few minutes notice!  It’s blamed on the loss of a major contract “due to unprofessionalism”, a female employee said “As of November 28 they were going to start laying everyone off!……I’m not going to have my home any longer. I’m not going to be able to help my family!”-Kelly Henderson

Washington: The for profit Avamere Georgian House nursing home forced to layoff 69 employees and shutdown its Lakewood ops.  Employees said the dilapidated building in Lakewood is forcing the nursing home operator to move patients to their nursing home in Tacoma.  In Vancouver, after 105 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Luepke Florist announced they will shutdown after Xmas due to the new landlord jacking up the rent.

Wisconsin:  In Appleton and Green Bay, after more than ten years Goodwill Industries shutdown their popular Harmony Café. Although it was popular Goodwill administrators say the two restaurants were actually losing money, at least $1-million over the past four years: “The restaurant side got away from us. We kept subsidizing them hoping we would finally create a plan that would be competitive.”-Bob Pedersen, president & CEO

12-13 November-2014 “That’s it, I’m done!”

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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart closing update, 19 January 2015: Exodus from Puerto Rico? Sears discounts expensive electronics by 90%?

For some reason Sears has discounted Nakamichi brand audio equipment by as much as 90%.  Comments on the internet indicate the Japan based brand is “expensive”.  But wait, it’s not really an upfront discount deal.  It’s actually ‘credits’ through the online Shop Your Way Rewards scam.  It’s been pointed out that the same items can be had on Amazon and ebay for less.

Sears Holdings is shutting down a 25 years old Puerto Rico Kmart, by April.  The store spokesman said it was part of the planned shutdowns for 2014.

update 17 January 2015: Spending money they don’t have

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings that I’ve been compiling since the end of 2011:

Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost), Dothan Sears (68 jobs lost), Huntsville Kmart (73 jobs lost).

California: El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (more than 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears repair center (75 jobs lost), San Mateo Kmart (82 jobs lost to an apartment building connected to public transportation), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown. Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why? Yuba City Kmart (63 jobs lost), Rocklin Kmart (at least 63 jobs lost, the store had just posted “Now Hiring” signs), San Leandro Kmart (102 jobs lost), San Jose Mercury News says the El Centro Kmart to shutdown in January, the website Foursquare says the Covina Kmart is now shutdown (other sources say it will shutdown in December), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (number of employees affected not made public, no WARN filed), somebody posted on yelp* that the Diamond Bar Kmart was shutting down in December (confirmed by Armijo Newspapers).

Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost), Fort Collins Sears (67 jobs lost), Denver-Cherry Creek North Sears store & Auto Center (66 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart, Torrington Kmart (73 jobs lost), Enfield Sears Optical (no word on jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost), Claymont Kmart (87 jobs lost).

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost), Clearwater Sears Auto Center (21 jobs lost), Zephyrhills Kmart (70 jobs lost), Winter Springs Kmart (69 jobs lost), Naples Kmart (72 jobs lost), New Port Richey Kmart (58 jobs lost), ‘redevelopment’ of Aventura Sears & Auto Center into an “open-air village” (unknown how many jobs affected).

Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost), Coweta County Kmart distribution center (164 jobs lost).

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost! GGP spending $573-million chopping it up into smaller store spaces), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears shutdown by the end of October/beginning of November 2014 (the remaining 28 jobs lost). Across the street, in Pocatello, the property where the Kmart is located has a “pad site available” sign, posted ever since the Kmart bankruptcy. The Kmart building takes up most of the ‘pad’. Latest news from inside sources say Sears Holdings will not comment on any plans to expand the small amount of Craftsman products already being sold at the Kmart, or shift the Kenmore products line, from the closing Chubbuck Sears to the Pocatello Kmart. In fact all plans for the Pokey Kmart are in a ‘holding pattern’.

Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost). 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost), Muncie Kmart (59 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on Coliseum Boulevard North (69 jobs lost), Decatur Kmart (49 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Madison Avenue (131 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Washington Street (139 jobs lost), Bedford Kmart (62 jobs lost), Indianapolis (Evansville) Sears & Auto Center at Washington Square Mall (91 jobs lost), Greenwood Kmart (78 jobs lost).

Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost), Clive Kmart (at least 49 jobs lost), Ames Kmart (44 jobs lost), Fort Dodge Sears (no job loss numbers made public, yet. The Auto Center was secretly shutdown in September).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown), Wichita Sears store & Auto Center (103 jobs lost), Manhattan Sears & Auto Center (number of jobs lost were never revealed).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart, Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost), Metairie Kmart secretly sold off, no word if it will be shutdown.

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Aroostook Centre Mall Sears (63 jobs lost).

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears rebuild & call center (115 jobs lost), Baltimore Kmart on Wabash Avenue (107 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost),
Kingston Kmart (73 jobs lost).

Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Saginaw Kmart on Bay Road, Flint Kmart on Dort Highway (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost), Waterford Township Sears (no word on how many jobs lost), Rochester Hills Kmart (77 jobs lost), ‘perfect Kmart town’ of Port Huron Kmart (188 jobs lost), Flint Kmart on Miller Road (81 jobs lost), Burton Kmart (85 jobs lost), Madison Heights Kmart (179 jobs lost), it’s now obvious the last remaining Saginaw Kmart will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January 2014, Ann Arbor Kmart (59 jobs lost), Iron Mountain Kmart (54 jobs lost), Bangor Township Sears aka Bay City Mall Sears, the Auto Center was already secretly shutdown some time ago (at least 47 jobs lost), Big Rapids Kmart (about 50 jobs lost).

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost), Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost), Oakdale Kmart (77 hourly wage employees losing their jobs, unknown how many salaried employees will become unemployed), Winona Kmart (67 jobs lost), Minneapolis city officials trying to shutdown profit making Nicollet Avenue Kmart, to make way for a new road. Anoka Kmart (47 jobs lost), Blaine Kmart (60 jobs lost), Burnsville Kmart (62 jobs lost), Waite Park Kmart (57 jobs lost), Northeast Minneapolis Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale, Coon Rapids Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale.

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost), Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall, Olive Branch distribution center (unknown how many jobs lost).

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost), South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost), Florissant Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost), Great Falls Kmart (closed “until further notice” due to fire, 63 jobs on hold), Great Falls Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost) due to great sales (ironically) the shutdown date has been moved from 07 December 2014 to 23 November, Bozeman Kmart (37 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost), Omaha Kmart near West Maple Road (50 jobs lost).

Nevada: Sparks Kmart distribution center (100 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost), Claremont Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost), Randolf Kmart (91 jobs lost), Paramus Kmart (74 jobs lost).

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost), Rio Rancho Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost), Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost).

