Malls will soon be a thing of the past. It'll be Wal*Mart, McDonald's and Home Depot, after Wal*Mart acquires Starbucks.

I know that the retail sector is struggling, but the struggles of Linens 'n' Things and Circuit City have been well known for years, and largely a result of their getting thrashed by their respective competitors, Bed, Bath & Beyond and Best Buy. Sharper Image has been in a slump for a while, too. I'm not endorsing the stimulus plan, exactly, but I think Kos misses the mark here.

with the retail market struggling so badly, banks having to be propped up to stay solvent, the markets in a general downward trend, and the real estate market flailing, i get the feeling we're living in about 1927-8 america.

/vote mccain, keep things the same, lets see how far the rabbit hole goes!

and no, i'm not particularly endorsing a stimulus plan, simply endorsing restoring proper regulations. i think there are things the government could do to stimulate the economy, but i don't really think mailing us checks is the most effective way.

Obligatory comment about the Yankees goes here.

burndtdan: with the retail market struggling so badly, banks having to be propped up to stay solvent, the markets in a general downward trend, and the real estate market flailing, i get the feeling we're living in about 1927-8 america.

/vote mccain, keep things the same, lets see how far the rabbit hole goes!

If you think Obama's economic plan is any better for the economy than McCain's, I have some land to sell you.

I agree that I actually thought Circuit City went away a long time ago.

They invested in some kind of TiVo-like thing a while back. I forget what it was but it didn't work out. That had to hurt them. Then Best Buy opened a store across the street from every Circuit City. Best Buy doesn't pay their employees any commission and they have that shady rebate scam that they've successfully run for a while.

I'm also surprised Sound Advice is still around.

Every aspect of consumerism is consolidating. There really will be fewer and fewer stores in the coming years. I can't stand farking NetFlix but even that might become an option, since Hollywood Video and Blockbuster are receding.

Mugato: I agree that I actually thought Circuit City went away a long time ago.

They invested in some kind of TiVo-like thing a while back. I forget what it was but it didn't work out.

DivX. It was basically a disposeable DVD. You watch the movie a few times, then the machine renders it unplayable, and you throw it away. They were going to charge few bucks a movie. Stupid, stupid, stupid idea. Circuit City was dead to me after they screwed up a stereo order for me in 1994 and never fixed it, so I won't miss their stores at all.

Nabb1: If you think Obama's economic plan is any better for the economy than McCain's, I have some land to sell you.

i do, because building a domestic industry around alternative fuels is a pretty good idea for picking things up.

however, that's such a red herring anyways. what are our options? something new, or the same exact plan that got us here. the something new might not be a sure bet, but the exact same plan that got us here is a sure bet. a sure losing bet.

burndtdan: i do, because building a domestic industry around alternative fuels is a pretty good idea for picking things up.

That's just one facet, though. I don't think his spending ambitions are realistic in this current economic climate, especially when he claims to be lowering everyone's taxes. I'm not endorsing McCain's plan, either. I don't like either of them. I just think that Obama's is to heavy on the spending as to be prudent.

Nabb1: If you think Obama's economic plan is any better for the economy than McCain's, I have some land to sell you.


well, at least Obama's "economic plan" has a section where we stop dumping brazillions of dollars into Iraq, so that already saves us a few trillion right there.

You see! Obama doesn't give his kids birthday presents! THIS is where this kind of wrong thinking leads us! The collapse of giants of industry! We must organize a bail out to save our malls!

OUR VERY WAY OF LIFE IS THREATENED IF WE CAN'T FIND 1000 THREAD COUNT SHEETS!

/free market is a biatch, ain't it?

I think we are in a bad situation with our oil imports and those costs have caused people to shop less and caused weaker stores to close but I certainly wouldn't call it the collapse of the retail sector...

I spent my entire surplus check on American flag themed sex toys so I don't know what else I can do.

I'd received an e-mail from a family friend who works in land development for a lot of international corporations. The e-mail detailed the plans of almost 100 big name retailers and restaurant chains each closing bt 75-500+ stores in the U.S.

The stores in this link were included, but there were a lot that aren't mentioned.

Mugato: I can't stand farking NetFlix
Well, perhaps you should find something else to fark then...

/just saying

Nabb1: If you think Obama's economic plan is any better for the economy than McCain's, I have some land to sell you.

If you think the GOP agenda from 2000-2008 didn't get us here, I have some land to sell you.

(But what you say is true).

Ed Finnerty: I spent my entire surplus check on American flag themed sex toys so I don't know what else I can do.

No one can sk any more of you, you god damned hero.

All the Walmart-bashers are going to be praising the company in short time. Also, I think Target should thrive as well. All the snobs that shopped at those stupid upscale stores and are too good for Walmart will settle for Target.

I saw this coming, kept saying this would happen, and stupidly never put my money where my mouth was. Doh!

/now owns some WMT

I just negotiated a great deal on my samsung flat screen at a circuit city. Best Buy blows because they are short staffed, no one is cross trained and they just don't give a crap about selling anything because of a lack of commission based salaries. At delightful Circuit City the sales people are basically like wolves when you walk in the door trying to sell you everything and warranties. I like that and the ability to negotiate with the sales reps.

