The Retail Apocolypse shows no signs of slowing down

[Dr.Destructo]

Yet another large chain store has "bit the dust".

JoAnns Fabrics and Crafts.

Big Lots shuttered its last stores after Christmas 2024. A few might have made it into January, but they are all gone now.

Now it's JoAnns Fabrics and Crafts stores.
They are now in their beginnings of clearance sales at 40% off everything, where I am at.
No coupons either.

So sad.

Now, all we have around here is Hobby Lobby and Michaels. And for fabrics you need, Hobby Lobby is expensive, and Michaels has very little to choose from..........mostly fabrics for kids and bedding.

Whose next? I haven't heard yet, but I keep my "ear to the ground" on these happenings.

The fallout of the Democrats' Plandemic destruction is still being felt across this country. And even Trump doesn't seem to be able to help stop it.

Hopefully, once Trump and Musk get thru sifting through the corruption of government, they will get onto rebuilding our economy next year. If not, Trump is going to have to start answering some HEAVY questions from us, and Musk is going to have to worry more about his company going belly up than his stocks going down.

I know economic recovery is a long, difficult climb, but if they don't focus on it next year, I don't see that we will ever get out of this for many years to come.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can't place ALL blame on the economy and the government though.
Too many of these companies expanded too fast and too furious. Not all companies can exist like 7-11 does, with a store on every street corner. Some companies need stores located, one per economic area.
Like when I was little, there weren't JC Penneys and Sears on every freeking block. There was ONE, HUGE, possibly multi-level JCP or Sears within a 100 miles of the next one. People made a day of getting to go to shop at JCP or Sears. Even kids looked forward to it. It was a special family time.........even if momma was picking all the WRONG clothes for you!!! LOL
ONE store within a 50 mile radius for specialties and fun shopping experiences is whats needed.
A good example from my area here in DFW, Texas...............
Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
Awesome store.
Lots of fun stuff for the home.
Interesting holiday stuff.
But there were THREE damned stores within 5 miles of each other!!!! This is why they floundered and crashed. Yes, they still have their online presence, but their physical stores are gone.
ONE large, well stocked store was enough for this area to survive on.
I expect that Hobby Lobby may be next though. Like BB&B, they have several stores only a couple of miles from each other.
So, many of these companies have slit their own throats by over building physical stores that end up collapsing the companies.
Free market is an awesome thing. But HOW you live and do business in that free market is a completely different animal. If you aren't careful, you'll cut your own throat to spite your greed.

 

[kyzr]

Capitalism is constantly changing.

Stores are being replaced by online shopping especially on Amazon.

The US economy is 70% merchandising, that is not changing any time soon.

The US GDP isn't falling off a cliff, or even declining, women still love to shop.

There is NO RETAIL APOCALYPSE

 

[pknopp]

I needed some vinyl to cover an old go cart seat. Jo Ann's Fabric wanted like $20 a yard. Hobby Lobby was something like $3 a yard.

 

[1srelluc]

Oddly enough the Big Lots store in my AO survived the cut.....How I don't know.

They have to have hired the most braindead and surly employees ever.

 

[petro]

View attachment 1084594

Yet another large chain store has "bit the dust".

JoAnns Fabrics and Crafts.

Big Lots shuttered its last stores after Christmas 2024. A few might have made it into January, but they are all gone now.

Now it's JoAnns Fabrics and Crafts stores.
They are now in their beginnings of clearance sales at 40% off everything, where I am at.
No coupons either.

So sad.

Now, all we have around here is Hobby Lobby and Michaels. And for fabrics you need, Hobby Lobby is expensive, and Michaels has very little to choose from..........mostly fabrics for kids and bedding.

Whose next? I haven't heard yet, but I keep my "ear to the ground" on these happenings.

The fallout of the Democrats' Plandemic destruction is still being felt across this country. And even Trump doesn't seem to be able to help stop it.

Hopefully, once Trump and Musk get thru sifting through the corruption of government, they will get onto rebuilding our economy next year. If not, Trump is going to have to start answering some HEAVY questions from us, and Musk is going to have to worry more about his company going belly up than his stocks going down.