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost), Gastonia Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), Kinston Kmart (64 jobs lost), Cary Sears (66 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart distribution center (130 jobs lost).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost), Dickinson Kmart (41 jobs lost, despite a “Now Hiring” sign on the front of the store).

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost), Columbus Lockbourne Industrial Parkway Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost), also in Columbus, Sears Product Rebuild-Call Center (112 jobs lost), Marion Sears Auto Center (at least nine jobs lost), Springfield Kmart #3767 (68 jobs lost), Fairborn Kmart (66 jobs lost), Solon Sears & Auto Center (at least 53 jobs lost). Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost), Enid Sears and Auto Center (at least 38 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice), Albany Sears (57 jobs lost), in October a BBN reader warned that Oregon City Kmart was being quietly shutdown, confirmed on 06 November 2014 by Sears Holdings (70 jobs lost).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost), Sanatoga-Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 jobs lost, the store was also advertising for new hires!), West Mifflin Sears store & Auto Center (88 jobs lost), Rochester Kmart (78 jobs lost), Frazer (Pittsburg Mills Mall) Sears and Auto Center (97 jobs lost), Bloomsburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Frackville Sears and Auto Center (84 jobs lost), North Cornwall Township Sears (51 jobs lost), King of Prussia Sears and Auto Center (no word on number of jobs lost), Lebanon Sears (51 jobs lost), Scotland Chambersburg Mall Sears and Auto Center (62 jobs lost).

Puerto Rico: Recently revealed Vega Baja Kmart (# of jobs lost not reported). 

South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost), both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two), Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost), Myrtle Beach Kmart (59 jobs lost), Easley Kmart (62 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin Cool Springs Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost), Dickson Kmart (65 jobs lost), talks in progress to end lease for Bellevue (Nashville) Center Mall Sears.

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors, Dallas Sears home appliance parts distribution center (77 jobs lost).

Utah: Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they reported that the building was demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported), Woods Cross Kmart (54 jobs lost).

Vermont: Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News-Denbigh Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 jobs lost).

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost), Everett Kmart (65 jobs lost), Marysville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost), Bluefield Sears store & Auto Center (64 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Ashwaubenon Kmart recently revealed now owned by Green Bay Packers, will be torn down (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (55 jobs lost), Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost), Glendale Sears store & Auto Center (86 jobs lost), Janesville Kmart (70 jobs lost), Glendale Sears Rebuild center (67 jobs lost), Sheboygan Sears & Auto Center (at least 31 jobs lost), Eau Claire Kmart (93 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (59 jobs lost before Xmas), Sheboygan Sears Rebuild Center (30 jobs lost).

On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.

Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)

Minnesota: Apache Mall (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center (see update above, GGP closing store)

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 12 – 13 November 2014: “That’s it, I’m done!” Greedy employees & Too Big to Jail banks kill off car dealership! No more Remington? Microsoft kills NBC?

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Illinois based Abbott Vascular issued several WARNs saying more than 100 Golden Staters will be laid off!  Reports say just two years ago the medical device company had 4-thousand employees, but now has less than 17-hundred (is the job culling related to the new Obama Care medical device tax?)!  In Silver Lakes, after eight years kids shoe store Wee Soles shutdown.  The owner blames crashing sales saying “…people are not willing to pay what a good shoe costs.”  The owner is now returning to her previous job as a dance instructor.  In El Segundo, Aimbridge Employee Service issued a WARN saying they will “temporarily” close in December, 13 jobs lost.  In Santa Anna, ITT Cannon warned they will layoff at least five people in January 2015.  More layoffs for failing Hewlett Packard, this time they laid off 25 people in Palo Alto.  In Torrance, Obama Care caused Providence Health to issue a WARN saying they will shutdown in January 2015, at least 59 jobs lost.

Connecticut: Foxwood Casino laid off 84 people.  That’s on top of the 195 employees already rendered jobless at the failing casino!  What automotive industry recovery?  In Bridgport, after 45 years the Dragone used car dealership shutdown.  The family owned dealership was done in partly by a greedy employee who embezzled them, but the final straw was when the Too Big to Jail banks refused to help out the current owner: “I came in last Friday and said, `That’s it, I’m done!’ That really hurt, I couldn’t get new financing.”-Carman ‘Mimi’ Dragone

Florida: Railroad company CSX warned they will eliminate 300 management jobs, mainly in Jacksonville!  Salaries and travel expenses will also be cut.  Company administrators say that despite revenues going up, operational expenses went up even more.   Also in Jacksonville, URS Federal Services issued a WARN saying 81 people will become jobless at the end of December.   American Express issued a WARN saying at least three people will lose their jobs at their Weston office in January 2015.

Illinois: In Matteson, the owners of the 41 years old Lincoln Mall announced it will shutdown in January 2015.  Don’t blame the economy as a court judge ordered it torn down because it was literally falling apart (the mall owners said they could not afford to maintain the building).  City administrators are scrambling to find new homes for the mall tenants.

Maryland: In Federal Hill, after 116 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Morstein’s Jewelers shutdown.

Michigan:  What automotive industry recovery?  In Lansing, GM (General Motors) revealed that 450 people at its Grand River Assembly Plant could become jobless in early 2015! It’s blamed on crashing sales of upscale Cadillacs. GM also announced the killing off of at least 160 jobs at its Buick and Chevy Assembly Plant in Orion by the end of 2015 (they hope production will go up when they introduce the new Camaro)!

Mississippi: Emilia Cosmetics laid off about 30 employees at its newly acquired skin care factory in Dekalb.  It’s blamed on massive delays in shipments of primary ingredients.  After announcing a $50-million USD expansion in August, light bulb maker Philips laid off 49 employees at their Tupelo factory.  Administrators claim the layoffs are “seasonal”.

New Hampshire: Home heating oil supplier Fred Fuller now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and up for sale.

New Jersey: In Egg Harbor City, Renault Winery Resort and Golf now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. The administrators say they are fighting for the life of the iconic winery: “We have been here for 150 years, and our plan will ensure us being here long into the future. We’re not looking to sell the place. We’re looking to continue the legacy here.”-Dennis Del Vecchio

New York: NBCnews.com (formerly MSNBC.com) will layoff an undisclosed number of employees in New York and Washington state beginning in 2015.  It’s blamed on the expiration of the joint venture with Microsoft.  Reports that Remington Arms laid off 126 people!  This is on top of the 105 people already laid off!  It’s the result of the gun maker getting the hell outta unAmerican New York and moving to Alabama.  Sweden based air traffic manager Saab Sensis laid off 27 people in DeWitt: “As a result of continued challenging business environments in both domestic and international markets…”-Mike Gerry, president

Nevada: In Las Vegas, Caesars Entertainment warned of massive layoffs (as many as 600 people!) and possible chapter 11 bankruptcy.  The gambling empire reports they’ve lost money every year since the 2008 recession.

