are business closing around you too?

toile · 11-10-2008, 11:04 AM

GA has been struggling in the real estate marking for years.
Builders over built, then foreclosures came here, it seems, before other states.
Then the severe drought knocked some business out.
Now every area almost has been hit.

Every day something new closes.
My mechanic said that people are not doing upkeep, maintenance , and small necessary things on their cars.

It seems everyone you meet has had their job effected.
I have observed people who have always had "help" let them go for financial reasons. Lawn services, and things of that nature.

Are business going out around you too?
Wonder what the next phase of this will look like?
Will it just start to upswing again?

What confuses me is the new business going in.
Is this terrible timing on their part? or good timing in a way I don't understand?

On the other end of this, I have to laugh when people compare this to the depression!
I see people still buying season tickets to ball games, or shopping up a storm for Christmas, or buying that big screen they have always wanted.
Doesn't look like the depression area just yet LOL.

**RenieB** · 11-10-2008, 11:45 AM

We have had two mobile home making factories close in the last couple of months, which has put quite a few people out of work. Then we passed a little store, about a mile from us and it has closed. They have put in a senior housing place in town and I hear that not one home has sold and the sign has dropped the price.

RenieB

**Nana2two** · 11-10-2008, 12:15 PM

We had circut city and linens and things close down.

**Contrary Housewife** · 11-10-2008, 12:49 PM

This area did not get hit by the housing bubble so bad as some. Real estate went up a little and I think is back to where it was about eight years ago. Unemployment is not nearly as bad as it was 6 years ago. As for businesses closing, our side of town started to decline in the mid 90's, all the national chains pulled out (this is not the yuppie part of town) and it peaked a couple years back when they shut down the nearby mall. What business remains seems to be holding steady, fast food places, a few discount stores, auto repair, local grocery and drugstores.

While I know houses in our neighborhood are not selling, I haven't seen any go vacant or be put up for auction because people can't pay. Most folks here have steady, moderate wage jobs and seem to be getting along ok. I think they are probably feeling it more on the over-developed side of town where a bunch of new expensive shopping areas went in a couple years ago, that probably are not seeing as much traffic as they'd hoped to get.

**shoiji** · 11-10-2008, 01:11 PM

The last couple of years the strip malls near me have not obtained new customers so they stand empty or one or two stores still open. There was a housing project being worked on but now it has been scraped. Have a feeling that next year there will be more layoffs going on. One thing that may be good is that business in NYC may end up coming in this area since it would be cheaper.

It truly is scary to think what will happen because of the economy. I have been trying to tell myself to get ready for what could be a very long ride.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 11-10-2008, 01:43 PM

I grew up in a hometown where a business would come in, stay for two years, then leave because of poor business.

I think that with the economy having been so strong, now struggling, many new businesses can't keep up and the ones who rely on loans to get them through are being affected the most. I can understand the whole loan thing because when the economy looks like it's about to go under, people naturally freak out.

It hasn't been bad in Calgary and the economy is looking to skirt past a recession. I think that's due to the fact that government intervenes sooner when a business is about to go under, plus the banking system in Canada is the most sound system in the entire world. That's all due to the government stepping in and playing Big Brother, but some people would tell you that's bad juju.

**LexTysMommy** · 11-10-2008, 01:45 PM

We have businesses and stores going up all over it seems. Havent noticed it here yet.

**Pianolady** · 11-10-2008, 02:21 PM

Not yet. We've actually had two new malls go in with all kinds of new development and new companies moving to our city. Hopefully we won't end up with empty new retail space galore in a few years.

**brennasmom** · 11-10-2008, 02:28 PM

Yes, we've seen it too.

Our Cold Stone closed a couple months back and many of our smaller businesses have closed (coffee shops, restaurants, etc....)

**tigo** · 11-10-2008, 03:04 PM

Linens N Things, Sharper Image and Circuit City have closed. The plane refurbishing place cut the staff to almost nothing. It seems like every day this company or that is closing or pulling up stakes here in Kansas City.

**tmffv** · 11-10-2008, 04:47 PM

Our Circuit City is closing, but last I heard, a lot of their stores are being closed down across the nation. I'm sure there are other businesses here and there, but nothing unusual or alarming. Still plenty of new stores coming in around here.

**spyzvixxen** · 11-10-2008, 05:08 PM

Other than LNT & Circuit City, I'll tell you what we DON'T need: any more banks, nail salons, tanning salons, chinese takeout or pizzerias. It seems there is one popping up on every corner or reopening under another name.

**IntlMom** · 11-10-2008, 05:18 PM

yep, our little town has had 3 businesses go under this year
SAD

**AmyBoz** · 11-10-2008, 09:10 PM

We haven't had any businesses close, however, due to our proximity to NYC, we've had hundreds of people lose their jobs as Wall Street begins to cut the fat. My brother-in-law takes the train into the city every day and says that week after week, it gets easier and easier to find a seat.