MORE STORE CLOSINGS AND LAYOFFS - 7/29/08

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http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9834177-7html STORE CLOSINGS AND LAYOFFS If you have gift cards for these stores, hurry up and use them!! 84 LumberClosing: 12 StoresWhy? Just a month after rolling nine stores into sister facilities, 84 Lumber announced April 8 that it would close down 30 more stores, affecting about 230 workers, as the lumber retailer copes with a decline in homebuilding. A.C. Moore Arts & CraftsClosing: 7-10 StoresWhy? Citing the current tough retail environment, the East Coast crafts retailer said it was closing 5 to 7 percent of its 139 stores and will rein in plans to expand. Ann TaylorClosing: 117 stores nationwide A company spokeswoman said the company hasn't revealed which stores will be shuttered. It will let the stores that will close this fiscal year know over the next month Big DollarClosing: 10 StoresWhy? The 21-year-old discount chain based in Minnesota finds times too tough to sell even dollar buys, despite the conventional wisdom that people shop at these stores more in bad economic climates. Bombay Company(Freehold Mall store closed) The company unveiled plans to close all 384 U.S.-based Bombay Company stores. The company's online storefront has discontinued operations. CacheClosing stores Women's retailer Cache announced that it is closing 20 to 23 stores this year. CompUSA (CLOSED) Stores Closing: 103 will be sold or shut downWhy? In Dec. 2007, the Computer and electronics retailer announced it would start winding down its retail operations after being acquired by an investment firm, which is looking to sell the company's business and assets. The retail stores that don't sell were shut down. Any extended warranties purchased for products through CompUSA will be honored by a third-party provider, Assurant Solutions. Gift cards, rain checks, and rebates purchased prior to December 12 can be redeemed at any time during the final sale. For those who have a gadget currently in for service with CompUSA, the repair will be completed and the gadget will be returned to owners. DellStores Closing: 140Why? Dell keeps losing market share to As Hewlett-Packard -- it has slipped into second place in PC sales behind HP -- so the company that pioneered direct sales is turning away from the strategy and refocusing its efforts on sales in big box stores, so the mall kiosks had to go. Dillard's to Close More Stores Dillard's Inc. said it will continue to focus on closing underperforming stores, reducing expenses and improving its merchandise in 2008. At the company's annual shareholder meeting, CEO William Dillard II said the company will close another six underperforming stores this year. Disney StoreOwner has the right to close 98 stores The Walt Disney Company announced it acquired about 220 Disney Stores from subsidiaries of The Children's Place Retail Stores. The exact number of stores acquired will depend on negotiations with landlords. Those subsidiaries of Children's Place filed for bankruptcy protection in late March. Walt Disney in the news release said it has also obtained the right to close about 98 Disney Stores in the U.S. The press release didn't list those stores. Eddie BauerTo close more stores Eddie Bauer has already closed 27 shops in the first quarter and plans to close up to two more outlet stores by the end of the year. Ethan Allen Interiors: The company announced plans to close 12 of 300+ stores in an effort to cut costs. Fashion BugStores Closing: 150Why? In early February, retailer Charming Shoppes announced it would shut down 150 underperforming stores, including 100 Fashion Bug stores, 4 Petite Sophisticate stores, and the remainder a balance of Lane Bryant and Catherine's stores. Foot LockerStores Closing: 140Why? With income down 78 percent in 2007, the shoe retailer is running for the hills. It's putting 140 more of its 3,785 stores on the chopping block in addition to the 274 it closed last year. Gap Inc.Closing 85 stores In addition to its namesake chain, Gap also owns Old Navy and Banana Republic . The company said the closures - all planned for fiscal 2008 - will be weighted toward the Gap brand. Goodbye Levitz / BOMBAY - closed already The furniture retailer, which is going out of business. Levitz first announced it was going out of business and closing all 76 of its stores in December. The retailer dates back to 1910 when Richard Levitz opened his first furniture store in Lebanon, PA. In the 1960s, the warehouse/showroom concept brought Levitz to the forefront of the furniture industry. The local Levitz closures will follow the shutdown of Bombay. Goody's Family ClothingStores Closing: 103Why? Tennessee-based Goody's announced June 9 that it was filing a voluntary petition for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in Delaware, where the company is registered. Home DepotStore closings (E. Brunswick, Rt 18 just put up their closing sign) ATLANTA - Nearly 7+ months after its chief executive said there were no plans to cut the number of its core retail stores, The Home Depot Inc. announced Thursday that it is shuttering 15 of them amid a slumping U.S. economy and housing market. The move will affect 1,300 employees. It is the first time the world's largest home improvement store chain has ever closed a flagship store for performance reasons. Its shares rose almost 5 percent. The Atlanta-based company said the underperforming U.S. stores being closed represent less than 1 percent of its existing stores. They will be shuttered within the next two months. J. C. Penney, Lowe's and Office Depot are scaling back KB ToysClosing 356 stores around the United States as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. To see the list of store closings, go to the KB Toys Information web site, and click on Press Information Kirkland'sStores Closing: 30 to 130Why? Management of the national home-decor chain told analysts it intends to close 30 underperforming stores during the fourth quarter, which ended in January. It is considering closing even more stores (up to 100) in the next 18 months. Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, CatherinesClosing 150 stores nationwideThe owner of retailers Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines Plus Sizes will close about 150 underperforming stores this year. The company hasn't provided a list of specific store closures and can't say when it will offer that info, spokeswoman Brooke Perry said today. Linens 'n ThingsStores Closing: 177Why? In a sign that its fortunes are beginning to turn, retailer Linens 'n Things, which filed for bankruptcy in May, announced that it would close fewer stores than it had anticipated. The chain will shut down 57 stores in its latest restructuring, 30 fewer than it had originally planned to close. Macy'sStores Closing: 9 Why? According to a Dec. 28 2007 press release, Macy's is closing 9 locations due to declining sales. However, it expects to open 5 new stores in 2008 and 6 to 8 new locations are currently planned for 2009. Movie GalleryClosing 160 stores as part of reorganization plan to exit bankruptcy.The video rental company plans to close 400 of 3,500 Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video stores in addition to the 520 locations the video rental chain closed last fall. Pacific SunwearClosing its 154 Demo stores after a review of strategic alternatives for the urban-apparel brand. Seventy-four underperforming Demo stores closed last May. Pep Boys Stores Closing: 31Why? The auto parts company laid off 550 employees as it shut down stores in November as part of a five-year strategic plan that will include a change in its mix of automotive products and adding "smaller neighborhood service shops." Rite-AidStores Closing: 28Why? The drugstore chain announced in January that it was exiting the Las Vegas, Nev. market because the stores there had not been contributing to overall results. The company hasn't opened a new store in the Las Vegas area since 1999. Sharper Image:Closing 90 storesThe company recently filed for bankruptcy protection and announced that 90 of its 184 stores are closing. The retailer will still operate 94 stores to pay off debts, but 90 of these stores have performed poorly and also may close. Sprint NextelClosing 125 retail locationsNew Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse appears to have inherited a company bleeding rs by the thousands, and will now officially be dropping the ax on 4,000 employees and 125 retail locations. Amid the loss of 639,000 postpaid customers in the fourth quarter, Sprint will be cutting a total of 6.7% of its work force (following the 5,000 layoffs last year) and 8% of company-owned brick-and-mortar stores, while remaining mute on other rumors; that it will consolidate its headquarters in Kansas. Sprint Nextel shares are down $2.89, or nearly 25%, at the time of this writing. StarbucksStores Closing: 600Why? After years of ambitious expansion, the coffee retailer plans to close 500 more U.S. stores than it initially planned, most of which were opened only in the last two years. Starbucks says it will try to place affected employees in neighboring coffee shops. Steve & Barry'sWhy? The Port Washington, N.Y., retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Wednesday, and could close most if not all of its 276 stores, according to The Wall Street Journal. Talbots, J. JillAbout a month ago, Talbots announced that it will be shuttering all 78 of its kids and men's stores. Now the company says it will close another 22 underperforming stores. The 22 stores will be a mix of Talbots women's and J. Jill , another chain it owns. The closures will occur this fiscal year, according to a company press release. Urban Interiors & It's Gotta GoStores Closing: 2Why? The company that owns two Seattle-area stores thought its home furnishing stores weren't performing as well as its other holdings, Continental Furniture and Thomasville Home Furnishings, so it's closing time. Wickes Wickes Furniture is going out of business and closing all of its stores. Wickes, a 37-year-old retailer that targets middle-income customers, filed for bankruptcy protection last month. Wilsons the Leather Experts Stores Closing: 105Why? With "substantial doubt" about its ability to stay in business, the company is hoping women will bail it out. It's shutting the majority of its mall-based stores and turning the remaining 100 mall stores into accessory boutiques called Studio. Zales, Piercing PagodaStores Closing: 105 The owner of Zales and Piercing Pagoda previously said it plans to close 82 stores by July 31. Today, it announced that it is closing another 23 underperforming stores. The company said it's not providing a list of specific store closures. Of the 105 locations planned for closure, 50 are kiosks and 55 are stores. Bennigan's, Steak & Ale Close DoorsBy LAUREN SHEPHERD, AP Posted: 2008-07-29 17:12:42 NEW YORK (July 29) - Restaurant chains Bennigan's and Steak & Ale have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection and stores owned by its parent company will shut their doors. http://www.walletpop.com/article/_a/bennigans-steak-and-ale-close-doors/20080729125309990002?icid=200100397x1206812301x1200347165 Locations owned by franchisees were not part of the bankruptcy filing and will not be shut down, said Larry Briski, president of the Bennigan's Franchise Operator Association. "They will be open today, tomorrow and months and years to come," Briski said of the franchise locations. He said there are about 160 domestic and international franchise locations and about 150 company-owned Bennigan's restaurants. Meanwhile, employees at what appeared to be a company-owned Bennigan's in Plano, Texas, were greeted by a sign Tuesday on the front door reading "WE ARE CLOSED. THANK YOU." Next door, a Steak & Ale sat empty in a deserted parking lot but there was no sign posted. A waiter named Steve, who wouldn't give his last name, said the staff got a phone call Tuesday morning telling them the restaurant was closing. «¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»Paranormal_Research - Scientific Data, Health Conspiracies & Anything Strange Paranormal_ResearchSubscribe:... Paranormal_Research-