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Signs of the Times
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FaithSF View Drop Down
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Posts: 4535 		  Quote FaithSF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Signs of the Times
    Posted: 30 Apr 2009 at 11:08pm
So I went for a walk today on one of our very busy streets, and within the space of five blocks, I saw notices on two businesses' windows saying that they would now be closing one day a week. This was in addition to Office Max, which has huge signs in the windows for "New, lower prices."

I'm happy about Office Max (Office Depot had it printed in their fliers as well), but non-chain stores that have to close an additional day a week most likely means not enough business to break even.  It's sad and kind of scary.
You're just jealous 'cause the voices only talk to me--and Yutolia!
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Posts: 13336 		  Quote PaWolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Apr 2009 at 11:36pm

It is scary. Here's a few things we are seeing;

1.) MissyDWolf's store now has arbitrary closing times, based on business volume (when she does do it, she usually only lops off an hour at the end of the evening)
 
2.) The U.S. Postal Service (here) has cut staff and they are pondering the elimination of Saturday deliveries.
 
3.) Public transportation use has skyrocketed, yet the trolley/subway has elimination almost 1/2 of their runs and some bus routes have been cut back, or eliminated.
 
4.) 'New Lower Prices' is also happening all around here - and some are really decent - now...to find the disposable cash.
 
5.) It isn't fun to ride into Buffalo too much, these days. LOTS of businesses have closed. The downtown indoor mall has lost almost ALL business.
 
6.) Social Services is in a large tower, downtown. The morning line to the first floor entrance stretches around the building....and it's only getting worse (GM (parts manufacturing) and CNX (railroad) are slashing jobs here).
 
7.) The big, bright, new Department of Motor Vehicles Building (the MAIN DMV) - a State building - is very possibly going to shut down. 
 
 
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Posts: 4535 		  Quote FaithSF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2009 at 12:21am
Originally posted by PaWolf

It is scary. Here's a few things we are seeing;

1.) MissyDWolf's store now has arbitrary closing times, based on business volume (when she does do it, she usually only lops off an hour at the end of the evening)
 
2.) The U.S. Postal Service (here) has cut staff and they are pondering the elimination of Saturday deliveries.

Pa, can the local Post Offices do that?  I know there was talk of nationally going to five days a week, but my local PO told me that they weren't considering Saturday.  People who work during the week can only go to the PO on Satudays.

3.) Public transportation use has skyrocketed, yet the trolley/subway has elimination almost 1/2 of their runs and some bus routes have been cut back, or eliminated.

Same here.  It started skyrocketing when the price of gas was so high.  I don't know whether ridership has gone back down again.  But there were notices on the bus that due to budget constraints, there will be cuts in service.
 
4.) 'New Lower Prices' is also happening all around here - and some are really decent - now...to find the disposable cash.
 
5.) It isn't fun to ride into Buffalo too much, these days. LOTS of businesses have closed. The downtown indoor mall has lost almost ALL business.

 There is a mini-mall across the street from me.  (The whole thing was a Sears until 1990 or 91.)  The main tenant was Mervyn's, a clothing chain store, which went bankrupt and out of business a few months ago.  Office Depot is still there, and I hope it stays.  But meanwhile, there's a huge empty space. 

6.) Social Services is in a large tower, downtown. The morning line to the first floor entrance stretches around the building....and it's only getting worse (GM (parts manufacturing) and CNX (railroad) are slashing jobs here).
 
We had a bunch of Social Security offices in the city, but a new Federal Building went up downtown, and now all the other offices are closed.  Every year I have to go there to get verification of my income for my Section 8 recertification.  Unless I go to a neighboring town, which I did last year, I will have to go downtown.  It's in a bad part of downtown, and I'm not looking forward to having to walk there from the bus.  Nice planning.  Also, I'm guessing it's going to be packed with people.

7.) The big, bright, new Department of Motor Vehicles Building (the MAIN DMV) - a State building - is very possibly going to shut down. 

That's sad. And what a colossal waste!
 
You're just jealous 'cause the voices only talk to me--and Yutolia!
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Posts: 13336 		  Quote PaWolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2009 at 12:29am
...about the Postal Service - I thought the same thing - I was shocked, Faith. I guess that they have been considering this for a bit...
There's plenty about this on the Internet, including PLENTY of outrage.
 
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Posts: 22876 		  Quote Thor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2009 at 1:19am
Faith, I went to the only Italian deli (that I know of) within 5 miles of me today, 'cause I wanted to see if they had those San Marzano tomatoes.  Alas!  The place has closed down.  So has the cafe next door to it.  I was a bit surprised, as it was in a town where the better people live.
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Posts: 4535 		  Quote FaithSF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2009 at 1:24am
It's always disappointing/upsetting when a place you're going turns out to have gone out of business. 

(The better people?)