I know economic recovery is a long, difficult climb, but if they don't focus on it next year, I don't see that we will ever get out of this for many years to come.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can't place ALL blame on the economy and the government though.
Too many of these companies expanded too fast and too furious. Not all companies can exist like 7-11 does, with a store on every street corner. Some companies need stores located, one per economic area.
Like when I was little, there weren't JC Penneys and Sears on every freeking block. There was ONE, HUGE, possibly multi-level JCP or Sears within a 100 miles of the next one. People made a day of getting to go to shop at JCP or Sears. Even kids looked forward to it. It was a special family time.........even if momma was picking all the WRONG clothes for you!!! LOL
ONE store within a 50 mile radius for specialties and fun shopping experiences is whats needed.
A good example from my area here in DFW, Texas...............
Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
Awesome store.
Lots of fun stuff for the home.
Interesting holiday stuff.
But there were THREE damned stores within 5 miles of each other!!!! This is why they floundered and crashed. Yes, they still have their online presence, but their physical stores are gone.
ONE large, well stocked store was enough for this area to survive on.
I expect that Hobby Lobby may be next though. Like BB&B, they have several stores only a couple of miles from each other.
So, many of these companies have slit their own throats by over building physical stores that end up collapsing the companies.
Free market is an awesome thing. But HOW you live and do business in that free market is a completely different animal. If you aren't careful, you'll cut your own throat to spite your greed.

Definitely too much expansion of the businesses.
What a total waste of resources also as they always tear down an older building for a new one. Now these failing companies will leave abandoned buildings that will also be torn down to make way for the next.
A Walmart near us closed after only 5 years after new construction because they stupidly built in a poor area only a few miles from another Walmart and were forced to close because of extreme shoplifting problems and crime.
That new building has sat empty for two years now.
I also blame local city officials who are only interested in the taxes gained from big box retail.

 

[Dr.Destructo]

Capitalism is constantly changing.

Stores are being replaced by online shopping especially on Amazon.

The US economy is 70% merchandising, that is not changing any time soon.

The US GDP isn't falling off a cliff, or even declining, women still love to shop.

There is NO RETAIL APOCALYPSE

Yes, it IS retail change. They are just calling it Retail Apocolypse because most companies are just completely closing down instead of moving to online malls like Amazon.

Sears could have been a HUGE contender, but they fucked it all up SO badly. I'm shocked their online store is still running.
I figured it would have been completely abandoned by now.

Yes, retail changes with the economy and societies wants and needs. But whereas in the past it's been a slow, "getting used to it" change......it's all caving in around us now in a domino effect.

Hopefully these "big box" store companies will get a CLUE and cut back unnecessary over-builds and recoup from those losses before engaging in any more expenditures.

 

[Dr.Destructo]

Oddly enough the Big Lots store in my AO survived the cut.....How I don't know.

They have to have hired the most braindead and surly employees ever.

I heard the company that bought them out was going to try and rebuild instead of shutter completely.

I love my Big Lots. Super nice employees, and always had the shower curtains I like, that were so hard to find anywhere else.
Hopefully they will reopen here then.

 

[petro]

Best Buy which is headquartered in Mpls, has seen a huge downfall and is a pathetic remnant of a once strong company. The few stores left are just scratch and dent appliances and a few big screen TVs. Just before their downfall they spent millions building a huge new headquarters in Bloomington, MN.
Gander Mountain was another that once was top of the sporting goods retail. I believe the company is now owned by the owners of Camping World who completely changed to RV sales and closed all the sporting goods divisions.

 

[1srelluc]

I heard the company that bought them out was going to try and rebuild instead of shutter completely.

I love my Big Lots. Super nice employees, and always had the shower curtains I like, that were so hard to find anywhere else.
Hopefully they will reopen here then.

They tuned the on in my AO into a low-rent furniture store along with the other stuff you are used to seeing.

 

[Dr.Destructo]

Best Buy which is headquartered in Mpls, has seen a huge downfall and is a pathetic remnant of a once strong company. The few stores left are just scratch and dent appliances and a few big screen TVs. Just before their downfall they spent millions building a huge new headquarters in Bloomington, MN.
Gander Mountain was another that once was top of the sporting goods retail. I believe the company is now owned by the owners of Camping World who completely changed to RV sales and closed all the sporting goods divisions.

Best Buys around here have had MANY, MAAAAAANY "going out of business" sales. But they are all still open. ROFL

I don't understand Best Buys mental process though.

They give some pretty good deals online, and have some nice online sales that I've taken advantage of many times.
But they DO NOT do this in their stores! WHY?!!!

To any LOGICAL business oriented mind, what you sell online should equal what you sell in your stores. If your stores are going to be more expensive than your online offerings, then WHY are you wasting money with physical stores????
It's the most dumb-assed thing ever!!!!

 

[struth]

View attachment 1084594

Yet another large chain store has "bit the dust".

JoAnns Fabrics and Crafts.

Big Lots shuttered its last stores after Christmas 2024. A few might have made it into January, but they are all gone now.

Now it's JoAnns Fabrics and Crafts stores.
They are now in their beginnings of clearance sales at 40% off everything, where I am at.
No coupons either.

So sad.

Now, all we have around here is Hobby Lobby and Michaels. And for fabrics you need, Hobby Lobby is expensive, and Michaels has very little to choose from..........mostly fabrics for kids and bedding.

Whose next? I haven't heard yet, but I keep my "ear to the ground" on these happenings.

