Incomplete list of U.S. retail/banking/service sector job loss WARNings and store shutdowns made or announced in February 2018:
British empire United Kingdom based luxury clothier Charlotte Olympia now chapter 11 bankrupt busted in the United States, blaming an “unprecedented brick and mortar retail disruption” affecting its stores in California, Nevada and New York. But don’t blame online sales because there is an Official Charlotte Olympia Online Store.
Germany based Deutsche Bank suddenly began eliminating hundreds of jobs globally, including jobs in the United States, as part of a plan to impose ‘cost discipline’ due to crashing revenues.
Arizona: In Phoenix, antique store/vendor rental space Zinnias shutdown.
California: In Modesto, after 23 years Buy Right shutdown for its second and possibly final time, and for the second time it’s because a greedy landlord kicked them out, this time the owners of the popular thrift store did not say they were looking for a new location. Local Modesto news media reported a sudden increase in landlords jacking up rent. Prudential-Jackson National Life Insurance laid off 161 people in El Segundo, admitting the layoff was planned back in August 2017! Los Angeles based retailer of those dumb-ass looking wide leg jeans, JNCO Jeans, shutting down all nationwide ops when the inventory is gone (the company actually died several years ago, but some idiot tried rebooting it in 2017). In San Diego, after 125 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) iconic Jessop Jewelers shutdown. In San Francisco, after 28 years Costumes on Haight shutting down in March, the new manager blames increased operating costs. Calexico JCPenney shutting down by mid-May. WP Payroll Management issued a shutdown WARN for its Los Angeles location, 113 jobs gone by May! The Ritz-Carlton issued a temporary shutdown WARN for its Truckee location, 236 jobs gone mid-April! In Anaheim, Gateway One Lending and Finance eliminating 24 jobs by April. In the City of Industry, Artistree laying off 104 people by April! What automotive industry recovery? Car dealer Infiniti of Riverside issued a shutdown WARN, 25 jobs gone by the end of March. What housing market recovery? Apartment manager Irvine Company suddenly laid off 63 employees, and reclassified 17 positions according to news reports (their official WARN says 80 jobs gone), as part of its plan to refine “long-term apartment communities”.
Colorado: Prudential-Jackson National Life Insurance shutting down its 20 years old tech center in Denver, 370 jobs gone!
Florida: In Tampa, Prudential-Jackson National Life Insurance eliminating 41 jobs mid-March. In Saint Petersburg, Transamerica Life Insurance eliminating 465 jobs by mid-April!
Georgia: In Macon, after 40 years Chi-chester’s Gifts shutdown due to crashing sales.
Idaho: After 40 years the owners of the two Porter’s Crafts & Frames stores (in Rexburg and Idaho Falls) forced to retire due to health problems, they’re trying to get a friend from New Jersey to buy the Rexburg property, the stores are shutting down when the inventory is gone.
Illinois: Lord & Taylor shutdown its clothing store in the Oakbrook Center, and is shutting down its store in Westfield Old Orchard Mall in April. Sandburg Mall JCPenney shutting down by mid-May. In Geneva, after ten years Antiques on State shutting down in April, due to crashing sales. Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down six of its Carson’s stores and one Bergner’s, in total 4-hundred jobs gone by May! In Normal, after 47 years Guitar World shutdown, the owner saying even music lessons have been affected by the internet: “We went from over 105 lessons when we came here nine years ago, to 30 or less. So I mean, the market is changing, the people who are doing this have changed. So it’s what you have to do with all online, God bless the internet.”-Jim Bland
Indiana: Walmart issued a shutdown WARN for its store in Rushville, 95 jobs gone by mid-April. Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down five of its Carson’s stores, in total 306 jobs gone by the end of April!
Iowa: Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down two of its Younkers stores. Too Big to Jail Goldman Sachs issued a shutdown WARN for its Cedar Rapids office, 39 jobs gone by May. Also in Cedar Rapids, Transamerica Life Insurance eliminating 863 jobs by mid-April! What housing market recovery? In Des Moines, Nationwide-Mortgage eliminating 54 jobs by April.
