I’m living proof of that. I’m in retail; manage a garden center. We’re a TAD ahead of last year, which surprised the heck outta me, but that was due to reducing staff and not loading up on inventory.
I still have a LOT of stuff to sell, but my year ends on September 30th, so I have a while to do it.
It’s been tough sleding since about mid-June. We’re only making a buck because we’ve cut expenses in every possible place we can. We are to the bone now, and hopefully don’t have to go to the marrow!
Recovery my Aunt Fannie!! And the Midwest has been greatly insulated from the rest of the USA this time around. But it’s here now, that’s for certain.
Everyone’s out of a job, underemployed, given up, or just broke.
Of course they’re not spending.
And....it’s incredible to me....the plan is to RAISE TAXES.
Take away more of the little bit of money that they have left over after paying expenses.
Those first round tax increases hit in January, DinWisc, so I’d plan for a small Christmas rush and then a deadly slow winter.
I work in wholesale in the SE Texas area. Our employment has been better than the national numbers, but we're beginning to feel it now also. The drilling moratorium is scaring a lot of us as well. Summer months have traditionally been our money makers, but I'm looking at mid July numbers and they look more like January numbers. I'm beginning to really worry.
I planted a bigger veggie garden this year to reduce grocery store buys, weather hasn’t been great for it though. Still I’ve not bought as much from the grocery store as I’d usually buy, and it tastes a lot better.
Clothing stores haven’t seen much of my business either, and won’t until they start carrying conservative ADULT clothing, not street walker clothes.
Assuming you're not the one buying the difference, do you have any feel for what people are buying compared to previous years, and are there any events in your area that might account for the change?
Specifically, I'm wondering if you are seeing more vegetables than decorations, a trend toward perennials vs annuals, etc.