I was attacked in a local mom and pop hardware store today.

Walked in and 3 workers immediately asked if they could help me. I was the only customer in the store. One worker ran and grabbed the soaker hose I asked about, and the other two found the nuts and bolts I wanted. The guys working in the lumber yard out back were shooting the shit. No customers back there either. I have never seen this store so deserted in my 30 years of shopping there. I doubt they will be in business this time next year.

weekend (in Phila.).

However, our small family owned garden supply center (sort of high end) claims that they are busy out of their minds. Could not deliver some dirt to my place for over a week.

it's those that serve the other classes that are seeing a big drop in business.

Bozeman area has had HUGE growth in recent years. Lots of home being built, lots more older one being gussied up. Seems that has come to a screeching halt.

Two customers and when we went to check out, the 7 employees up front in a knot, chatting and laughing, invited us to use the 'cool new self-checkout' option. Idiots. How long do they think they will have jobs under such conditions, suggesting to paying customers to check out without their assistance? Could not fucking believe it.

Within the last 5 years, Home Depot, Lowes, WalMart and Target all moved to town. I think the only people going to the local store are the local contractors. :(

Heard a story today on NPR about a local bookstore in CA - apparently a famous one even. We've lost some bookstores here too - after B&N and Borders arrived.

Competition has increased because of reduced sales.

especially for small biz.

There were two of us in the mom and pop store when I was in today and he only made a dollar off of me. The owner has told me he would love to retire but that there is no business to sell and the building would bring nothing (who wants a big old building on Main Street of small midwestern town with no prospects?). These are really scary times.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080501/clth076.html?.v=101

15 closing, PLUS 50 stores that were going to be opened now will not be.

the guy got mega million$ just to leave.
No surprise. Sad.

Look for a massive failure, then selling off the remaining assets at fire sale prices.

and lumber stores exclusively now.

Only places that employ knowledgeable people!

Was doing a job at my son's place, went to HomeDepot because it was close, and three different people I talked to in hardware didn't know what a "hanger bolt" is. I ended up explaining to one guy what Grade 5 bolts were... he didn't know why they are that color, and never noticed the three little lines on the head.

Went from there to a local - but large - hardware store, and they were booming.

Maybe tough times will renew the Do It Yourself idea, and local businesses that can tie into that will survive.

.

:hi:

Looks like my new nuts were made in China. Will find out if they work tomorrow.

it's really impossible to find a REAL hardware store anymore ---

I know where THREE close ones are! Four if you want to take a ferry ride to Whidbey Island!

:hi:

that we have enough stuff to run a hardware store---!!!

and found myself ducking behind displays to dodge the oversolicitous sales help!

I'd experienced that in the local mall. I didn't expect it in health food central!

He said he just had to lay one of the employees off, they aren't getting any overtime (and they almost ALWAYS had overtime), and things are pretty slow right now.

Sucks, sucks, sucks.

money for new furniture. My purchase was a small one too.

I have seen them in the past.

My local nursery, OTOH, is doing a bust-up business, and it's mostly vegetable garden stuff, fruit trees, and replacing water hogs with drought-tolerants and natives..........in Los Angeles, no less. It gives me a modicum of hope. Heck, I was there to get pots and soil and seeds and fertilizer for a balcony vegetable garden......everything is going to be either edible, or attractive to beneficial insects.

The fast food places, however - not so good. I went to Baja Fresh for lunch earlier this week and I was the only customer in there. Pretty sad compared to 2006, when there was always a line.

We do veggie subs and burritos, and occasionally I'll try and hit a Panda Express because they have some really awesome tofu or shrimp dishes on occasion. Used to be once or twice a week, now it's twice a month, tops. Of course, my being out of work and being denied any and every available benefit doesn't help. :grr:

Gottchalks yesterday window shopping. I didn't buy anything either. All the stores were practically deserted. Sure it was the middle of the week, but I've never seen the stores so empty.

and my 12 dollar a pound chicken is still there, now limited to breast pieces (and yes there were a couple 16 dollar packets and I went... are they fugging nuts?)

The rest went down to more reasonable prices (six dollar range)

With a few at the three dollar range.

It is nuts

Did I mention the place was quite empty?

I still managed to get lunch for the both of us and a dinner salads for under twenty... it used to be ten...

Me, going to the PX next week, definitely

Thanks for the great food thread a while back - portions, prices, health etc.

I was in our local ACE hardware a couple of times last week and it too was deserted. The service there is bar none, even when it is busy. So I spend a little more per item there, rather than deal with the idjits at Home Despot.

and, like many, I was in a retail area, a mall, and nearly all of the stores were run by 2 or 3 people, and rarely were people ringing up more than just a couple items... the recession is in full swing.



Sigh... good work, Brownie's Boss!