The fallout of the Democrats' Plandemic destruction is still being felt across this country. And even Trump doesn't seem to be able to help stop it.

Hopefully, once Trump and Musk get thru sifting through the corruption of government, they will get onto rebuilding our economy next year. If not, Trump is going to have to start answering some HEAVY questions from us, and Musk is going to have to worry more about his company going belly up than his stocks going down.

I know economic recovery is a long, difficult climb, but if they don't focus on it next year, I don't see that we will ever get out of this for many years to come.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can't place ALL blame on the economy and the government though.
Too many of these companies expanded too fast and too furious. Not all companies can exist like 7-11 does, with a store on every street corner. Some companies need stores located, one per economic area.
Like when I was little, there weren't JC Penneys and Sears on every freeking block. There was ONE, HUGE, possibly multi-level JCP or Sears within a 100 miles of the next one. People made a day of getting to go to shop at JCP or Sears. Even kids looked forward to it. It was a special family time.........even if momma was picking all the WRONG clothes for you!!! LOL
ONE store within a 50 mile radius for specialties and fun shopping experiences is whats needed.
A good example from my area here in DFW, Texas...............
Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
Awesome store.
Lots of fun stuff for the home.
Interesting holiday stuff.
But there were THREE damned stores within 5 miles of each other!!!! This is why they floundered and crashed. Yes, they still have their online presence, but their physical stores are gone.
ONE large, well stocked store was enough for this area to survive on.
I expect that Hobby Lobby may be next though. Like BB&B, they have several stores only a couple of miles from each other.
So, many of these companies have slit their own throats by over building physical stores that end up collapsing the companies.
Free market is an awesome thing. But HOW you live and do business in that free market is a completely different animal. If you aren't careful, you'll cut your own throat to spite your greed.

Never heard of this store. I think a lot of these brick and mortar store fabric type stores are closing because they sell cheap stuff, that you can’t get at a Walmart or Amazon.

We have some smaller locally owned stores like this that sell better quality stuff and are staffed with experts, that are doing well. You pay more for it, but it’s worth it

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

View attachment 1084594

Yet another large chain store has "bit the dust".

JoAnns Fabrics and Crafts.

Big Lots shuttered its last stores after Christmas 2024. A few might have made it into January, but they are all gone now.

Now it's JoAnns Fabrics and Crafts stores.
They are now in their beginnings of clearance sales at 40% off everything, where I am at.
No coupons either.

So sad.

Now, all we have around here is Hobby Lobby and Michaels. And for fabrics you need, Hobby Lobby is expensive, and Michaels has very little to choose from..........mostly fabrics for kids and bedding.

Whose next? I haven't heard yet, but I keep my "ear to the ground" on these happenings.

The fallout of the Democrats' Plandemic destruction is still being felt across this country. And even Trump doesn't seem to be able to help stop it.

Hopefully, once Trump and Musk get thru sifting through the corruption of government, they will get onto rebuilding our economy next year. If not, Trump is going to have to start answering some HEAVY questions from us, and Musk is going to have to worry more about his company going belly up than his stocks going down.

I know economic recovery is a long, difficult climb, but if they don't focus on it next year, I don't see that we will ever get out of this for many years to come.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can't place ALL blame on the economy and the government though.
Too many of these companies expanded too fast and too furious. Not all companies can exist like 7-11 does, with a store on every street corner. Some companies need stores located, one per economic area.
Like when I was little, there weren't JC Penneys and Sears on every freeking block. There was ONE, HUGE, possibly multi-level JCP or Sears within a 100 miles of the next one. People made a day of getting to go to shop at JCP or Sears. Even kids looked forward to it. It was a special family time.........even if momma was picking all the WRONG clothes for you!!! LOL
ONE store within a 50 mile radius for specialties and fun shopping experiences is whats needed.
A good example from my area here in DFW, Texas...............
Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
Awesome store.
Lots of fun stuff for the home.
Interesting holiday stuff.
But there were THREE damned stores within 5 miles of each other!!!! This is why they floundered and crashed. Yes, they still have their online presence, but their physical stores are gone.
ONE large, well stocked store was enough for this area to survive on.
I expect that Hobby Lobby may be next though. Like BB&B, they have several stores only a couple of miles from each other.
So, many of these companies have slit their own throats by over building physical stores that end up collapsing the companies.
Free market is an awesome thing. But HOW you live and do business in that free market is a completely different animal. If you aren't careful, you'll cut your own throat to spite your greed.

Big Lots is still open in Clarksville at this time but going out of business.

I shopped there very infrequently as most of their goods are Chinese junk. That is why they went under.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Oddly enough the Big Lots store in my AO survived the cut.....How I don't know.

They have to have hired the most braindead and surly employees ever.