/F BestBuy
//super F walmart, I would NEVER shop there. Its all complete garbage.

and here I clicked on the link thinking it was a way to photoshop ourselves to a victory in the war on Terrarrr...

/so silly
//so sad

MrGumboPants: If you think the GOP agenda from 2000-2008 didn't get us here, I have some land to sell you.

I disagree, at least to an extent. The federal reserve really did most of the damage, by a) killing the dollar, and b) overinflating the housing market to prop up these luxury retailers, only to have them come crashing down once the equity and credit pools dried up.

Ed Finnerty: I spent my entire surplus check on American flag themed sex toys

And then at the end of the episode we find out they were all made in China!

OwenFark: I just negotiated a great deal on my samsung flat screen at a circuit city.

I'll take Astroturfing for $600, Alex.

Mugato: I can't stand farking NetFlix but even that might become an option, since Hollywood Video and Blockbuster are receding.

Just curious, but what's to hate about Netflix? They've got a reputation for responding to customer needs, their business model is far more convenient for film lovers, their prices are reasonable, and nobody has a better selection of titles. You may be the first person in the history of the internets who had something bad to say about Netflix.

/No, I don't own stock in the company.

Question for anyone here, since I fail at the Google:

There's always this announcement that "so and so corp has released a list of stores that they are closing". Where are these releases? For example, I went onto the Linens-and-Things site, but (no surprise, I guess) they don't exactly have anything there about it, unless I missed it somewhere.

Is there a convenient place to find the actual list of store closings for most chains?

Was expecting something from a White House-style photoshop contest ("Obama's face on Osama's body! How original!!"), and am leaving sorely disappointed.

// you farkers know what to do...

Two other names that might follow suit...

Boscov's (America's largest family owned department store) could be declaring soon.

And Bennigan's owners (Metromedia Restaurant Group) will be closing a shiat-load of places after filing Chapter 11 two days ago. My wife likes their chocolate martinis, I'm partial to a pint of black & tan.

But hey... maybe all the farking billionaires that got tax breaks will keep the places afloat by eating and shopping there morning noon and night.

No?

Not even give money, trickle some of it down so others can do so?

No?

fark you, Reagonomic know-nothings.

ThatGuyGreg: OwenFark: I just negotiated a great deal on my samsung flat screen at a circuit city.

I'll take Astroturfing for $600, Alex.



Hotlinked, for her pleasure.

Nabb1: Circuit City was dead to me after they screwed up a stereo order for me in 1994 and never fixed it, so I won't miss their stores at all.

I don't shop at either place because their customer service sucks and they treat you like a criminal, checking your receipt at the exit of the store and putting a sticker on any electronics they see you carry in.

fark 'em. If I want to buy computer stuff, I'll use the Internet. If I want a stereo system, I'll spend the extra money to go to a locally owned home theater store and get real customer service.

Jackpot777: Not even give money, trickle some of it down so others can do so?

It's not trickle-down. It's "Golden Shower."

How does this logic hold up: "Let's create $600 out of thin air in handouts to every taxpaying American in the county, even though there's a massive recession."

"What, you mean most people put that money in the bank?"

"good game guys, good game"

OwenFark: //super F walmart, I would NEVER shop there. Its all complete garbage.

burndtdan: and no, i'm not particularly endorsing a stimulus plan, simply endorsing restoring proper regulations. i think there are things the government could do to stimulate the economy, but i don't really think mailing us checks is the most effective way.

Regulations are always economically negative. Get rid of the regulations and return to a more free market.

/not gunna happen.
//we're skrewed.

ScubaDude1960: Regulations are always economically negative. Get rid of the regulations and return to a more free market.

That is horseshiat economics there, professor.

FTA: '...stock guru Jim Cramer recently called Target "roadkill".'

Based on his track record, I'd say it's time to buy Target.

Joe_diGriz: Question for anyone here, since I fail at the Google:

There's always this announcement that "so and so corp has released a list of stores that they are closing". Where are these releases? For example, I went onto the Linens-and-Things site, but (no surprise, I guess) they don't exactly have anything there about it, unless I missed it somewhere.

Is there a convenient place to find the actual list of store closings for most chains?

I got the info as an e-mail from a friend who works in an industry where the creation of new stores matters. However, I'd imagine this info would be given to shareholders of a company in its quarterly reports.

ScubaDude1960: burndtdan: and no, i'm not particularly endorsing a stimulus plan, simply endorsing restoring proper regulations. i think there are things the government could do to stimulate the economy, but i don't really think mailing us checks is the most effective way.

Regulations are always economically negative. Get rid of the regulations and return to a more free market.

/not gunna happen.
//we're skrewed.

Ummm, you do realize it was LESS regulations that led to this.



People that ask for less regulations in business are the NAMBLA members of business. Because in both situations, all they really want to do is fark the little guy without going to prison for it.

Jackpot777: People that ask for less regulations in business are the NAMBLA members of business. Because in both situations, all they really want to do is fark the little guy without going to prison for it.

