by elandur Mon 04 Feb 2013, 2:49 pm
Can't be! The president says the economy is doing great! We've turned the corner - for the past couple years or so. Everything is coming up roses!
Having said that, can't say I am too surprised, looking at the list of stores. Barnes and Noble? Love them. I buy quite a few books from them each year. But reality is, more people are ordering online and buying e-books. Brick and morter store fronts are expensive. And while I still like to browse the stacks may people don't think that way anymore. B. Daltons, Walden Books - both gone for years. I used to frequent them just as much. Borders? Gone. When it comes to books, you simply don't need a brick and morter.
Kmart? Well, I just went to one in Phoenix. Same Kmart I used to go to 35 years ago when I was going to college. First time I have been to a Kmart in years. Why? There hasn't been a Kmart in San Antonio, to my knowledge in years. Between Walmart and HEB (and the few Targets that are left) they have all been run out of business here. Walmart does Kmart much better.
Best Buy? I don't think they are going to be around much longer either. My son-in-law used to work for them and he expressed much the same sentiment. There really isn't much they provide that can't be done online. This past Christmas we shopped Best Buy - but almost all of it was done online. We just went to the local Best Buy for pickup. And we really didn't need to do that as they ship as well.
I think the problem is two-fold (at least). Part of it is the economy. Part of it is changes in the way we shop. The former has simply accelerated the latter. And of course, as pointed out above, closing the stores eliminates jobs that in turn feeds the downturn in the economy, which in turn is changing the way we shop as well. When I buy on line I don't have to pay for the gas to go to the store. There are a lot of factors here; I am sure Obamacare is playing a part. Perhaps one reason many are shopping online instead of going to malls is that they are worried about becoming the victim of a mass-shooting. (Even though your odds of simply being mugged are much, much greater. But then again, less chance of being mugged if you shop online too.)
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