The next time you come down to SF, you can find the cans of San Marzano tomatoes at Cal-Mart in Laurel Village.  Or I can get one for you, but then you'll have to come visit!
You're just jealous 'cause the voices only talk to me--and Yutolia!
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Posts: 814 		  Quote meinga Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2009 at 1:38am
There are 2 post offices in my town.  The smaller one is downtown and they are closed on Saturdays, but the other one is open a half day on Sat.  It's funny because the one downtown near me used to close for lunch between 1-2PM up until about a year ago.  A few months ago, they announced that this location would close at 4PM, but after numerous complaints by the public, downtown merchants as well as articles in the local paper, they are not changing the closing time and remain open until 5PM. 
 There is still talk of discontinuing mail delivery on Sat. but I believe that is a national issue. 
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Posts: 4971 		  Quote shadow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2009 at 3:23pm
Back when the economy was still at the cliff, we had a family owned market here.
I posted about it when it happened.  It was a landmark to the village and was the anchor to other businesses.  I went there one day to get some meat and it was barren.  I asked what was up, thinking renovations, they said it was closed as of the next day.

Very sad to see a place that has been family owned for about 100 years go belly up.
Same with our local hardware store.  It was an old place where you could go looking for a replacement knob to some obscure appliance, and if they did not have the exact thing, they had a comparable one.  They also sold used tools.  Some were ancient but were very well taken care of.  It looked like a museum sometimes.  One day the paint section caught fire, and the whole place burned down.  The town paper said that they were coming back, but they never did.
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Posts: 4535 		  Quote FaithSF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2009 at 5:37pm
Meinga, the article I read the other day said that they were considering closing on Tuesdays, since that is the lightest mail delivery day of the week.  
You're just jealous 'cause the voices only talk to me--and Yutolia!
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Posts: 814 		  Quote meinga Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2009 at 8:48pm
You know Faith, I think I heard that too.
 
 
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Posts: 8147 		  Quote Tiz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2009 at 9:01pm
Originally posted by meinga

There are 2 post offices in my town.  The smaller one is downtown and they are closed on Saturdays, but the other one is open a half day on Sat.  It's funny because the one downtown near me used to close for lunch between 1-2PM up until about a year ago.  A few months ago, they announced that this location would close at 4PM, but after numerous complaints by the public, downtown merchants as well as articles in the local paper, they are not changing the closing time and remain open until 5PM. 
 There is still talk of discontinuing mail delivery on Sat. but I believe that is a national issue. 
 
Same thing here, Meinga. The Post Office locks the doors at noon on Saturdays but the mail
carriers run.
There are lots of strip malls around here that you can drive through the lot and notice new stores closed up.
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Posts: 1950 		  Quote regulus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2009 at 12:50pm
Originally posted by Tiz

There are lots of strip malls around here that you can drive through the lot and notice new stores closed up.
 
They are in the process of finishing a large Shopping Center here in Port Orange, Florida. The have a "Little Problem", their Anchor was to be CIRCUIT CITY!Dead I have started calling this complex "Dixie Square South" after the Defunct Shopping Center outside of Chicago, Il.LOL
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Posts: 2986 		  Quote NathanAlexander Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2009 at 1:03pm
I ride the bus past at least ten closed shops on the way to work.
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Posts: 13336 		  Quote PaWolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2009 at 1:19pm
Originally posted by NathanAlexander

I ride the bus past at least ten closed shops on the way to work.
Oh brother do I feel THAT! You sent 'Monday Shivers' up my spine, on that one - every morning I watch to see who is next - I watch out of fear, not anticipation.
Most every 'small business' is being hit very, very hard, around here - and with the state being in its current financially-strapped condition, I've no idea how our fellow residents, around here, are making it day-to-day at all.   
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Posts: 5943 		  Quote musicman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2009 at 1:31pm
Everyone was living off of credit.  Most of the booming economy was based on borrowing.
 
Not much different than what happened in 1929.
 
 
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Posts: 22876 		  Quote Thor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2009 at 3:02pm
Originally posted by FaithSF

It's always disappointing/upsetting when a place you're going turns out to have gone out of business. 

(The better people?)

The next time you come down to SF, you can find the cans of San Marzano tomatoes at Cal-Mart in Laurel Village.  Or I can get one for you, but then you'll have to come visit!



 
I'll take you up on that!
 
And yes, "the better people".  LOL  More well-heeled, more well-educated, better jobs, less prone to crime, nicer kids, etc.  When I go to the more affluent communities like Walnut Creek and the nicer places around here, it becomes obvious.
 
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Posts: 4535 		  Quote FaithSF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2009 at 5:31pm
Originally posted by Thor

Originally posted by FaithSF

It's always disappointing/upsetting when a place you're going turns out to have gone out of business. 

(The better people?)

The next time you come down to SF, you can find the cans of San Marzano tomatoes at Cal-Mart in Laurel Village.  Or I can get one for you, but then you'll have to come visit!



 
I'll take you up on that!
 
And yes, "the better people".  LOL  More well-heeled, more well-educated, better jobs, less prone to crime, nicer kids, etc.  When I go to the more affluent communities like Walnut Creek and the nicer places around here, it becomes obvious.
 


