/s
Whenever I go to Wal-Mart, it’s always a zoo. If the economy’s weak, I’m not seeing it up here in Wasilla.
My husband and I commented the other day that we have not been inside a mall in two years. Last weekend we drove to a lowes in a heavy, high density shopping area outside Houston. Traffic is always painfully heavy on Saturdays filled with shoppers. We get on the highway - hardly any traffic. We get to lowes, hardly any cars in the parking lot. Inside hardly any shoppers and two clerks asking my husband if he needs help.
It was like being in a place that is foreign - empty almost. So I drove us around to the many other shopping areas, resturants normally packed and to the mall parking lot - the same as Lowes - almost empty. We had an eerie feeling as we zipped back home with no stop and go traffic in the usual places. Things are really bad or loads of people have given up on the has been hobby of shopping and eating out. I feel bad for the small business owners and all their employees!
Outside of grocery shopping, I seldom "shop" anymore. I used to go through Lowe's or Home Depot or Best Buy even if I didn't need anything in particular, just to see if something seemed worth buying. Now it doesn't merit the effort, especially when the local and state government raid my wallet for another 8.25% of the purchase.
Shopping on line is another matter. Regular email circulars arrive with lots of products, including electronics and computer add-ons. It's a rather fun game, finding an interesting item, researching it, reading the reviews and doing an exhaustive search for the lowest price, no sales tax (usually) and free shipping, all without leaving home.
bttt
Area prepares for major Dell layoffs in Forsyth County
A major round of layoffs is headed for the Dell plant in Forsyth County. Wednesday, about 600 employees will lose their jobs. The layoffs are part of the process of the entire plant shutting down, which Dell says will happen by the end of the year. Not only do the layoffs mean more people in local unemployment lines, but area businesses are concerned about what the layoffs mean for them.
When revenues for retirements fall short enough, we’ll be allowed to manufacture useful products on our own properties regardless of NIMBY/HOA/communistic zoning ordinances. :-)
In NJ/NY/PA/CT tow companies with muni contracts LOVE unclaimed cars... they can easily pull in 50% of the bluebook value of clunkers that go unclaimed.
The hot/cold thing for restaurants is spot on for north NJ too, it's utterly random, at least a few years ago when Sunday nights were quiet everyone knew a new episode of the Sopranos was airing.
This writers observations match what I have been seeing. I hope he is wrong but I fear he isn’t
I agree. I realize it’s a mortal sin to go into a BestBuy but I was at the one in White Marsh MD two nights ago. BestBuy and the holidays usually mean long lines and a crowded store. It was like i was in there on a Tuesday afternoon in September. No lines and not very many people.