Kentucky: Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down the Elder Beerman store in Paducah. Also in Paducah, New York & Company Outlet shutdown.
Maryland: Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down its store in Hagerstown. In Baltimore, Transamerica Life Insurance eliminating 55 jobs by mid-April.
Massachusetts: Clothier Artwear shutting down in March, the owner stated “Retailers have been hit hard this year. I can’t predict what 2018 will bring and so I have decided that I cannot keep the store open any longer.”
Michigan:Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down the Elder Beerman store in Adrian, a Younkers in Marquette and a Carson’s in Benton Harbor (Bon-Ton did not indicate how many jobs lost in its official WARN).
Minnesota: Eagan based Sun Country Airlines suddenly eliminated 350 ground crew jobs by outsourcing them to a cheapo contractor, Sun Country workers had one week to beg the contractor to hire them (at less pay and probably no benefits, for the same work)! Viking Plaza JCPenney shutting down by mid-May. Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down the Herberger’s Clearance Center store in Maplewood, 20 jobs gone in April. In West Duluth, after 35 years Video Vision shutdown. Toys R Us issued a shutdown WARN for its store in Roseville, 30 jobs gone in April.
Missouri: Hampton Village Plaza JCPenney shutting down by mid-May.
Montana: In Billings, Big Bear Sports Center is now officially dead. It’s been shutdown since November because a man drove his SUV into the store, then began trading gunshots with police. Police used tear-gas, and water and gas lines in the store were damaged, the suspect was killed. The store owners were hoping to repair the store but apparently it’s not going to happen.
New Hampshire: Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down its store in Concord.
New Jersey: Hotel operator Wyndham Worldwide Operations eliminating 134 jobs in Parsippany, mid-April! Walmart shutting down its Route 22 Readington (Branchburg) store, 149 jobs gone by mid-April, due to “financial performance”! Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down its store in Phillipsburg. Garden State Plaza JCPenney shutting down by mid-May. After more than 30 years the family owned gun shop known for supporting local charities, Sportsman’s Rendezvous, shutdown, the family is moving to Florida. After 27 years, and three location changes, The Big Little Railroad Shop shutdown due to the sudden collapse of the sale of the store: “I had been working with someone for at least a year-and-a-half who was going to purchase the store. I’d work two days, he’d work three and vice versa, and all of the sudden on Memorial Day, he just walked out of here.”-Jen Lush, co-owner
New Mexico: Gertrude Zachary shutdown its antique store In Albuquerque, but the owners claim a new type of store will take its place.
New York: NYC based Barnes & Noble eliminating an undisclosed number of cashiers and digital product associates, due to crashing sales. Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down its stores in Massena, Watertown and Queensbury. In Brooklyn, Horseman Antiques shutting down due to the building being sold-off for $18-million USD. Toys R Us-Babies R Us issued shutdown WARNs for six stores, at least 285 jobs gone between mid-March and mid-April! Sterling National Bank issued mass-layoff WARN for multiple locations, at least 140 jobs lost between April and Xmas! California based GAP shutting down its Banana Republic corporate operations in NYC, 112 jobs lost due to consolidation ops back to California!
North Carolina: Charlotte based Japanese Toyota NASCAR driving BK Racing now chapter 11 bankrupt busted due to $8-million USD of debt. Charlotte based retailer Belk suddenly laid off 58 managers across the U.S. In Durham, sexist female boutique Liberation Threads shutdown after a year, the owners saying “…as we move into 2018, there’s a sea change happening.”
Ohio: Non-profit tenant advocate Cleveland Tenants Organization shutdown due to lack of funding. In Greenville, after 25 years Club 7 Sports up for sale, the owners want to retire. Knox Village Square JCPenney shutting down by mid-May. In Columbus, after more than 40 years Romanoff’s Classic Tuxedos shutting down. Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down its Elder Beerman store in Defiance, 41 jobs gone. In Cleveland Heights, after 27 years toy and joke store Big Fun shutting down when the inventory is gone, the owner bemoaned “I call Amazon our kryptonite…. they need to shop local.”
Oklahoma: Washington Park Mall JCPenney shutting down by mid-May.