Ohio: What automotive industry recovery?  Maker of specialty metal parts for the automotive and aerospace industries Avalon Precision Metalsmiths (formerly known as Avalon Castings and Precision Metalsmiths) announced it will shutdown its 69 years old Euclid factory, about 50 jobs lost.  Administrators blame crashing sales, pointing out that sales have been crashing for the past ten years!

Oklahoma: What automotive industry recovery?  Auto parts maker Federal Mogul revealed they will shutdown their recently acquired Oklahoma City factory in 2015, at least 165 jobs lost! Federal Mogul took over the factory from Affina Group in June 2014.  The Bank of Oklahoma announced it will shutdown branch offices located in 24 grocery stores, in 2015.  Bank administrators claim they will find jobs for the 75 affected employees.  In Bartlesville, the aged Eastland Four Theater cinema shutdown.  The owners could not afford to switch to digital projectors.  The cost to switch to digital is so expensive that only 88% of U.S. cinemas are digital.

West Virginia: Hendricks Coal issued a WARN saying 90 employees will be laid off from three coal mines, in December.  Alpha Natural Resources laid off 36 coal miners.

Wisconsin: Sears Holdings announced they will shutdown the Eau Claire Kmart in February 2015, at least 93 jobs lost.

10-11 November-2014 “It’s hard to fail.”

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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

Sears & Kmart closing update, 17 January 2015: City developments kill off another Sears? Spending money they don’t have to get you to spend your hard earned cash!

Sears Holdings being sued once again!  This time a Texas software developer (called Droplets) is suing both Sears Holdings and Overstock.com for essentially ripping off their patented “…system and method for delivering remotely stored applications and information.”

In California, Sears holdings is spending money it doesn’t have on creating a new shopping experience. In San Bruno you’ll soon be able to stroll a “live demo” display for high-tech wireless products.  The Connected Solutions demo is designed to show you how converting your home into a wireless self-policing state will make your life easier.

In Minnesota, Sears Holdings has put up for sale two Sears Hometown and Outlet stores.  Administrators hope to get between $1-million USD and $1.2-million per store.  But wait, that doesn’t include the property itself, that’s just for the rights to use the property along with the Sears name!

Colorado is the latest U.S. state to get hit with a Sears store and Auto Center shutdown, which will take place in March.  Sears Holdings does not own the building itself.  City administrators revealed in 2012 that the Sears & Auto Center is located in an “area of change” that is expected to see business revenue actually go up over the next 20 years.  The property owner as well as city administrators have big plans for development of commercial and public land in that area, and apparently the 60 years old Sears is in the way!

update 08 January 2015: Yet another distribution center goes down

Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings that I’ve been compiling since the end of 2011:

Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.

Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost), Birmingham Eastwood Kmart (70 jobs lost), Decatur Mall Sears (91 jobs lost), Fort Payne Kmart, Northport Kmart (68 jobs lost), Dothan Sears (68 jobs lost), Huntsville Kmart (73 jobs lost).

California: El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (more than 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!), Rancho Cordova Kmart (97 jobs lost), San Clemente Kmart/Sears/Kmart on Camino de Estrella (58 jobs lost), placed on an official hit list in 2011 the Oceanside Kmart on College Boulevard finally being shut down, Banning Kmart (91 jobs lost) recently revealed that Sears Holdings is still paying rent on the abandoned property, Laguna Hills Mall Sears, San Diego Mid-City Kmart (73 jobs lost), Hemet Kmart (77 jobs lost), Oakland Sears repair center (75 jobs lost), San Mateo Kmart (82 jobs lost to an apartment building connected to public transportation), Hesperia Kmart building sold at a loss to a vulture capitalist REIT, no word on if the Kmart will be shutdown. Customers complain that the Kmart employees have a bad attitude, gee I wonder why? Yuba City Kmart (63 jobs lost), Rocklin Kmart (at least 63 jobs lost, the store had just posted “Now Hiring” signs), San Leandro Kmart (102 jobs lost), San Jose Mercury News says the El Centro Kmart to shutdown in January, the website Foursquare says the Covina Kmart is now shutdown (other sources say it will shutdown in December), Cupertino Sears and Auto Center (number of employees affected not made public, no WARN filed), somebody posted on yelp* that the Diamond Bar Kmart was shutting down in December (confirmed by Armijo Newspapers).

Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40), Colorado Springs Kmart at Powers and Palmer Park boulevards (57 jobs lost), Fort Collins Sears (67 jobs lost), recently revealed Denver-Cherry Creek North Sears store & Auto Center (66 jobs lost).

Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart, Torrington Kmart (73 jobs lost), Enfield Sears Optical (no word on jobs lost).

Delaware: Dover Kmart (at least 72 jobs lost, some reports said 100), Seaford Sears (30 jobs lost), Claymont Kmart (87 jobs lost).

Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart, Panama City Beach Kmart (54 jobs lost), Winter Park Kmart (100 jobs lost), Niceville Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winter Haven Kmart (92 jobs lost), Palm Bay Kmart, Oakland Park Kmart (112 jobs lost), Clearwater Sears Auto Center (21 jobs lost), Zephyrhills Kmart (70 jobs lost), Winter Springs Kmart (69 jobs lost), Naples Kmart (72 jobs lost), New Port Richey Kmart (58 jobs lost), ‘redevelopment’ of Aventura Sears & Auto Center into an “open-air village” (unknown how many jobs affected).

Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost), Hiram Kmart (53 jobs lost), Marietta-East Cobb Kmart, Warner Robins Kmart (77 jobs lost), Coweta County Kmart distribution center (164 jobs lost).

Guam: Sears Hometown Store.

Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost! GGP spending $573-million chopping it up into smaller store spaces), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).

Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Rexburg Kmart (63 jobs lost), Chubbuck Pine Ridge Mall Sears shutdown by the end of October/beginning of November 2014 (the remaining 28 jobs lost). Across the street, in Pocatello, the property where the Kmart is located has a “pad site available” sign, posted ever since the Kmart bankruptcy. The Kmart building takes up most of the ‘pad’. Latest news from inside sources say Sears Holdings will not comment on any plans to expand the small amount of Craftsman products already being sold at the Kmart, or shift the Kenmore products line, from the closing Chubbuck Sears to the Pocatello Kmart. In fact all plans for the Pokey Kmart are in a ‘holding pattern’.

Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost), Belvidere Kmart (91 jobs lost?) revealed is now a perpetual closing sale Kmart At A Discount store, Champaign’s Market Place Mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (60 jobs lost), Montgomery Kmart (81 jobs lost), Mattoon Sears (more than 40 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North State Street (160 jobs lost), Chicago Sears Craftsman Experience store, Galesburg Sears (46 jobs lost), White Lake Township Kmart (42 jobs lost), Orland Park Sears Appliance, Collinsville Kmart (84 jobs lost), Crystal Lake Kmart (at least 77 jobs lost), Danville Sears store & Auto Center (63 jobs lost), Forsyth Sears store & Auto Center (45 jobs lost), Peoria Kmart (73 jobs lost), Forest Park Kmart (107 jobs lost), Chicago Sears on North and Harlem avenues, supposedly it’s being replaced (most likely at taxpayer expense) with a new building and it will become a Sears-Mariano’s store, Bloomington Kmart (79 jobs lost). 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.

Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost), South Anthony Kmart (70 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on South Anthony Boulevard (70 jobs lost), FairOaks Mall Kmart, Logansport Sears (43 jobs lost), Muncie Kmart (59 jobs lost), Fort Wayne Kmart on Coliseum Boulevard North (69 jobs lost), Decatur Kmart (49 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Madison Avenue (131 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart on Washington Street (139 jobs lost), Bedford Kmart (62 jobs lost), Indianapolis (Evansville) Sears & Auto Center at Washington Square Mall (91 jobs lost), Greenwood Kmart (78 jobs lost).

Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost), Mason City Kmart (50 jobs lost), Clive Kmart (at least 49 jobs lost), Ames Kmart (44 jobs lost), Fort Dodge Sears (no job loss numbers made public, yet. The Auto Center was secretly shutdown in September).

Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Merriam Kmart-then Sears-then Kmart (jobs lost unknown), Wichita Sears store & Auto Center (103 jobs lost), Manhattan Sears & Auto Center (number of jobs lost were never revealed).

Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!), Newport Kmart (81 jobs lost), Cannonsburg Sears and Sears Auto Center (no employee info given), Louisville Dixie Highway Kmart/Sears/Kmart, Madisonville Kmart (39 jobs lost), Owensboro Sears store & Auto Center (52 jobs lost).

Louisiana: Slidell Sears (77 job lost), Gretna Kmart (94 jobs lost), Metairie Kmart secretly sold off, no word if it will be shutdown.

Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Aroostook Centre Mall Sears (63 jobs lost).

Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors, Landover Sears rebuild & call center (115 jobs lost), Baltimore Kmart on Wabash Avenue (107 jobs lost).

Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed, Milford Kmart (80 jobs lost),
Kingston Kmart (73 jobs lost).

Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Saginaw Kmart on Bay Road, Flint Kmart on Dort Highway (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost), Sterling Kmart (58 jobs lost), Bloomfield Township Kmart and Sears, Bad Axe Kmart (61 jobs lost), Ypsilanti Township Kmart (83 jobs lost), Petoskey Kmart (45 jobs lost), Saint John’s Kmart (48 jobs lost), White Lake Township “Store of the Future” Kmart (42 jobs lost), Grand Blanc Kmart (49 jobs lost), Lapeer Kmart (56 jobs lost), Southgate Kmart (155 jobs lost), Detroit’s Telegraph Road Kmart (115 jobs lost), Waterford Township Sears (no word on how many jobs lost), Rochester Hills Kmart (77 jobs lost), ‘perfect Kmart town’ of Port Huron Kmart (188 jobs lost), Flint Kmart on Miller Road (81 jobs lost), Burton Kmart (85 jobs lost), Madison Heights Kmart (179 jobs lost), it’s now obvious the last remaining Saginaw Kmart will remain shutdown after its roof collapsed during a snowstorm back in January 2014, Ann Arbor Kmart (59 jobs lost), Iron Mountain Kmart (54 jobs lost), Bangor Township Sears aka Bay City Mall Sears, the Auto Center was already secretly shutdown some time ago (at least 47 jobs lost), Big Rapids Kmart (about 50 jobs lost).

Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost), the entire Sears store in the Apache Mall being sold off, Fergus Falls Kmart (40 jobs lost), Fergus Falls Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Alexandria Kmart (46 jobs lost), Grand Rapids Kmart (61 jobs lost), Seritage is selling off three Sears Auto Centers in Minnetonka, Brooklyn Center and Saint Paul, Marshall Kmart (57 jobs lost), Oakdale Kmart (77 hourly wage employees losing their jobs, unknown how many salaried employees will become unemployed), Winona Kmart (67 jobs lost), Minneapolis city officials trying to shutdown profit making Nicollet Avenue Kmart, to make way for a new road. Anoka Kmart (47 jobs lost), Blaine Kmart (60 jobs lost), Burnsville Kmart (62 jobs lost), Waite Park Kmart (57 jobs lost), recently revealed Northeast Minneapolis Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale, recently revealed Coon Rapids Sears Hometown & Outlet store now for sale.

Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Gulfport Kmart (32 jobs lost), Pass Road Gulfport Kmart (52 jobs lost), Pascagoula Sears at the Singing River Mall, Olive Branch distribution center (unknown how many jobs lost).

Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost), Ellisville Kmart (55 jobs lost), Springfield Kmart on South Campbell Avenue (60 jobs lost), South Belt Kmart (64 jobs lost), Florissant Kmart (100 jobs lost).

Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost), Great Falls Kmart (closed “until further notice” due to fire, 63 jobs on hold), Great Falls Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost) due to great sales (ironically) the shutdown date has been moved from 07 December 2014 to 23 November, Bozeman Kmart (37 jobs lost).

Nebraska: Grand Island Kmart (55 jobs lost), Omaha Kmart near West Maple Road (50 jobs lost).

Nevada: Sparks Kmart distribution center (100 jobs lost).

New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost), Claremont Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost), Berlin Kmart, Dover Kmart (92 jobs lost), Randolf Kmart (91 jobs lost), Paramus Kmart (74 jobs lost).

New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost), Albuquerque Kmart on Central SW (80 jobs lost), Rio Rancho Kmart (59 jobs lost).

New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost), Colonie Kmart (72 jobs lost), Fulton Kmart (51 jobs lost), Clifton Park Kmart (74 jobs lost), Latham Kmart (61 jobs lost), East Greenbush-Rensselaer Kmart (70 jobs lost), Tonawanda Sears Appliance and Hardware, Bronx Sears (91 jobs lost), BBN reader reported that the Ithaca Sears and Auto Center shutdown and one month later it’s been officially confirmed (at least 37 jobs lost), DeWitt Kmart (92 jobs lost), Auburn Sears (51 jobs lost), Massena Sears and Auto Center (51 jobs lost).

North Carolina: Cary Kmart (71 jobs lost), High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road, Raleigh Kmart (88 jobs lost), Garner Kmart, Cleveland County mall Sears (56 jobs lost), Charlotte Kmart (89 jobs lost), Conover Kmart (74 jobs lost), Raleigh Kmart on Capital Boulevard (53 jobs lost), High Point Kmart (71 jobs lost), Boone Kmart (41 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart (96 jobs lost), Gastonia Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost), Kinston Kmart (64 jobs lost), Cary Sears (66 jobs lost), Greensboro Kmart distribution center (130 jobs lost).