I knew what you meant; it just sounded so . . . I don't know.  Better neighborhoods, better areas.  They signifiy "better people" without sounding so . . . elitist.  (Even though it's true.)  And speaking of elitist, that's where Laurel Village is--Laurel Heights.  Which is why they can charge $5.00 for a can of tomatoes and get it! LOL

Now, if only there weren't 4 people begging in the two-block stretch, it would be so much easier to forget that pesky little problem of most people being broke.
You're just jealous 'cause the voices only talk to me--and Yutolia!
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Posts: 22876 		  Quote Thor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 May 2009 at 7:21pm
But Laurel Village has Miz Brown's Feedbag (Is that still there?  As I recall, it's the first business in that strip mall). 
 
Somehow, "Miz Brown's Feedbag" does not scream "elitist".  Until you look at the prices.  I once had a hankerin' for liver and onions, and they had it.  But it was like $10!  Twenty years ago!
 
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Posts: 4535 		  Quote FaithSF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2009 at 12:09am
So sorry to have to break the news to you, Thor, but . . . Miz Brown's has been gone for at least five years.  The first business to open in its place was Cafe Lo Cubano, but since it's about three doors away from Peet's Coffee and on the opposite side of the strip from Starbuck's, it took about four years to go out of business.  It sat empty for awhile, and now it's a place called Beautifull.  Yes, two "L"s.  Something about healthy and beautiful food.  I walked in yesterday, just to have a look.  It smelled great from outside the place, the food looked good, but it was expensive (of course), sold by the pound, and seems to be just another trendy, upscale place.  I wonder how long it will last, considering there is an Askew Grill next door and another restaurant two doors down from that.

The Miz Brown's on Polk Street went out of business a long time ago.
You're just jealous 'cause the voices only talk to me--and Yutolia!
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Posts: 22876 		  Quote Thor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2009 at 2:56am
God, Faith, I get so sick of businesses being named in such a way that you can't tell what the hell the business is.  Beautifull.  "Healthy and beautiful food".  For healthy and beautiful people, no doubt.  People full of their own beauty.  LOL
 
I think some restaurants like to name themselves after how the client base that they want, wish to see themselves.  That might explain that restaurant, Stars. 
 
I hate to see Miz Brown's Feedbag go, but only because I liked the name so much.  After I'd been faced with their overpriced liver, I never went there again.  However, I felt kinda pissed off that a place called a Feedbag could seem out of my league.
 
 
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Posts: 4535 		  Quote FaithSF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2009 at 4:06am
I know.  I hate the place already, just because of the pretentiousness of the name.

And I know what you mean about Miz Brown's.  Still, it had to be one of the only "luncheonette" places left in the city.
You're just jealous 'cause the voices only talk to me--and Yutolia!
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Posts: 4535 		  Quote FaithSF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2009 at 4:07am
Originally posted by Thor

Originally posted by FaithSF

It's always disappointing/upsetting when a place you're going turns out to have gone out of business. 

(The better people?)

The next time you come down to SF, you can find the cans of San Marzano tomatoes at Cal-Mart in Laurel Village.  Or I can get one for you, but then you'll have to come visit!



 
I'll take you up on that!
 
And yes, "the better people".  LOL  More well-heeled, more well-educated, better jobs, less prone to crime, nicer kids, etc.  When I go to the more affluent communities like Walnut Creek and the nicer places around here, it becomes obvious.
 


Let me know when, and I'll get the tomatoes. Smile
You're just jealous 'cause the voices only talk to me--and Yutolia!
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Posts: 8147 		  Quote Tiz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2009 at 9:23pm
Same strip mall that I pass going into Lowes, there is this haggity lady standing on the median with a "spare change" sign. I think she takes advantage off that spot. Dunno.
At the exit from that mall, a vet(from what I've been told) rolls up in his wheel chair and sits all day there, with no sign.
He's been there like forever, and he has no legs. When I'm waiting for the light to change, and am close enough to him, I'll usually give him some money.
Anyway, pulling out of said location today, I noticed some little signs that you stick in the ground saying "Ritz Camera closing".
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Posts: 13336 		  Quote PaWolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2009 at 1:49pm
...awww crap! It's creeping onto Wolf Island!
 
1.) Three nights ago, three employees of the local Burger King were arrested (at work) for running Heroin out of BK. Way out of character for our area...and about a mile from MissyD's store. She is livid; woke her right back up - set her back into the 'old days'; I think she's 'profiling' again.  
They should've known they didn't work at McDonald's and were not allowed to sell "Happy Meals"!
 
2.) (MUCH worse) Two nights ago, 2 A.M., 4 houses away: Neighbor's wife answers the knock at the door thinking it was her husband who works nights. They have a 2-year old child; nice family. Wasn't her husband, but rather, a rapist who ended up getting away...Local Finest are pretty sure their place was 'cased'. MissyD dragged the lockbox out and shoved it within her immediate reach.
 
This kind of stuff just doesn't happen HERE...but it did.  
 
"...and the beat goes on....la-dee-da-dee-la-dee-da-dee-da..."
 
 
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Posts: 22876 		  Quote Thor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2009 at 2:43pm

You said the rapist got away.  Was that with or without raping the woman?  I hope the latter.
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