[epically humorous .jpg indicating my amusement at this bon mot]

Circuit City really pissed me off a few months ago.

I was shopping online - put something in the cart, then when I went to BUY it, they had upped the
price by 40%. This wasn't a case of coming back days later after surfing the site --- this was a matter of minutes from "add to cart" to "check out".

Complaints to HQ just resulted in lots of robomail "e-mail equiv. of 'you call is very important to us', but with no indication that that's really the truth".

They finally responded claiming they reserve the right to change prices any time they want. I tried to mention to them that this was the equivalent of following customers around in the store and re-stickering things in their cart while they were waiting in line for the cashier... They didn't get it.

Now they also don't get any more of my $$$. Hope they're happy. Looking into buying a new HDTV, etc. soon...

Eshman: "What, you mean most people put that money in the bank?"

I used ours to pay off the credit cards and buy a new, more efficient water heater.

\Hates America

wolvernova: The federal reserve really did most of the damage, by a) killing the dollar, and b) overinflating the housing market to prop up these luxury retailers, only to have them come crashing down once the equity and credit pools dried up.

Really? No.

The war, the lax regulatory environment, the increased government spending while cutting tax cuts: those are the problems. Some of the housing market stuff was inevitable, but if you don't see a clear line between specific Bush/GOP decisions and where we sit now, you are intentionally trying to avoid reality.

For what it's worth, if John McCain were allowed to be honest, he'd say the same thing. But he's hitched his star to Bush (for some reason) and is going to some day join Gen. Powell in the afterlife, where they can biatch about how George W. farked their careers up.

ursomniac: Looking into buying a new HDTV, etc. soon...

Shop around and then get a CostCo membership. You'll save at least as much as the $50 membership cost, plus they've got a good warranty.

How bout the "I don't need it so I'm not buying it" strategy?

What in the name of living fark did I actually need from one of those listed stores? What of the things there I'd really use aren't ubiquitous in thrift/garage sales? What of them don't I already have?

Sure, there are bigger TVs. Sorry, but I'd still be watching the same Hollywood/network dreck on them.

As for consumable needs, I'll actually take lower-end stores like Aldi or Dollar General over Walmart. Basically the same prices, it's not like the people in Walmart are a higher class, and I can get in and out of those smaller stores in a whole lot less time.

As far as brick and mortar, even people who live in big metro areas would rather buy computer bits at Newegg and rent from Netflix.

Sorry, but no, we're not going to retail our way to prosperity. That's the American dream, though, isn't it. "Just sell something". Um, no. Retailing and marketing are fringe economic activities. Making something or doing something has to be core.

but if you don't see a clear line between specific Bush/GOP decisions and where we sit now, you are intentionally trying to avoid reality.


I hate the man, but most of the current ecnomic problems cannot be laid at Bush's feet. He didn't force Greenspan and Bernanke to keep interest rates too low for too long. He didn't revoke the Glass-Steagal act.

Now, his crony-capitalism may have inspired a lot of the schnooks involved, but he and his administration had very little direct involvement.

The only contributing factor that he has made was to help the dollar slump. But that was aided and abetted by the fed and congress.

[reading article] meh, meh, meh, meh... NOT TARGET!!!1111???11

The Icelander: Shop around and then get a CostCo membership. You'll save at least as much as the $50 membership cost, plus they've got a good warranty.

From my POV, the boutique-type stores that are being shuttered - or the ones that simply have an outdated business model - are victims of changing consumer habits and expectations. When you can buy a high-quality television at Costco for cheaper than specialty electronics stores, why not? Sure, the other stores may match Costco's price eventually, but unless you enjoy haggling, why bother?

Things change all the time. I used to work at a place called Best (formerly LaBelle's). Remember them? And stores like Service Merchandise? You'd browse the showroom, then place your order for whatever you wanted. In a moment, it would be delivered up a long conveyor belt, and you could go pay. How slick! How fancy! How dated. They were clobbered by places like Target and WalMart, and they're gone now. But they did fine for a while.

I dunno, this just seems like the natural cycle of business to me. Stuff comes and goes. The only reason businesses brag about how long they've been in business is because it's quite rare for them to last very long.

I just stopped in here to say:

REGOINAL?

Sharper Image deserved to go under. Their whole premise was that they had a bunch of cool shiny things, but most of the stuff there was really lame or there was a better, cheaper version to be found online. Their business model was absolutely retarded.

Jackpot777: ScubaDude1960: burndtdan: and no, i'm not particularly endorsing a stimulus plan, simply endorsing restoring proper regulations. i think there are things the government could do to stimulate the economy, but i don't really think mailing us checks is the most effective way.

Regulations are always economically negative. Get rid of the regulations and return to a more free market.

/not gunna happen.
//we're skrewed.

Ummm, you do realize it was LESS regulations that led to this.


People that ask for less regulations in business are the NAMBLA members of business. Because in both situations, all they really want to do is fark the little guy without going to prison for it.

Shhhhhh! Don't disturb the aynarchistrandroids, they're dreaming. Magic of Free Marketplace, MAGIC OF THE FREE MARKETPLACE!!!!