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Across the country, gay bars — often a fixture of queer nightlife — have been shuttered at an alarming pace. More than 45% closed between 2002 and 2023. But the closing of gay bars is prompting some to reimagine queer nightlife, argues Amin Ghaziani, a professor of sociology at the University of British Columbia. Sabri Ben-Achour: So let’s start with this idea of the disappearing gay bar. This comes down to economics that I think are very relatable to a lot of businesses. It’s not that they’re not viable as a business, it’s that they’re getting priced out.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Monday accused the Trump administration of trying to shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to benefit tech billionaire Elon Musk’s payment platform “X Money.” Speaking at a protest organized by CFPB workers outside their headquarters, Warren said Musk wants “X money” to charge every part of a person’s financial life. “CFPB is there to make sure Elon Musk’s new project cannot scam you and steal your personal data,” she said, adding that this is why Musk is going after the agency. “This is like a bank robber trying to fire the cops and...

Big Lots, a prominent discount retailer, is facing significant struggles as nearly 500 of its store leases across 47 states are listed for sale, raising the likelihood of closures, according to 9 News. This announcement comes amid the company's turbulent financial saga, which began with a bankruptcy filing last year and culminated in its acquisition by Gordon Brothers Retail Partners.

Retail store closures surged in 2024, reaching their highest levels since the start of the pandemic, a new study said.A total of 7,325 U.S. stores closed in 2024, driven by inflation and an increasing shift toward online shopping, according to retail data firm Coresight Research. The closings marked the steepest decline in brick-and-mortar retail since nearly 10,000 stores closed in 2020. While 5,970 stores opened—the highest yearly number since 2012—closures outpaced openings by a net loss of 1,355 stores. "Retailers that were unable to adapt supply chains and implement technology to cut costs were significantly impacted, and we continue to...

Discounts of 90% and up aren't rare, and some stores are selling brake calipers for less than the price of a Big Mac. Advance Auto Parts is closing over 700 stores and shuttering its West Coast operations. But rather than ship the remaining inventory to the East Coast, it’s holding what can best be summed up as liquidation sales, and there are some amazing deals to be found if you’re patient. While the brand’s website doesn’t provide information about the close-out sales, Reddit posts also spotted by The Autopian detail some of the deals that enthusiasts across the nation have...

Kohl’s announced Thursday, Jan. 9, the closure of 27 underperforming stores, including locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Virginia, as part of its 2025 real estate changes. The closures are expected to be finalized by April 2025 and are part of the company’s strategy to strengthen its store portfolio while adapting to evolving consumer trends. Among the affected locations are stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Virginia. Pennsylvania Pottstown – 351 W Schuylkill Rd.New Jersey East Windsor – 72 Princeton Hightstown Rd.Massachusetts Stoughton – 501 Technology Center Dr.VirginiaHerndon – 2100 Centreville Rd.Williamsburg – 100 Gristmill Plz.Tom Kingsbury, CEO...

Party City, a longtime retailer and go-to source for many of party supplies, is closing all its stores and going out of business, according to a report from CNN. Company CEO Barry Litwin told corporates employees in a meeting Friday the company is "winding down" operations and and today was their last day working there, CNN reported. The retailer had more than 850 locations in the United States, according to its website, and had been in business for more than 30 years. “It’s really important for you to know that we’ve done everything possible that we could to try to...

Vice President Kamala Harris’s closing pitch on Tuesday will feature a request for four more years of power to fix the problems facing America, a report detailed. Harris’s closing argument, scheduled to be delivered in front of the White House on the National Mall, is meant to counteract why many Americans feel worse off today than four years ago under former President Donald Trump. Recent Gallup polling shows 52 percent of Americans feel worse off today than they did under Trump. Under the Biden-Harris administration, costs increased by about 20 percent across the board on average, Russia invaded Ukraine, Hamas...

Former President Donald Trump could be closing in on Virginia and Minnesota, recent surveys reveal. A recent Rasmussen Reports/American Thinker survey asked likely voters in Virginia, “If the 2024 Presidential election were held today, and the candidates were Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Donald Trump, who would you vote for?” The survey shows a tight race, as Vice President Kamala Harris leads with 48 percent support. Trump trails by just two percentage points, garnering 46 percent support. Another two percent said “other,” and three percent remain unsure — more than enough to swing the race in either direction.

Denny’s is closing 150 restaurants over the next year, and the 71-year-old diner chain is mulling a major change to its 24/7 operating hours. Fifty locations are set to close by the end of 2024, while the remaining 100 will shutter in 2025, Denny’s announced in an earnings call Tuesday. That amounts to a tenth of its restaurants, leaving 1,375 locations once completed. A specific list of closing restaurants weren’t immediately announced. Denny’s is targeting “underperforming restaurants” that are weighing down the company’s financial performance, according to Steve Dunn, Denny’s executive vice president and chief global development officer. The affected...