North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost), Dickinson Kmart (41 jobs lost, despite a “Now Hiring” sign on the front of the store).

Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard, London Kmart (no word on number of jobs lost), Trotwood Sears (67 jobs lost), Westlake Kmart/Sears (at least 57 jobs lost), Xenia Kmart (at least 57 jobs lost), Norwalk Kmart (52 jobs lost), Blue Ash Kmart (77 jobs lost), Northwood Sears at Woodville Mall (36 jobs lost), Conneaut Kmart (43 jobs lost), Anderson Township Kmart (71 jobs lost), Brooklyn Kmart (200 jobs lost), Columbus Lockbourne Industrial Parkway Sears distribution center (200 jobs lost), also in Columbus, Sears Product Rebuild-Call Center (112 jobs lost), Marion Sears Auto Center (at least nine jobs lost), Springfield Kmart #3767 (68 jobs lost), Fairborn Kmart (66 jobs lost), Solon Sears & Auto Center (at least 53 jobs lost). Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants), Shawnee Sears (31 jobs lost), Sand Springs Kmart (52 jobs lost), Muskogee Sears (60 jobs lost), Enid Sears and Auto Center (at least 38 jobs lost).

Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), Bend Sears (48 jobs lost), Klamath Falls Kmart (64 jobs lost), Albany Kmart (64 jobs lost), Portland Sears Homes Services (no notice), Albany Sears (57 jobs lost), in October a BBN reader warned that Oregon City Kmart was being quietly shutdown, confirmed on 06 November 2014 by Sears Holdings (70 jobs lost).

Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost), Philadelphia Gallery Mall Kmart (120 jobs lost), Philadelphia Kmart on Orthodox Street and Castor Avenue (169 jobs lost), Levittown/Middle Township Kmart (87 jobs lost), Waynesboro Kmart (43 jobs lost), Sanatoga-Lower Pottsgrove Kmart (65 jobs lost, the store was also advertising for new hires!), West Mifflin Sears store & Auto Center (88 jobs lost), Rochester Kmart (78 jobs lost), Frazer (Pittsburg Mills Mall) Sears and Auto Center (97 jobs lost), Bloomsburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Frackville Sears and Auto Center (84 jobs lost), North Cornwall Township Sears (51 jobs lost), King of Prussia Sears and Auto Center (no word on number of jobs lost), Lebanon Sears (51 jobs lost), Scotland Chambersburg Mall Sears and Auto Center (62 jobs lost).

South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost), both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two), Mount Pleasant Kmart (43 jobs lost), Harbison Sears & Sears Auto Center in the Columbiana Centre mall (97 jobs lost), Aiken Sears & Sears Auto Center (at least 54 jobs lost), Inlet Square Mall Kmart (50 jobs lost), West Ashely Kmart (69 jobs lost), Myrtle Beach Kmart (59 jobs lost), Easley Kmart (62 jobs lost).

Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, Franklin Cool Springs Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed), 48 years old Nashville Kmart on Nolensville Pike to close by January 2014 (57 jobs lost), Franklin Kmart (33 jobs lost), Dickson Kmart (65 jobs lost), talks in progress to end lease for Bellevue (Nashville) Center Mall Sears.

Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors, Dallas Sears home appliance parts distribution center (77 jobs lost).

Utah: Murray Sears (for some reason Mormon controlled news media in Utah never reported the closure, but they reported that the building was demolished), Orem Kmart (no details reported), Woods Cross Kmart (54 jobs lost).

Vermont: Rutland Sears store & Auto Center (65 jobs lost).

Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost), Stafford Sears Hometown, Newport News-Denbigh Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Wise Kmart (58 jobs lost), Harrisonburg Kmart (79 jobs lost), Wincester Kmart (91 jobs lost), Dale City Kmart (69 jobs lost), Chesapeake Sears and Auto Center (82 jobs lost), Front Royal Kmart (88 jobs lost).

Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost), Oak Harbor Kmart (68 jobs lost), Sodo Sears and Sears Auto Center (79 jobs lost), Everett Kmart (65 jobs lost), Marysville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost).

West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost), Bluefield Sears store & Auto Center (64 jobs lost).

Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost), Racine’s Regency Mall Sears (52 jobs lost), Fort Atkinson Kmart (51 jobs lost), Greenfield Kmart (107 jobs lost), Portage Kmart (78 jobs lost) and Hales Corner (129 jobs lost), Chippewa Falls Kmart (79 jobs lost), Menomonie Kmart (at least 50 jobs lost), Ashwaubenon Kmart recently revealed now owned by Green Bay Packers, will be torn down (80 jobs lost), Shawano Kmart (55 jobs lost), Fond du Lac Sears (42 jobs lost), Glendale Sears store & Auto Center (86 jobs lost), Janesville Kmart (70 jobs lost), Glendale Sears Rebuild center (67 jobs lost), Sheboygan Sears & Auto Center (at least 31 jobs lost), Eau Claire Kmart (93 jobs lost), Plymouth Kmart (59 jobs lost before Xmas), Sheboygan Sears Rebuild Center (30 jobs lost).

On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.

Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:

Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs

Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)

Florida: West Oaks Mall

Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)

Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)

Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)

Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)

Minnesota: Apache Mall (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)

Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center (see update above, GGP closing store)

Business/Economics, Idaho

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 10 – 11 November 2014: “…it’s hard to fail.”

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

Connecticut: Norwalk based iconic Xerox warned that more layoffs are in the works, on top of the 13-hundred already taking place!  Administrators say demand for high-tech stuff is crashing, after reporting their 10th straight quarter of losses!

Florida: The Island Breeze Casino cruse ship now bankrupt busted, 250 employees laid off!  Administrators blame it on an engine fire that cost at least $1-million USD to fix.  In Saint Petersburg, British empire United Kingdom based medical products maker Smith & Nephew warned it will shutdown in 2015, eliminating 108 U.S. jobs!  Administrators say they must consolidate ops to Texas.

Idaho: In Challis, Colorado based Thompson Creek Mining (aka Thompson Creek Metals) issued a WARN saying they will layoff 160 people and shutdown their molybdenum mine in December.  The mining company also warned Canadian employment administrators that they will shutdown their Endako molybdenum mine, also in December.  Administrators blame the crashing price of moly-B.

Illinois: In Evanston, after 34 years Next Theater Company shutdown without notice.  Reports say subscribers will not get refunds!  Administrators blame a “sudden” crash in ticket buying and even donations, and they admitted their money management skills might not have been the best.

