Thread regarding Sears layoffs

Some of the companies - retailers and restaurants - on this list are not surprises. It's been going for awhile. A lot of them close locations because they are in areas that have little traffic. And some close down because of bad business decisions or general they are bought out by someone and consolidated into their new owner. It's a cyclical thing and happens all the time.

@alh - great post, you nailed it

THis just means that there is a glut of retail space which make any SHC property even less valuable.

Well.....the world is changing and retailers are in the midst of figuring out how to respond to the change. I'm 50 ish and I remember the days when shopping was an outing with friends or family. It was a social event and people would spend an afternoon shopping and then go out to lunch or dinner or at least a coffee and slice of pie. Today people shop online. Most times customers come into our store to see a product they are interested in, they will touch it, shake it, try it on, test it out, whatever...use the employees as resources for information and feedback, write down model numbers and then they take out their phones and see where they can buy the item for the cheapest price. The young ones don't even come to the store they order stuff and return if necessary. Shopping is less of an outing or activity and more of a chore and time drain. Shopping has changed and it is a new generation. The customer/society has changed and the retail world is trying to catch up and figure out a new business model.

Eventually they will get it, but in the meantime, businesses will go out or decline and jobs will be lost. It happens every half a century or so. With computers and technology it happens at a quicker pace.