Stores across America are shutting down left and right as shoppers are unable to afford to spend money on non-essentials. CNN Business reported on Friday that so far in 2024, major retailers have said they are closing down 6,189 stores. That number surpasses the 2023 total of 5,553, per Coresight Research, the article said. “Chains are on track to close the highest number of stores in 2024 than any year since 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic decimated the industry.”

Vice President Kamala Harris dumped her so-called “campaign of joy” messaging for a more angry, bitter, and nasty tone with less than three weeks until Election Day. Polling shows Harris lost momentum in the past weeks while using the “campaign of joy.” Her new strategy appears to be the use of President Joe Biden’s 2020 and Hillary Clinton’s 2016 playbook that demonizes former President Donald Trump as unhinged, unstable, and unchecked. Politico Playbook reported the shift on Friday: You can see the change on the campaign trail, where Harris’ early emphasis on joy has given way to more direct verbal...

Walgreens said Tuesday it plans to close 1,200 stores over the next three years as it seeks to further downsize its footprint amid flagging sales and changing consumer behavior. The pharmacy chain said 500 of the closings would occur over the next 12 months. It estimates a quarter of its 8,700 stores in the U.S. are unprofitable. Walgreens announced the closures as part of its fiscal fourth-quarter and full-year earnings, which beat Wall Street's expectations. In a statement, CEO Tim Wentworth acknowledged the company was in the midst of a "turnaround" that would "take time." "We are confident it will...

Panera Bread has closed its sole location in downtown Denver after 10 years. The St. Louis-based chain’s store at the corner of Market Street and the 16th Street Mall was closed as of Thursday morning. “We’ll miss serving you from this bakery cafe,” notices posted on the doors read. The company didn’t respond when asked the reason for the closure. Restaurants and retailers along the 16th Street Mall have been struggling amidst renovations to the pedestrian and transit corridor. But Panera had made it through that — its block was one of the first to reopen. The store sits at...

The last remaining Denny’s in San Francisco closed its doors this month because customers would frequently leave without paying their bill in the crime-plagued city, according to the restaurant’s owner. Chris Haque shuttered the 24-hour diner at 816 Mission St. near the Union Square section on Aug. 1 after 25 years. “We’re the only store left, and we operated until the last day that we could,” Haque told SFGATE. “The cost of doing business is tremendous. There’s vandalism, and people come and eat and walk away, and there’s no one to stop them.” Haque also lamented the fact that a...

AUBURN, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Bimbo Bakeries in Auburn is unexpectedly shutting its doors this fall, putting its 49 employees out of work, some of them who’ve worked there for decades. The announcement came as a shock to Auburn’s mayor, who just received the news last week. “I just wish there had been at least some conversation beforehand to see if there was something we could do,” said Mayor Jimmy Giannettino. There was no indication that Bimbo Bakeries wanted to leave the area prior to the company making the decision, making this news even more of a shock for the mayor...

Shoppers, it may be time to find a new pharmacy. Walgreens is closing up to a quarter of its 8,600 stores within the United States. Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth recently explained to the Wall Street Journal on June 27 that the closures would focus on locations that aren't profitable, too close to each other or stores struggling with theft. .... According to CNN, 75% of the company's U.S. stores account for 100% of its operating income. The company will examine the remaining 25% of its 8,600 stores for closure. That equates to roughly 2,150 stores closing shop across the country...

The iconic restaurant chain Hooters has abruptly announced the closure of 40 locations nationwide, citing the rising cost of food and rent. ...... While Hooters may not be to everyone’s taste, the closures are further evidence of the economic toll caused by rampant inflation, which has soared since the Biden regime seized office in 2021. Last month, the Red Lobster restaurant chain announced that it would be filing for bankruptcy and closing nearly 120 restaurants across 27 states after sustaining continued losses. Meanwhile, a recent survey by Lending Tree found that having once been an affordable alternative for lower-income workers,...

Rubio’s Coastal Grill, a beloved restaurant chain known for its fish tacos, is indeed closing 48 locations in California due to the “rising cost of doing business.” These closures represent about a third of the Rubio’s locations in California, Nevada, and Arizona. Here are the key points: Reason for Closures: The decision to close these locations was influenced by the increasing costs associated with operating in California. Minimum wage hikes, such as the recent increase from $16 to $20 per hour, have put additional pressure on businesses like Rubio’s. The rising costs, combined with other financial challenges, led to the...

Former President Donald Trump’s lawyer told jurors Tuesday they “should want and expect more” from prosecutors who claim the presumptive GOP nominee engaged in business fraud to boost his first run for the White House. Defense attorney Todd Blanche, in his closing argument, said the state’s evidence showed little more than standard business practices. “President Trump is innocent. He did not commit any crimes, and the district attorney has not met their burden of proof, period,” Mr. Blanche said as Mr. Trump’s hush money trial neared its conclusion.