Better check. There were two phases where they stared to shutter only some stores, and I believe they came back later and closed them all. Out store was in the second round after surviving the first announcement.

 

[justoffal]

Big Lots is still open in Clarksville at this time but going out of business.

I shopped there very infrequently as most of their goods are Chinese junk. That is why they went under.

Thank you! Accurately stated.

 

[petro]

Best Buys around here have had MANY, MAAAAAANY "going out of business" sales. But they are all still open. ROFL

I don't understand Best Buys mental process though.

They give some pretty good deals online, and have some nice online sales that I've taken advantage of many times.
But they DO NOT do this in their stores! WHY?!!!

To any LOGICAL business oriented mind, what you sell online should equal what you sell in your stores. If your stores are going to be more expensive than your online offerings, then WHY are you wasting money with physical stores????
It's the most dumb-assed thing ever!!!!

I went into one store last year out of curiosity and it was an unorganized mess. Looked dumpy and dated.
They weren't selling any audio equipment, nor did they sell music anymore.
The change was unreal, because it was so far removed from the clean busy store it was only a few years before.
I wouldn't even consider buying a television from them based on the condition of the store and the perception they might not be around much longer to back up the product.

 

[Woodznutz]

People are tapped out elst they would continue to buy stuff.

Average American Credit Card Debt in 2025 | The Motley Fool

Credit card debt reached a record $1.211 trillion as of the fourth quarter of 2024. Read on for more credit card debt statistics and trends.

www.fool.com

 

[petro]

People are tapped out elst they would continue to buy stuff.

Average American Credit Card Debt in 2025 | The Motley Fool

Credit card debt reached a record $1.211 trillion as of the fourth quarter of 2024. Read on for more credit card debt statistics and trends.

www.fool.com

Personally, we are not making any large purchases and have scaled back our spending.

 

[Woodznutz]

Last time I looked there were 400,000-500,000 unfilled jobs in the trades. Anyone know how many unfilled polysci or art history positions are unfilled?

 

[John Edgar Slow Horses]

Capitalism is constantly changing.

Stores are being replaced by online shopping especially on Amazon.

The US economy is 70% merchandising, that is not changing any time soon.

The US GDP isn't falling off a cliff, or even declining, women still love to shop.

There is NO RETAIL APOCALYPSE

An economic slowdown is looming and Trump has not helped.

 

[Zafira Cherry]

View attachment 1084594

Yet another large chain store has "bit the dust".

JoAnns Fabrics and Crafts.

Big Lots shuttered its last stores after Christmas 2024. A few might have made it into January, but they are all gone now.

Now it's JoAnns Fabrics and Crafts stores.
They are now in their beginnings of clearance sales at 40% off everything, where I am at.
No coupons either.

So sad.

Now, all we have around here is Hobby Lobby and Michaels. And for fabrics you need, Hobby Lobby is expensive, and Michaels has very little to choose from..........mostly fabrics for kids and bedding.

Whose next? I haven't heard yet, but I keep my "ear to the ground" on these happenings.

The fallout of the Democrats' Plandemic destruction is still being felt across this country. And even Trump doesn't seem to be able to help stop it.

Hopefully, once Trump and Musk get thru sifting through the corruption of government, they will get onto rebuilding our economy next year. If not, Trump is going to have to start answering some HEAVY questions from us, and Musk is going to have to worry more about his company going belly up than his stocks going down.

I know economic recovery is a long, difficult climb, but if they don't focus on it next year, I don't see that we will ever get out of this for many years to come.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can't place ALL blame on the economy and the government though.
Too many of these companies expanded too fast and too furious. Not all companies can exist like 7-11 does, with a store on every street corner. Some companies need stores located, one per economic area.
Like when I was little, there weren't JC Penneys and Sears on every freeking block. There was ONE, HUGE, possibly multi-level JCP or Sears within a 100 miles of the next one. People made a day of getting to go to shop at JCP or Sears. Even kids looked forward to it. It was a special family time.........even if momma was picking all the WRONG clothes for you!!! LOL
ONE store within a 50 mile radius for specialties and fun shopping experiences is whats needed.
A good example from my area here in DFW, Texas...............
Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
Awesome store.
Lots of fun stuff for the home.
Interesting holiday stuff.
But there were THREE damned stores within 5 miles of each other!!!! This is why they floundered and crashed. Yes, they still have their online presence, but their physical stores are gone.
ONE large, well stocked store was enough for this area to survive on.
I expect that Hobby Lobby may be next though. Like BB&B, they have several stores only a couple of miles from each other.
So, many of these companies have slit their own throats by over building physical stores that end up collapsing the companies.
Free market is an awesome thing. But HOW you live and do business in that free market is a completely different animal. If you aren't careful, you'll cut your own throat to spite your greed.

I buy all my fabrics on-line. Better selection, free samples, better overall experience.