Stores closing, no one shopping

**pinetree** · 01-30-2009, 12:57 PM

I keep seeing on here all the people getting laid off or the place just closing. I don't know what's going on but the future around here (colorado) isn't looking too good.

My business phone just stopped ringing two weeks ago. I mean just stopped. This is really getting scary, I really don't know how some of these stores are staying open. Some of these people I have worked with for years, and they aren't going to be able to keep their doors open. Its's heart breaking.

If things don't change really quick, theres going to be alot of more closing and lay-offs. People just aren't spending or buying, which means more store closing, more lay offs.

I'm the same way, I'm not spending, its almost like you have to switch to survial mode. but then I see not spending is causing people to lose their jobs.

Anyone have an answer how to solve this cycle? Sometimes it takes a village!

**Laurie in Bradenton** · 01-30-2009, 01:53 PM

I don't have any answers. But I will add that things here in South Florida are much the same. I do inventory work in a wide variety of stores as a private contractor and several of my larger chain stores have less and less back stock. One has the emptyest backroom I've ever seen. Its like its a new store waiting for that first truck to deliver. The back storage areas echo with emtiness. A couple of our counting contracts have been canceled as the stores don't need the help to keep track of what isn't there.

Laurie in Bradenton

**Nishu** · 01-30-2009, 02:04 PM

On the one hand, we moan and groan when we see people wasting money, living beyond their means and spending on credit. On the other hand, this is apparently what happens when they don't.

I think we can rebuild our economy to move on a lower amount of pretend money but it will likely recover to be the same way it was before.

No solutions from me.

**madhen** · 01-30-2009, 02:08 PM

I think we were living in a fantasy retail world, and maybe what we are settling back into is closer to reality than we've been in a long, long time. Kind of like the real estate market and the stock market. Prices were WAY over-inflated and are finally more realistic. We just aren't used to living in reality anymore.

**frugalbabe** · 01-30-2009, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by madhen

I think we were living in a fantasy retail world, and maybe what we are settling back into is closer to reality than we've been in a long, long time. Kind of like the real estate market and the stock market. Prices were WAY over-inflated and are finally more realistic. We just aren't used to living in reality anymore.

100% agree.

**shadowfax** · 01-30-2009, 02:21 PM

The retail industry was based on a big ol house of cards.... credit cards. It was bound to fall at some point.

Sadly a lot of people will suffer before it improves. If it does. There is no human solution to the troubles the world is facing. But there is a better future coming. Just hang on tight and try to ride it out as best you can.

So far my area is weathering it fairly well. People are still shopping. But we have the Steelers in the Super Bowl and that is driving sales right now. The grocery store I was in yesterday was packed. We had a big old snow storm coming last night. Whopping three inches!

**C@rol** · 01-30-2009, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by madhen

I think we were living in a fantasy retail world, and maybe what we are settling back into is closer to reality than we've been in a long, long time. Kind of like the real estate market and the stock market. Prices were WAY over-inflated and are finally more realistic. We just aren't used to living in reality anymore.

I couldn't have said this better. :cthumbup:
It is sad to see so many layoff's and stores
closing but we all have got to get back to reality
and stop living on the fantasy of credit and
spending what we don't have or future earnings.

**Grayce** · 01-30-2009, 03:22 PM

I think that a lot of stores are closing because there were just too many stores to support without everyone going into CC debt. I look at this as a sort of market correction where only the strongest stores will survive. People are going to support the stores that offer the best quality and prices. People are going to start demanding the most that they can get for their precious dollars. I can see that a lot of high-end retailers are going to struggle as people seem to bargain shopping more than ever.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 01-30-2009, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by pinetree

I keep seeing on here all the people getting laid off or the place just closing. I don't know what's going on but the future around here (colorado) isn't looking too good.

My business phone just stopped ringing two weeks ago. I mean just stopped. This is really getting scary, I really don't know how some of these stores are staying open. Some of these people I have worked with for years, and they aren't going to be able to keep their doors open. Its's heart breaking.

If things don't change really quick, theres going to be alot of more closing and lay-offs. People just aren't spending or buying, which means more store closing, more lay offs.

I'm the same way, I'm not spending, its almost like you have to switch to survial mode. but then I see not spending is causing people to lose their jobs.

Anyone have an answer how to solve this cycle? Sometimes it takes a village!

Banks need to start lending again. The whole reason this is continuing is because businesses can't get loans from the banks to pay for either the goods they need or their employees. The whole US banking system is in worse shape than it was when they pushed that mysterious bank bailout package through Congress.

The reason that the recession isn't hitting Canada so hard is because the banking system here is the most solid system in the entire world. Government injection into the system is actually working here.

I feel for people who are losing their jobs.

**sabrelvssammy** · 01-30-2009, 03:59 PM

please tell me that this doesn't mean that we are going to have ONLY 'WAL-Mart' to shop at ??? aghhhhhhh.................

**lisettelovebug** · 01-30-2009, 10:47 PM

Our area has not been hit too badly yet. We had KB Toys close but they hadn't been doing too well for a long time - I used to get the best deals there. Of course Circuit City is closing. So far though, it doesn't seem like people around here are spending any less. We did our February grocery shopping trip last night and went to Chili's and there were quite a bit of people there. There's been a few layoffs, but just mostly short term. Corning Inc says they will be laying off about 600 next year. 400 of those are salary people and can probably find something else fairly easy. At least with them saying it now, the families can prepare. My husband's employer is asking for people to take voluntary unemployment (for however long they would like - with bennies), but it doesn't look like they will be having an actual layoff anytime. We are preparing just in case though. You really don't know how bad it's going to get before it gets better again.

**Thevail** · 02-24-2009, 01:30 PM

I know, it's an oldie...but

We've had a "false" economy for so long now. As prices and inovations outstripped people's actual incomes by leaps and bounds over the last few decades.
People had only two choices..debt or deprivation.

Welcome to the "you're worth it!" advertising campaigns. That plus easy credit meant most people chose debt. Especially when it came to their kids.

Banks need to lend again is true...but

Americans are a TERRIBLE credit risk. I wouldn't loan the "average" American a dollar. The average American is $18,000 in the hole now. And with wave after wave of lay-offs no one's income can be called stable.

And the reality is that with credit cards being cancelled, rates raised, limits lowered, and jobs lost. If I were a bank, I'm not sure how much I'd be willing to loan any business that relies on "discretionary" spending either. What if the consumer shops elsewhere? Or not at all? How will the business pay back the money?

Don't get me wrong, I think the bank guys are a bunch of serious A$$hats. But the new frugality extends to them as well.

**Trishagirl** · 02-24-2009, 01:39 PM

Sorry but I don't have any answers We are in survival mode too since dh is on the verge of getting laid off in about 2 mths. He missed the last layoff (his boss said that they still needed him to do revisions on new units) so that's good but we have to prepare ahead for when he does get laid off. I sure hope the banks release some credit to their lenders to buy units so people can buy them. I don't know what's going to happen but I hope for the better and soon!

**Thevail** · 02-24-2009, 01:45 PM

Units of what?

**MommyBliss** · 02-24-2009, 01:55 PM

It's a very sad time right now in the retail market. I have seen myself cut back drastically on my shopping. I know a lot of news article have talked about the rise in people going to thrift stores to do their shopping.