Store Closings

[Marty]

I got this in a forward and wanted to share it with you:

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Subject: Store closings

I wanted to give everyone a heads up that if you tend to give gift cards

around the holidays, you need to be careful that the cards will be

honored after the holidays. Stores that are planning to close after

Christmas are still selling the cards through the holidays even though

the cards will be worthless January 1. There is no law preventing them

from doing this. On the contrary, it is referred to as 'Bankrupcy

Planning'. Below is a partial list of stores that you need to be

cautious about.

Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)

Ann Taylor- 117 stores nationwide closing

Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug ,and Catherine's to close 150 stores nationwide

Eddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after January

Cache will close all stores

Talbots closing down specialty stores

J. Jill closing all stores (owned by Talbots)

Pacific Sunwear (also owned by Talbots)

GAP closing 85 stores

Footlocker closing 140 sto res mo re to close after January

Wickes Furniture closing down

Levitz closing down remaining stores

Bombay closing remaining stores

Zales closing down 82 stores and 105 after January

Whitehall closing all stores

Piercing Pagoda closing all stores

Disney closing 98 stores and will close more after January.

Home Depot closing 15 stores 1 in NJ ( New Brunswick )

Macys to close 9 stores after January

Linens and Things closing all stores

Movie Gallery Closing all stores

Pep Boys Closing 33 stores

Sprint/Nextel closing 133 stores

JC Penney closing a number of stores after January Ethan Allen closing down 12 stores.

Wilson Leather closing down all stores

Sharper Image closing down all stor~s

K B Toys closing 356 stores

Lowes to close down some stores

Dillard's to close some stores

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

There is a thing on Snopes regarding this topic.

Also, don't forget... if you decide NOT to buy from these stores... and everyone else does too... you will guarentee they go out of business. There won't be any question about it.

 

[tagalong]

Here is the Snopes link....

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/storeclosings.asp

 

[chandab]

The only store on the list I shop at is JC Penney, and I'll continue to shop at the "local" store (150 miles one-way) or through catalog. None of the other stores are anywhere near me, nor do I shop at any of them.

However, Nathan makes a good point, if people panic and quit shopping at these stores, then many will be in trouble.

 

[Bess Kelly]

In this economy most all will be "belt-tightening"!! We know the housing industry is in trouble -- for new starts, not to mention the mortgage fiasco. Even additions and renovations are limited with the credit crunch. So, my son is a framer OH! Many of these underperformers should have closed a long time ago.......

I've been getting far more help at the farm than ever before

but, it's pretty scary. Takes a lot of thought and effort to work through these situations.

As to shopping at these stores, if I did I still will. But, gift cards just won't happen

 

[Hosscrazy]

I agree - we need to support these store and support our economy!

Liz R.

 

[coopermini]

Just a thought.

The big chain stores we can't locally change much as far as keeping one from closing but everyone can really make a difference in your locally owned stores and shops. Remember these are the local people, maybe a neighbor that has kids that go to school with your kids, the couple that sits in the pew in front of you in church, maybe the lady with the gift shop that donated the youth prizes for the local horse show. These are the business that can really benefit from a little local support.

Mark

 

[Kathy2m]

Funny I should see this thread this morning they just had a report on our local news about being careful with the gift cards you buy and they said NO JC Penney stores are closing. Kathy

 

[whitney]

THANKS Marty for the heads up. I will continue to purchase from these stores just not gift cards.

 

[SampleMM]

Isn't this sad.

I know the economy is down but it's hard to believe that some of these stores are on the verge of closing. It's a shame.

 

[jacks'thunder]

I'm totally with Mark! Please support your local community! I work in a small town at a small business owned by a wonderful lady who is trying hard to stay afloat. I know I tell everyone who walks through that door "Thanks for supporting us! It's greatly appricated!!"!!

Leya

(sorry that really had nothing to do with all the big stores closing except to try and support others from closing!

)

 

[Shari]

Thank you for the heads up Marty. Scary how many stores are having problems.

For the Nieces and nephews... they always get Amazon gift cards. For family.. try to buy local or american made first ,,, which a lot of those stores, don't have or hand make gifts.

We do use Home Depot but not for gifts.

 

[nootka]

coopermini is EXACTLY right. Support locally-owned businesses!

Why would you send your money out of your home territory in times like these?

Many of these larger chains are owned by foreign interests and do huge amounts of business overseas, which sends our money away.

Think about it...the money you spend at locally-owned businesses has far more chance of feeding YOUR local economy than the money you spend at some big box like Wal-Mart.

Buy from people that live and work where you do, that means they own the business, operate and usually pay a decent wage and give back to the community.

Who cares if The Gap is closing some of its overabundance of stores? Old Navy, all of those huge clothing chains have gotten too big for their own good. The quality of clothes is way down, the prices are ridiculous for that quality and they are paying minimum wage.

Yes, people will lose jobs, but hopefully if we start re-thinking how we spend and where we spend, more productive jobs can be had, right here.

www.amiba.com is a good place to look for information on these things.

Liz

 

[Sonya]

I would love to be able to shop locally (not many stores either) but all my gifts are going out of state so if it doesn't fit/they don't like it, it can't be returned. I did do some gift cards though, but I went with Visa gift cards so they can be used anywhere the receiver would like...or anywhere that accepts visa.

 

[ILoveMyGelding]

We don't have most of those stores around us. But I did hear that Macy's bought out Dillards. I work at Von Maur an upscale department store located in the midwest and we are actually opening more stores! We opened two this fall and another in a year or two. I'm not exactly sure how we're doing it, but it makes me a little uneasy with our economy.