Indiana: In Fort Wayne, after 68 years Freeman Jewelers shutdown.  The family owners blamed the high cost of precious metals and gems, and high unemployment, for impacting their sales.

Minnesota: God refuses to stop the Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul from killing an undisclosed number jobs.  It’s blamed on their craving for sex with children, as they recently paid out a huge (undisclosed) amount of money to settle yet another sex abuse lawsuit!  In Minneapolis, printer Cenveo revealed they will shutdown and render jobless 112 people between December 2014 and March 2015!

Nebraska: It was announced that the only Schweser’s women’s clothing store in Ohama will shutdown in January 2015.  Company administrators blamed “economic reasons”.

North Carolina: Baxano Surgical now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.

Ohio: In Springboro, a 56 years old IGA (Independent Grocers Alliance) grocery store shutdown. The owner blames competition from ‘big box’ stores: “We’ve got third, fourth generation shoppers. I’ve seen the kids in their baby carriers, to them bringing in their own kids. It’s hard to see what this is, when you watch your inventory dwindle down trying to make excuses to the customers is just, it’s hard to fail.”-Doug Preston

South Carolina: In Conway, after six years the Eggs Up Grill shutdown, 20 jobs lost. The owners said they’re being evicted due to not being able to pay their bills. Co-owner Christine Bonar says “There’s no value to put on what we’re losing financially. It will be the value of the friendships that we’ve made and the staff that we worked with. We’re all breaking up. We’re breaking up our family!” Manager Jeanne Sudowski is worried about the employees: “Obviously losing your job right before Thanksgiving and Christmas time is very rough…..some of them I don’t know if they can collect unemployment because they’ve only been here since July.”

07-09 November-2014

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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

U.S. Job Losses & Store Closings, 07 – 09 November 2014: Too Big to Jail corporate welfare recipient kills off 45-thousand jobs! Competition kills bio-fuel!

Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:

California: Laying off 57 employees in Palo Alto, Space Systems/Loral finally gave state employment administrators a late WARN!  What automotive industry recovery?  In San Jose, Capitol Expressway Ford warned they will render 102 people jobless in December!  In Lodi, food processor General Mills warned they will render 410 people jobless by January 2015!  The FDIC seized the bank known as Frontier Bank (aka El Paseo Bank), assets were assumed by Bank of Southern California.  Los Angeles based Capitol Music Group laid off at least 12 employees, blamed on crashing sales.  Mountain View based Symantec confirmed it will kill off 2-thousand jobs by the end of 2015, and the tech company will split in half in an effort to ‘right-size’!  Dublin based hamburger joint Wendy’s announced it is killing an undisclosed number of HQ jobs (rumored to be in the hundreds) by December, and said that it will continue with its massive store selloffs into 2015! Wendy’s has been selling off its stores to franchise holders. Company administrators say they need to cut at least $30-million USD going into 2015! It’s not due to crashing sales (not yet anyway) but mainly because of skyrocketing beef prices (Wendy’s actually uses 100% beef, unlike McDonald’s)! The supply of cow meat is dwindling due to the decades old drought in the western half of the U.S., and not only is Wendy’s competing with people shopping for beef in grocery stores, but with other burger and steak restaurants as well.

Georgia: In Alpharetta, 400 people becoming jobless as Too Big to Jail insurance company AIG (American International Group, which has its origins in China) laid them off in the name of becoming “more agile”!

Illinois:   Lawn and garden products maker County Stone Holdings now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Company administrators blame crashing sales to homeowners, resulting in at least 74 employees becoming unemployed.

Iowa: After 83 years iconic Dahl’s Foods now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. The bankruptcy will make it easier for the iconic food company to be sold off to a competitor (Associated Wholesale Grocers), 950 employees affected!  After 30 years, Foster Family Music shutdown, the owners blaming a changing market.

Massachusetts: Maine based Hannaford Supermarkets announced they will shutdown their Ayer grocery store in February 2015, at least 87 jobs lost. Company administrators said they will not renew the lease and admitted the bad economy cannot support all the grocery stores they have.  Steward Health Care System announced they will shutdown their Quincy Medical Center at the end of December, 680 jobs lost!

Michigan: What automotive industry recovery?  Plastic parts maker for the automotive industry Flint Hills Resources shutting down their Marysville plant by mid-2015, at least 75 jobs lost.  Company administrators said that despite their best efforts the factory could not “remain competitive”.

Missouri: Air ambulance service Air Evac Lifeteam announced the shutdown of their West Plains ops, 36 jobs lost.  Company administrators blamed a number of things including the costs to upgrade helicopters and problems with landlords.

New Jersey: Gerresheimer Glass issued a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) saying 115 people will become jobless in January 2015!  They are shutting down their Millville soda lime furnace, blaming it on global competition.   Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton warned state administrators that they will render 87 healthcare workers jobless by the end of 2014.

New York:  NYC based Too Big to Jail taxpayer bailout eater JP Morgan Chase radically upped its job killing, now reports say a total of 45-thousand JP Morgan Chase workers will become unemployed, apparently by the end of 2014!  And for more proof of a coming housing implosion, about 18-thousand of those job cuts are in the mortgage sector (due to a 48% drop in mortgage related business)!  In 2012 a Bloomberg study revealed that JP Morgan Chase was getting $14-billion per year from the U.S. taxpayers!  The iconic bank has also been accused of massive fraud and in 2013 agreed to pay the federal government a piddly $13-billion in fines (however, criminal charges are still pending).  Oak-Mitsui Technologies warned it will shutdown its Hoosick Falls plant in February 2015, at least 29 jobs lost.  Castle Oil issued a WARN revealing they’ve been sold off, putting in limbo at least 182 jobs!  Some good news; Suffolk Bus has rescinded a previous WARN.  Supposedly they aren’t shutting down after all.

North Carolina: Obamacare forced Harnett Health to lose $24-million and kill off 19 jobs!

Texas: Pasadena based bio-fuel maker Kior now chapter 11 bankrupt busted and up for sale.  Administrators said it’s just to expensive to scale up bio-fuel production to compete with old fashioned petroleum oil.  In Fort Worth, British empire based U.S. taxsucker BAE Systems killed off 190 U.S. jobs!  It’s blamed on U.S. ally Korea (south, aka RoK) canceling an order to upgrade more than 130 F-16 jets.  The upgrade deal was (mis?)-handled by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Washington: Seattle based legal bio-tech drugs pusher Dendreon now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Administrators say the company has $664-million in debt, but only $364-million in assets.

05-06 November-2014

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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.

