No sale
London, ON, February 2009 [Click to embiggen]
I'm wrestling with some major tech issues this week, including a complete and utter meltdown of my BlackBerry. So if this seems a bit terse, that's why.
I guess "abandoned" is an appropriate theme (see here for more Thematic goodness) when everything in our house seems to be failing and getting tossed around the same time. Despite the frightening number of zeroes on the price tags of the replacement items (so far, we're dealing with the furnace/aircon/water heater, washer/dryer, vacuum and 'Berry, and we're taking bets on what's next) I admit it's a bit cathartic to get rid of the old. If anything, the house hasn't been this devoid of stuff in years. A good thing all around.
Sadly, we won't be shopping at this particular store. I featured it over the winter, and thought a wider perspective might contribute more reflective feelings of abandonment to this week's theme. Enjoy.
Your turn: Ever wonder what happens to the retail community - employees, customers, suppliers etc. - when a large store like this closes. From where I sit, it's almost like the removal of gravity. What say you?
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7 comments:
Great picture and post for the theme this week. You should see the abandoned buildings here. When will it ever end. Oh I know, let's do a program called cash for clunkers and put our government 3 billion dollars more in debt so that all of us can pay for your new car. (Not you personally Carmi) LOL
Black holes -- soon to be filled with graffiti.
The customers will simply find other outlets. Employees, well in retail they're in slightly better shape than in the trades. When a factory closes down, entire towns can collapse. Witness Bethlehem Steel which I've featured on a number of occasions (and have on the docket for this week too of course!). And whatever industry that factory was part of becomes more monolithic and less competitive. Which sends shockwaves through an entire market segment. Back in the 80's when your favorite communications giant was still going by the name Northern Telecom, I worked in a plant that produced parts for Nortel. And a slump in Nortel's business caused them to push out inventory, leaving vendors will warehouses full of finished goods that they weren't getting paid for. Including the shop I worked for. By shutting down our third shift and cutting all of the "blue shirts" down to half-time, we managed to avoid laying anyone off permanently (dealing with the unemployment office was sort of tricky though). I'm not sure that all of Northern's suppliers were quite so lucky. And without starting a great debate on the topic, I'm pretty sure those line workers at Ford probably appreciate the program that meant Ford didn't join GM and Chrysler on the docket in bankruptcy court. (What was that called again?) I further suspect that the workers that build components for Ford also appreciate said program. So do the truckers that deliver the components and the finished products. And on, and on... Never mind the consumer who can now afford a newer, safer, cleaner, more efficient vehicle that (hopefully) will cost less to operate leaving him or her with more disposable income to put back into an economy that desperately needs it. Or (*gasp*) into a savings/retirement account as a hedge against the collapse of Social Security. (I know, it's a reach, but people do still occasionally do that.)
And cutting consumption of fossil fuels -- even if only marginally -- by replacing older, dirtier, less efficient vehicles with newer, cleaner, more efficient ones? Well that's a bonus for all of us, yeah? Whether we buy a new are or not.
It's still trickle down economics, but at least the drain isn't clogged at the top.
It's a really big picture.
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot... I do have another TP entry. One of those freight carriers I was talking about left a turd in the punchbowl when they shut this terminal down.
Thematic Photographic 62: "Abandoned" v.3.0 - "Closed"
Zombies N' Things !
We LOVE Zombies N' Things !
When the living stores close, the undead take over.
Linens and things is the new Livers and things.
Spleens,livers,kidneys,brains.
Zombies love brains!
Shop 'till you drop(dead,of course)
Donald Trump
A.K.A The Donald
P.S. When you refer to my hairpiece. do not confuse it with my herpes. It scares away the Miss Anerica contestants.
Around here, their customers just moved to BB&B (B*d, B*th and B*yond). I always worry about workers when a store closes for good.
Suppliers? Not so much. They will always find a market.
How about a link without diatribe today. I'll just quietly announce the unveiling of Thematic Photographic 62: "Abandoned" v.4.0 - "Buried Treasure"
It's sad for everybody when those big stores close - because not too many businesses can afford space that size... and because unemployment is sO HIGH right now! We are starting to fear having 3 kids and a grandkid will have to move back HOME here soon!
On the bright side - Carmi - Hubby and I have been through what you're going through right now! There came a time in our home ownership when we couldn't think of ANYTHING left to breakdown! And neither could the house... So the CAR did instead! I'm praying for you!
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