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Recession? What recession?
You can "google" this information from lots of sources, but Bill sent me this one from here, which seems most consistent with other sources.
I know my "Christmas Wish List" has been seriously cut. My family is, likewise, looking at gifts that are more "practical" as well as homemade.
That being said, it's also a sign of the times to be more generous with others whose "practical needs" are much more serious than our own.
What to get for that 'person who has everything'? How about a generous contribution in her/his name to an agency that helps those in need - at home or around the world?
Anyway, looks like too many of us will have too many places left to do our Christmas Shopping. Pray for all those who have or will lose their jobs. Pray for the leadership of this country. Pray for an end to the greed in our own hearts which equates getting "more stuff" with greater happiness that the greed in human hearts will be transformed into generosity.
Circuit City
155 stores closing
6 in NE Ohio
2 will remain open in NE Ohio
Ann Taylor
117 Stores to close nationwide
Closings planned over the next 3 years
No specifics announced
Lane Bryant
40 Stores closing nationwide
Fashion Bug
100 stores closing nationwide
Catherine’s
10 stores closing nationwide
KB Toys
150 stores closing nationwide
Akron location remains open
Eddie Bauer
27 stores closing nationwide
Cache
14 stores closed but several others open
CompUSA
All stores closed
Dillards
Closed Middletown, Ohio store in April
Disney Store
98 stores closed nationwide
Home Depot
15 stores closed nationwide
2 in Ohio – Findley & Lima
Won’t open 50 stores planned for 2009
Hurt specifically byeal estate crisis
Talbots
78 men's and children's stores closed by September
Fifteen furniture chains closed last year, up from 10 in 2006 and five in 2005, according to Furniture/Today, a trade publication. Two of the largest, Wickes and Domain, closed this year.
Pacific Sunwear
154 remaining Demo stores closing
Foot Locker
140 stores closing by end of 2008
Linens N’ Things
371 stores liquidating
All set to be closed by Jan. 1
Macy’s
Already Closed: Rolling Acres Mall
Akron Canton Centre, Canton
Randall Park Mall, North Randall
Movie Gallery
160 stores as part of reorganization plan to exit bankruptcy
Zales
100 Stores
J. C. Penney, Lowe’s and Office Depot are scaling back or delaying expansion. Office Depot had planned to open 150 stores this year, but will now open 75.
Sprint Nextel
125 retail locations
Even when the economy bottoms and begins a recovery, a lot of those jobs are not coming back. Web marketing has for all practical purposes obsoleted a lot of retail. And that is going to make the investment in malls look sort of punk indefinitely.
ReplyDeleteWe need to learn how to offer re-training to people who get caught in the cross-hairs. My dau-in-law has a buddy whose hubby was a store manager. His job went away not because he failed but because the market changed. How dose he support a child and a mortgage while he learns new skills? That is a real problem and Congress has not solved it by adding a quarter to unemployment comp. We need some real thinking and most importantly acting on it.
FWIW
jimB
If you want a great holiday vacation deal come to Mexico! Today the rate is 13.79 pesos to the dollar. It hovered around 10 to 1 for years.
ReplyDeleteThe last month or two has been difficult. Prices rise weekly in the stores! My bi-weekly trip to the grocery store was usually MX$850.00. The same items yesterday were MX$1264.00.
God bless us everyone.