Business/Economics

What U.S. automotive industry recovery? Vehicle manufacturing & sales job destruction for 2014

Incomplete list of publicly revealed U.S. automotive related industry shutdowns and layoff announcements made in the Gregorian year of 2014:

Russian steel company Severstal selling off its factories in Deerborn, Michigan, and in Columbus, Mississippi. At least 25-hundred jobs affected! The company was supplying steel for Ford tough trucks, but the new Ford F-150 will be made of aluminum (cans?).

Alabama: After 60 years Graysville Tire Store shutdown.

California:  In Sacramento, Harrold Ford car dealer gave state employment administrators a two days notice of laying off 120 employees! The WARN posting says reason “Not known at this time”.    In La Mesa, car dealer Drew Ford issued a WARN saying it was shutting down due to its sale to a competitor, 281 jobs in limbo!   In Carson, U.S. Auto Parts Network shutdown their distribution center in August, 78 jobs lost.   Car dealer California Superstores shutdown three locations across the Golden State, 203 jobs lost by August!  In San Diego, Midway Jeep Chrysler Dodge Ram shutdown in August, 96 jobs lost.  In San Jose, car dealer Courtesy Chevrolet shutdown in July, 100 jobs lost!  In Roseville, caranything.com killed at least 99 jobs.  In Chino, automotive parts maker Senior Operations/CAPO killed 131 jobs!  Maker of car batteries Exide Technologies killed off 61 jobs at their Los Angeles ops. The battery maker and recycler is also under federal investigation for emissions violations.  In San Jose, Capitol Expressway Ford warned they will render 102 people jobless in December!

Florida: It has been confirmed that Bonita Springs based publisher of many automotive magazines (Motor Trend, Hot Rod, Camaro Performers, GM Hi-Tech, Super Chevy, Import Tuner, Honda Tuning, Super Street, etc), Source Interlink, killed more than 5-thousand jobs at the end of May! Those jobs were in California, Florida and Michigan. The parent company, Source Home Entertainment, went chapter 11 bankrupt busted! Officials with the publisher-distributor blame e-books and “the continuing overhang of the economic downturn” creating a “difficult operating environment”. Company officials also admitted that hundreds of each magazine issue has had to be destroyed at additional costs, because nobody is buying them! 20 years ago there were about 400 magazine wholesalers in the U.S., with the demise of Source Interlink there are now only two!

Georgia: In McDonough, the World’s largest maker of small engines Briggs & Stratton shutdown a factory, 270 jobs lost: “We have not been able to get the McDonough plant running at full capacity for several years. That, and market conditions, have made it even more difficult.”-Laura Timm, public affairs

Illinois: In Chicago, it was revealed that 1-hundred Ford employees were fired on Halloween. Ford administrators said they notified the employees via ‘robocall’, yet many employees said they thought the electronic message was somebody’s Halloween joke.   Isn’t that kind of chicken shit of Ford, to use a type of messaging service to tell employees they’re fired?  Moline based farm vehicle maker Deere (formerly known as John Deere) announced they will kill more than 600 jobs in Illinois, Iowa and Kansas! Some inside reports say it’s more like 1-thousand jobs killed! Company officials blame crashing sales.  Peoria based heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar reports their sales crashed by 12% from March through May. It’s all part of the big mining shutdown conspiracy around the World.  As a result Caterpillar shutdown four of its Anchor Coupling production and logistics facilities, at least 170 full time jobs lost!   Fiat-Chrysler laid off 325 people in Belvidere! It’s blamed on a 37% drop in sales of the new Dodge Dart.

Indiana:  In Mishawaka, taxsucker, and maker of the (in)famous Hummer, AM General (formerly part of American Motors Corporation [AMC]) laid off 60 people. However, the company had actually recalled 200 people earlier in the year due to increased demand for the military general utility machine.  In Kokomo, General Motors (GM) revealed they laid off an undisclosed number of employees at their computer control module factory.   In a surprise announcement, Monaco RV shutdown their towable recreational vehicle factory in Elkhart, 160 jobs lost! It’s blamed on the 2013 takeover by Allied Specialty Vehicles (ASV). Officials with ASV say towable campers are no longer money makers.  Truck maker Navistar International announced they’re shutting down their Indianapolis foundry by the summer of 2015, at least 180 jobs lost! Company administrators say the suck-ass economy is forcing them to get their parts from a cheap-o-contractor instead of making them in their own foundry!

Iowa: Farm vehicle maker Deere continues job killing, this time 462 people in Waterloo are now jobless!  That’s on top of the previously announced Deere layoffs in Illinois.

Kansas: Farm equipment maker AGCO tried to blame their factory shutdown and killing of at least 111 jobs on the embargo against U.S. farm equipment by Russia, however, ag analysts say it’s really the suck-ass economy: “With depressed crop prices, farmers don’t want to spend money, and large equipment dealers like John Deere, like AGCO, are starting to see the effects, and they’re being proactive.”-John Jenkinson, The Ag Network

Massachusetts: Boston based Hill Holiday advertising laid off employees after losing GM’s Cadillac contract.

Michigan:  Detroit based General Motors (GM) announced they are cutting back on car production in Russia, due to crashing sales.  In Lansing, GM revealed that 450 people at its Grand River Assembly Plant could become jobless in early 2015! It’s blamed on crashing sales of upscale Cadillacs.  GM also killing off at least 160 jobs at its Buick and Chevy Orion Assembly Plant by the end of 2015 (they hope production will go up when they introduce the new Camaro)!  Five Suski’s used car lots across two counties shutdown!  Plastic parts maker for the automotive industry Flint Hills Resources shutting down their Marysville plant by mid-2015, at least 75 jobs lost. Company administrators said that despite their best efforts the factory could not “remain competitive”.

Minnesota:  In Minneapolis, Borton Volvo shutdown. They were the last new car dealer in the city. The owner blames city officials for changing zoning laws, now he’s building a mega dealership outside city limits (less tax revenue for the dumb city officials).  However, U.S. Volvo dealers might have a hard time getting new cars to sell as Sweden based Volvo said they lost so much money at the end of 2013 that they had to kill 4,400 jobs around the world in 2014! And that’s on top of the previous 2-thousand job cuts announced at the end of 2013!  After five years of selling Italian motorcycles, Ducati Motors shutdown in the Lyn-Lake area: “We are closing because we are unable to be profitable.”-Merrill Ferguson

Missouri:  In Saint Joseph, car battery maker Johnson Controls laid off 29 employees. They blame “technology advances”.

Nevada:  Reports say construction on one of two secret Tesla Motors Gigafactories in Reno was stopped. No reason given, Tesla officials refused coment. The Gigafactories supposedly will make lithium-ion batteries for electric cars.

New Hampshire:  In Newport, after 80 years City Auto RV Superstore announced they will shutdown sometime in 2015. The current owner says she’s going back to being a nurse.