Oregon: Nordstrom shutting down its 37 years old store in the Salem Center Mall, 130 jobs gone by April!
Pennsylvania: In Narberth, after 105 years (surviving The Great Depression and several recessions) Ricklin’s Hardware shutdown so the owners can retire. Janitorial service company Compass Group eliminating six jobs in April. Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down eight of its stores! Macy’s issued a shutdown WARN for its Homestead store, 94 jobs gone by mid-April. Limerick Furniture and Mattress shutting down its store in the Fairgrounds Square Mall, due to increased competition and increased operating costs. After 40 years, Dave Phillips Music & Sound shutdown its Allentown location blaming internet shopping. In Exton, Transamerica Life Insurance outsourcing 192 jobs by mid-April! Administrators claim in-house employees were offered jobs with the contractor at the same pay, having personally experienced outsourcing of some of my past jobs I find that hard to believe.
South Carolina: What housing market recovery? Created out of the 2008 financial meltdown Movement Mortgage suddenly laid off 75 people, administrators blamed the sudden layoffs on ‘improvements’ to their lending process.
Texas: In Houston, after 16 years music venue Walter’s Downtown suddenly shutdown.
Utah: Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down its Herberger’s store in Logan.
Vermont: Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down its store in South Burlington.
Virginia: Clothier PacSun shutting down its store in the River Ridge Mall, in May. Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down its Elder Beerman store in Vienna.
Washington:Cascade Mall JCPenney shutting down by mid-May.
West Virginia: Shoe seller Finish Line shutting down its store in the Charleston Town Center. Speaking of Charleston Town Center, it is now under control of a real estate group after the original owners defaulted on a $100-million USD loan.
Wisconsin: Prudential-Jackson National Life Insurance laid off an additional 23 employees in Appleton. In Manitowoc, after 67 years LLoyd’s Photo & Digital shutdown, the owner lamenting “…our bread and butter was prints.” Chapter 11 bankrupt Bon-Ton shutting down six of its Younkers stores, two Boston Stores and an Elder Beerman! In Mequon, after 27 years Xenia Gallery shutting down in March.
Wyoming: in Cheyenne, after 49 years City News and Pipe Shop shutdown, the owners say the crash in magazine and newspaper sales is a final sign that it’s time to retire. In Casper, Seconds on First Street shutdown after 16 years of consignments.
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
OBAMA LEGACY: U.S. APPAREL INDUSTRY DEATH-SPIRAL
U.S. RETAIL/BANKING/SERVICE SECTOR COLLAPSE, January 2018: “THERE’S A FEELING OF LOSS…MAYBE I’LL GO GET A REAL JOB.”
SEARS KMART DEATH SPIRAL, February 2018: “MONOTONOUS”
U.S. INDUSTRIAL/MINING/LOGISTICS LAYOFFS, February 2018: “NO REASONABLE OPTION BUT….DEACTIVATION”
Dumbing Down the U.S.A., February 2018:“PORCH MONKEY”
U.S. HI-TECH/COMMUNICATIONS BREAKDOWN, February 2018: “I DIDN’T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY….”
U.S. government shenanigans, February 2018: “I NEED TO PAY HIGHER TAXES.”
U.S. food crisis, February 2018: “I’M NOT SURE WE CAN SUPPORT ALL THESE STORES. OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN’T.”
ObamaCare ACA death spiral, February 2018: “WE ARE IN VERY CHALLENGING TIMES.”
DRUGS, THE AMERICAN WAY, FEBRUARY 2018: “TEACHING KIDS ABOUT THE HARM OF DRUGS…DOESN’T REALLY WORK.”
Newsday outsourcing 225 in-house jobs, plus issued Phase 1, 2 and Phase 3 shutdown WARNs as part of its plan to halt ops in Melville, which will affect 1-thousand-431 employees by October! For the first time in its 12 years history Droga5 suddenly laid off 40 people in NYC. NYC based Viacom reportedly eliminated 1-hundred jobs! The Weinstein Company bankrupt busted after refusing an offer from a potential buyer. Call center operator Sitel eliminating 71 jobs in Erwin/Painted Post, by May.
