What companies are going under this year?

RIP Borders Books?

http://online.wSportsJournalists.com/article/SB10001424052748703952404576052181202048882.html

 

Borders has been on the verge of an RIP thread for at least two years.

Which pisses me off, because where am I going to go sit and read magazines and comic books while surfing wifi all day for the price of a cup of coffee? (Oh, the library, you say?)

 

Here in southern Idaho, we've lost many a Blockbuster and Hollywood Video. Theater chains are up in the air as there are so many different companies here with a foot print. In Twin Falls where I'm at, it's all locally owned anyway. I'm still waiting for K-Mart to bite the big one. Bookstores? All we have is Barnes & Noble, and that's not going anywhere.

 

There are no more Hollywood Videos anywhere. The parent company closed them all down about a year ago.


Kmart is actually making a bit of a bounce back the last year or so.

Barnes and Noble has also started to show a few signs of trouble nationally.

 

Anchor Blue sinking...

http://www.pe.com/localnews/corona/stories/PE_Biz_D_anchor12.6383bc.html

SoCal lifers know the company as Miller's Outpost. A friend used to work on the M.O. commercials, and he explained that the company was owned by a kook who lived in Chino and he'd spend millions on his spots, filming them all over the world.

 

I spent my early childhood in Upland, and the original Miller's Outpost stores were well-know in my area; in fact they sponsored the Little League team I played for in a couple of seasons. Back then it was known as the place to get Levi's, and then through years turned into a trendy clothing place.

It actually hasn't been Miller's Outpost for quite a few years now. We have one in our local mall, and today I found out it was the only location between Oxnard and Salinas.

 

Ah Miller's Outpost; there's a blast from the past.

 

My local B&N has changed so much over the last year, it's ridiculous. The floor plan is never consistent except for the junk, bargain books (and games and toys) taking up way too much space at the front of the store. I also notice they hire a lot of attractive young women to push the Nook as soon as you set foot in the store. Nobody gives a shit and the sales person usually ends up just sitting in the kiosk looking dumb. The music and movie section is filled with overpriced material. $15 CDs, $30 Criterion collection DVDs. Other stores which sold at those prices are long gone.

 

Any predictions for companies going under this year?

I saw this story and it made me laugh because I still hate Blockbuster, and I was honestly surprised that they even had this many stores remaining to close.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/blockbuster-to-close-stores-and-cut-jobs-200406680.html

 

Supposedly, Best Buy is in really bad shape as well...

I'm still stunned there are Barnes and Noble bookstores out there.

 

So much for "solid as Sears."

Sears, the store that changed America, declares bankruptcy - CNN

Where will the Bradys shop?

 

Sign of the times, certainly.

But also worth asking if Eddie Lampert helped or hurt.

www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-sears-eddie-lampert-20181012-story.html