New York: Manhattan Ford Lincoln shutdown in September, 245 jobs lost!   In several cities across the state Long Island Automotive Group-Land Rover dealers shutdown, 243 jobs lost!   General Motors (GM) shutdown their Treasury Operations in September, 46 jobs lost.  In Owego, France based automotive electronics maker Asteelflash laid off 34 U.S. employees, blaming the bad economy.  In Newburgh, after 65 years Dabrusin Auto Parts shutdown. The owner said the automotive market is so bad that he talked his daughter out of taking over the business!

North Dakota: Reports that Case-International Harvester  eliminated 40 farm vehicle making jobs in Fargo.

Ohio:  After 118 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) E.T. Paul Tire Company shutdown, ironically by the state Department of Transportation to make way for a new road!   Japan based YSK laid off 19 people at its Chillicothe car parts factory. Company administrators were surprised by their crashing sales: “While a difficult decision and an unprecedented one in its 25 year history, YSK’s Management Team felt that it was necessary for the long term health of the company.”

Oklahoma: Auto parts maker Federal Mogul revealed they will shutdown their recently acquired Oklahoma City factory in 2015, at least 165 jobs lost!  Federal Mogul took over the factory from Affina Group in June 2014.

Pennsylvania:  In Shady Grove, heavy construction vehicle maker Manitowoc Cranes, killed 250 jobs! Company officials blame it on crashing orders, which represent crashing building construction.  Only four years after Swedish vehicle maker Volvo set up shop in Shippensburg, Volvo administrators revealed they will shutdown specific heavy construction vehicle production, not only in the U.S. but in Poland and Brazil, killing off at least 1-thousand jobs into 2015!

South Carolina:  In Spartanburg County, after only four years France based car parts maker Faurecia shutdown, 150 jobs lost!  Heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar shutdown its Fountain Inn factory, 510 jobs lost!

Tennessee:  Custom transmission company Keisler Engineering went chapter 7 bankrupt busted. Company officials blame competitors for spreading rumors that the company was shutting down, but yet at the same time they confirmed the company is shutting down: “The order cancellations created a cash flow problem for KE, and placed new customer orders at risk. I took the initiative to refund all new order deposits going back to Thursday January 9 2014 once I realized the company was at risk of closure…”-Shafi Keisler

Vermont: Plasan Carbon Composites shutdown their Bennington operations in May, consolidating to Michigan, 143 jobs lost! The company makes carbon parts for the Dodge Viper and Chevy Corvette. However, company officials say they might figure out a way to use the factory to make armor plate made from carbon.  White River Junction based turbo engineering company, Concepts NREC, laid off employees across several New England states.

Virginia:  Roanoke based Advanced Auto Parts announced the shutdown of 100 stores across the U.S.! And that’s just the beginning, officials calling it their “first round” of store closings! Thousands of jobs will be lost! It’s the result of their takeover of rival Carquest-General Parts in 2013 (company officials say there are just far too many auto parts stores in the U.S., and they need to be culled). But wait, there’s more! Advanced Auto was awarded $17.4-million USD in taxpayer incentives, if they created 600 new jobs in Virginia! One news report said many of those ‘new’ jobs will actually be former Carquest employees simply re-hired by Advanced Auto.

Wisconsin: Tax sucking military truck maker Oshkosh laid off as many as 1,130 people in 2014! Company administrators proudly stated that despite the reduction in sales “We’re still the number one global manufacturer of tactical wheeled vehicles for the military”.   Oshkosh killed at least 900 jobs in 2013!  In Oshkosh, taxsucking AxleTech laid off 65 people. Company administrators blamed “a sharp decline in demand for military-grade axles and components”.

Business/Economics

Deb Shops shuts down, nearly 3-thousand jobs lost in 2015!

11 January 2015 (07:20 UTC-07 Tango)/20 Rab al’Awwal 1436/21 Dey 1393/21 Yi-Chou 4712

After 80 years, Pennsylvania based female clothing store Deb Shops (aka DEB) went chapter 11 bankrupt busted in December, and is now going down!  All 287 stores across the United States will shutdown by April.

No word on how many people will become jobless, but most Deb Stores have about ten employees each so I figure that’s about 2,870 unemployed people by April!

Body Central shuts down & kills off 2-thousand 5-hundred jobs 

Business/Economics

Women’s clothing store Body Central shuts down & kills off 2-thousand 5-hundred jobs in 2015!

11 January 2015 (07:07 UTC-07 Tango)/20 Rab al’Awwal 1436/21 Dey 1393/21 Yi-Chou 4712

Florida based women’s ‘clubbing’ clothing chain store Body Central suddenly decided to shutdown all 265 stores in the United States, 2-thousand 5-hundred jobs lost!

In 2013 the city of Jacksonville approved $244-thousand USD in local tax breaks, to help the company move from one side of the city to another.  Company administrators also promised to hire 52 more people.

Wet Seal killing off 3-thousand 7-hundred jobs!

Coldwater Creek now busted, 6-thousand jobs lost!

Business/Economics

Macy’s killing off 2-thousand 5-hundred jobs in 2015!

11 January 2015 (06:55 UTC-07 Tango)/20 Rab al’Awwal 1436/21 Dey 1393/21 Yi-Chou 4712

On 07 January 2015, Ohio based Macy’s department store  announced new shutdowns for 2015.  At least 14 stores to be shutdown and as many as 2-thousand 5-hundred people to be rendered jobless!

In the following list, those stores in bold letters are the stores to be shutdown this year.

Arizona: Mesa Macy’s, Metro Center in Phoenix.

California: Pasadena Paseo Colorado mall Macy’s, 116 jobs lost! Interestingly this Macy’s was not covered in the list of ‘five’ closures published by east coast news sources, however, California news sources say this store shows the list actually covered six stores. I wonder why the dominant east coast news sources failed to identify it? In Cupertino, the Vallco Shopping Mall Macy’s was sold off, no word on if the store will be shutdown by the new owner, Cupertino Square Mall, Promenade-Woodland Hills, Furniture Gallery-Woodland hills.

Florida: Bradenton DeSoto Square mall Macy’s, 131 jobs affected!  Gulf View Square.

Kansas: Overland Park Macy’s.

Michigan: Northland Center.

Missouri: Florrisant Macy’s.

New York: Irondequoit Macy’s, ShoppingTown Mall, Rotterdam Square.

North Carolina: Wendover-Greensboro. 

New Jersey: Ledgewood Mall.

Ohio: Kingsdale Shopping Center, Richmond Town Square, Upper Valley mall.

Pennsylvania: West Manchester Township Macy’s, 69 jobs lost.

Tennessee: Southland Mall.

Texas: One of two Houston Macy’s (Galleria Macy’s), 136 jobs lost!

Utah: Murray Macy’s.

Macy’s killing more stores in 2014

JCPenney, 2-thousand+ jobs lost in 2015