Posted on 02/01/2020 2:28:17 AM PST by Cronos
..Over seven years, Payless went through a wringer of private equity and hedge fund stewardship that left it with inadequate technology, run-down stores and no financial cushion to survive an era of upheaval in retail. .. Financial managers exert greater control over nearly all American companies than they once did.
Their willingness to cause some pain to close factories, lay people off, renegotiate arrangements with longtime suppliers is, many economists argue, a feature, not a bug .. The American economy has become markedly less dynamic. Fewer businesses are being started, and the newcomers are having less success unseating incumbents. Workers are less likely to change jobs, which suggests labor is not moving toward the most productive forms of work. Many major industries are becoming more concentrated among a few giants. ..Payless is now a carcass of a company, with no stores in the United States and a relative handful of employees in a headquarters that once held 800.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Down here, we’ve had some of the family deli type places open up, which I like as it was difficult to get a good pastrami sandwich for a while there. Perhaps they just moved down here from up there?
Down here, Hispanics have always been a part of Texas, so it’s not like Hispanic foods weren’t a thing from day one. We have restaurants that serve tacos and fajitas off the same menu that includes burgers, subs and pizza, and all of it is at least acceptable.
There’s a semi-famous diner in the DFW area that dates back to the 1950s and is more or less still original. It’s gone through several owners, but not much changes. Current owner is (if I recall correctly) an Iranian Christian who GTFO of that country after the fall of the Shah. Nice guy, refuses to open Sundays.
Crappy shoes kill shoe companies. Their shoes are poorly made and uncomfortable.
Hispanics have been around here since the 50s (Puerto Ricans) and 60s (Cubans); now we have a lot of South and Central Americans as well, and they are replacing the American population - there are less “sub eaters” here to sustain those businesses.
Our diners were great before, but now have morphed into restaurants (with restaurant prices and much more extensive menus). Still open 24 hours, though; they do good business when the bars close.
Hey, why post the giant picture? Do Millies need pictures of everything, like ordering off the menu at Dennys, or did you just figure no one ever never heard of Italian motorcycle boots before 1980?
It didn’t help any that their shoes were made from Chinese cardboard.
Zappos would like to differ with you on that.
1. It’s only 600x600, which is a lot less than quite a few graphics posted on FR. If you have a machine that’s less than a decade or so old, you should have a display and a web browser window that’s at least 1024 pixels wide. Modern minimum standard is getting to be more like 1980.
2. I figure old cranky boomers like you needed visual aids, writ large. I also figured the (presumably) cranky boomer that asserted that people couldn’t buy shoes over the internet would need photographic proof that these things exist.
3. Complain some more about this reasonable compromise for older machines and I’ll start posting actual modern high resolution 4K+ images, just for you.
Last time I went to the local indy sub shop, everyone in there but me was clearly Hispanic. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their subs just fine; was pretty full, too.
Also, FYI: http://www.delinewsdallas.com/home/ - just one of the many NY-area-style delis that have cranked up around here in the last few decades.
In 1997 when the internet (and Amazon) was young I worked with a guy that suggested a web site where groceries cold be ordered online and then delivered to the house. We all laughed at him out loud!!!
“Shoes. One thing you cant buy on the internet.”
That’s why there’s a Dick’s Sporting Goods....Amazon’s shoe showroom.
I’m on my fourth pair of Columbia Redmond trail running shoes purchased online...after trying them on at Dick’s. Second pair of Danner boots. Admittedly, the second pair of Danners fit but there was something at the lace line that was pressing into my ankle. I didn’t return them and vowed to make them work (I have). They were camo and hard to find. As mentioned...easy return policies are a big bonus.
Bet you’re not laughing at him any more.
Oh, and Brookes running shoes...3 pair so far.
Didnt bother me, really. I just figured one generation gap snark deserved another.
We lost contact, but I’m sure he’s kicked himself many times for not following through with it.
Actually you can. Try finding boots in a retail store. Impossible for all practical purposes create
If you’re familiar with the term, motorcycle riders often wear engineer boots. They’re what I like to wear when I ride.
Basically the only way to buy those is online. What you do is you go to Amazon or Zappos and you order anywhere from three to five pairs. You try them on when you get them and you ship back whatever you don’t want for free. You get a refund within a few days. Boot purchase finished.
I think the children of the newcomers will eat them, but the parents don’t have to; there is no shortage of small places making their favorites from Lima, Quito, etc....
It's a tossup. For many things, even with shipping costs, it's cheaper than going to a store that has to pay rent, requires more employees, and has to deal with shoplifting.
A friend (with mobility-limiting health issues) has her groceries delivered from the local supermarket. She orders online, and it gets delivered within two hours for no extra charge (although she does tip the driver).
And, as many things in the "new economy" and the "new America" they got too expensive for what they were.
Payless was the place where you picked up a pair of $10 shoes or $2 flip flops.
Last time I went in there, my son needed a pair of shoes for a function he had to attend. I think they wanted $40 for a plastic pair of cheap looking shoes. I walked over to Nordstrom Rack, picked up a NICE pair of Cole Haan shoes on clearance for $55.
My reasoning is always, if I am going to buy something cheap, it better be cheap.
You should see what Walmart is doing in groceries! Nobody is laughing now.
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