:shrug:

Last Sat., Home Depot was busy, there was a big line of people buying lumber and other building materials. However, it is usually busier this time of year. There was even an employee that asked us if we needed help, after our heart attack, we assured him no, we were ok (perhaps because we already took 30 minutes to find our gutter anchors).

During the week-- the mall is officially dead. After the early am mall walkers leave, you can hear crickets.

Kmart has been in position for the recession as they always have just one cashier on day, night, weekend, weekday. Only now you don't wait in line as long.

Don't go to walmart.

Aldi's is quite busy, their hours seem longer--they were open at 7 pm last night. They used to close at six and Sundays. Their prices are higher than they used to be but still much less than Wegmans.

Wegmans is not as busy. I am spending about a third as much as I used to there, mostly meat and Ezekial bread. Food prices seem very high, a dozen jumbo eggs were $1.99. I won't quote the milk prices because ours are lower than the norm d/t the dairy compact. Milk is about $2.69 a gallon here. I find myself buying bargain cuts of chicken and ground beef and more beans lately.

Gas $3.69 gallon, it was higher last week $3.79.

We are considering not opening up the pool this year.

Do you ever buy their rotisserie chickens, Eilen? I usually get one every couple of weeks, and the past few I've bought have been suspiciously small. We used to have leftovers from one (after I put chicken on my salad and Mr. MG made nachos), but no longer. Price is still $4.99, but I suspect we're getting short-sheeted on the white meat lately--or is it just me? If they are cheating on the size I say heck, I'd be willing to pay a little more if they'd go back to the larger chickens.

I buy them from time to time. I wouldn't be surprised if they are smaller though. Have you noticed the produce prices--they are ridiculous! We used to have leftovers from one as well. I like to buy one with the ciabatta bread and some pesto and fresh tomatoes. Their prices on the Ezekiel Bread in Nature's Pantry can't be beat--$3.49 a loaf; at Naturtyme they are $4.99. The sprouted grain bread to me is a better value as it has a larger protein content, more fiber and is more easily digested.

I liked them when I went to college in central NY. The only competition Wegmans has here is Tops, which is good in a pinch. However, I bought a rotisserie chicken at Tops once and nearly gagged. It was a Perdue chicken (hormone city!), about the size of a pigeon, and dry as dust. Bleah. So if I want a cooked chicken, I have to go with Weggies', skimpier or not.

I like to give the local health food store, Lori's Natural Foods, my business, but you're right--Wegmans has lower prices on the stuff they both carry.

You know what's sad? I have totally glazed over when it comes to produce prices. If I need it, I buy it, and wince at the grand total at the register, instead of checking individual food prices--unless the price has leapt considerably. I noticed that with cheddar cheese at the cheese counter. I always get extra-sharp cheddar to make mac and cheese from scratch, and not only can I not find Wisconsin or Vermont extra-sharp cheddar anymore, the price for a block almost doubled! WTF!

It is cheaper. Not as good as the NY Cheddar I usually enjoy. If you really want some good cheese, go to the Farmer's Market.

I can't really afford it, but when I quit smoking 3 years ago I treated myself to a little gift which was getting my nails done every two weeks. Now though, I only go once every 4 weeks because of price. Anyway, when I went to get them done on Tuesday, there were 3 attendants who could do them, but there they were all talking in their native tongue, Vietnamese and let me stand there for about 3 minutes. There was no one else in the salon. :shrug:

find everything that I wanted last night. Never had that happen before, but then, the place was pretty deserted.

I'm an artist and the aisles were empty. First time I haven't made expenses in a decade. Retailers are hurting, no customers in their stores, so they didn't travel to the wholesale show. I had new items and they were the only ones ordered.

Batten down the hatches. Hopefully, things will improve after the election. Given it's not stolen again.

companies and they are all extremely busy, like weeks behind. Meanwhile the pool is turning a nice shade of green, looks more like a koi pond than a pool, since I can't run the filter without adding water every day. Stupid thing to complain about I guess, but it's not good to let the pool turn green with algae, especially in the heat of the summer months, huge breeding ground for mosquitoes .

I was asked if I needed help by at least six sales reps. I found the gift I was seeking and then wandered through the perfume section to smell samples - I was mobbed by sales help.

I bought a couple paperbacks at the Barnes and Noble and there was only one cash register going, and only one person ahead of me.

I've never seen the mall as deserted as it was last night. This is our area's busiest mall. Most of the stores were deserted. Several have gone out of business. The only stores and kiosks that were busy were in communications. Young people were buying ipods and cell phones.

I don't think that the high-end boutique chains will survive this.

Maybe people need to start moving here or something. We were just voted the most recession proof city in the nation by Forbes.
Duckie

:scared:

Especially a utility bill, expect the phone calls to start approx. one week after the due date. They're not waiting very long now; I guess alot of people are late paying or not paying at all.

warren buffet says wall street is over the worst.

that is all that counts....

:grr:

edit to add: /sarcasm