[NEMDF]

This is great news! Think of all of the people being released from “job lock”, and we all know that unemployment benefits are great for the economy, right? (/s)

[fwdude]

I’m not surprised. This news comports with what I’m witnessing in my area.

[GeronL]

Great news that people can’t afford dollar stores

/sarcasm

[Gay State Conservative]

I live near a large and rather “upscale” mall not too far from Boston.A substantial number of their store plots (or whatever they're called) are empty today.This mall serves several of the wealthiest suburbs of Boston yet the fancy jewelry stores,women's clothing shops,etc are have shut down...even in the last 6 months.Even the Tesla dealership they have is absolutely EMPTY most of the times I pass it (I go there often to “power walk”)

[hinckley buzzard]

Is this number of closures net the number of openings and expansions? If not then it is really pretty much rubbish reporting.

[KGeorge]

:-( It’s not just “regular” retail (clothes, housewares, books, miscellaneous). I found out today the the tile supplier (Associated) I have always used has gone out of business. I’m sure the schmancy-fancy “showrooms” were what killed them.

In my fit, I started looking for other vendors I’ve used in the past & Salas wood products seems to be gone, too. Is Wilsonart next?

I’m p*ssed. How am I supposed to do my work? I really *need* the dimensional ceramic I’m looking for right now (similar wood appears to be 50 bucks a square), Wood would work, but not at that price.

(What’s really ticking me off is this pseudo opulence, “living at Versailles” mentality. WTH ever happened to normal? Even Lowes & Home Depot are caught up in it.) grrrr

[grania]

Except for food, drug store and hardware store/home maintanance items, there’s very little worth buying in stores. There aren’t any around here that sell things that are high quality and individual. It’s all WalMart with a fancy label.

[PoloSec]

Less competition leads to higher prices.