Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Is Your Favorite Local Store Closing?

gkarris

gkarris

macrumors G3
Original poster
Dec 31, 2004
8,301
1,061
"No escape from Reality...”
My local Wolf Photo closed a few months back. That's where I got my Olympus E-500 (a great deal at the time as a closeout) over a year ago. I know not everyone on this board may like them, but compared to the other LPS, they were really nice, knowledgeable (they always hired a college photography student) and friendly towards me. The other LPS I would go in there and look at the used stuff, but I wasn't a rich Soccer Dad that plops down $2,000 on a Nikon D90 system (I've seen that a few times while shopping there) so they now just ignore me.

I have to go all the way out to Calumet just for some decent service.

Now my local Game Crazy just closed (there was some warning) and then the Hollywood Video with it closed unexpectedly just over a week ago. (They both had great service also).

Now, the local FYE is closing also (a great place for selling your old stuff and buying used). They're closing a bunch of stores, but the one I frequent is doing great but has to close since the tenant next door wants to expand and are giving the management company a better deal.

Too bad when all this happens...
 
Well, one consolation is that FYE has started their store closing sale today - well ahead of any "Black Friday" deal. Gonna go over there this afternoon and see what they have - though it may be too late. I imagine all the electronics and game consoles will be going first... I imagine they're starting at 10% off all prices, plus they've started their $9.99 for all music CD's special...
 
Yeah, our local Mac specialist/retailer store is closing. It really sucks, because they were really friendly, and their techs knew their stuff. I liked just going in and chatting with them. I had a bad feeling when the Apple store opened here a little over a year ago that it would cause problems, and it did. The independent store didn't have the pretty, shiny, store in a prime shopping center like the Apple store. It's really a shame that Apple doesn't give the independents more of a break.
 
I live in Orange County. There are no local stores here. Just a Bed Bath and Beyond on every corner, and soul sucking suburbanites pushing strollers.
 
I wouldn't really classify any of the stores he mentioned above as local stores, they're the local component of national chains with good staff as he mentioned.
 
My favorite bookstore closed last year. It was similar to Borders but it wasn't a chain and was locally owned and operated. They often had live music.
 
dmr727 said:
I live in Orange County. There are no local stores here. Just a Bed Bath and Beyond on every corner, and soul sucking suburbanites pushing strollers.
Click to expand...

I know the feeling. People around here view things like a BBB as a good thing, since all the "big cities" have one. I have co-workers who were excited about a new Outback opening. Then again, what can I expect from a state where the biggest metro area has around 300k people. Then again, not all chains are bad. We did just get a Five Guys burgers, and it rocks. :)
 
steve2112 said:
I know the feeling. People around here view things like a BBB as a good thing, since all the "big cities" have one. I have co-workers who were excited about a new Outback opening. Then again, what can I expect from a state where the biggest metro area has around 300k people. Then again, not all chains are bad. We did just get a Five Guys burgers, and it rocks. :)
Click to expand...

Five Guys is awesome. The first one in St. Louis opened up 5 minutes away from my house, right in front of a Target store. So I can go buy stuff I need at Target and head over to Five Guys.

I just drove past another location in the area that opened up recently, I guess they're making their way out west. Now, if Tim Hortons would continue expanding west, preferably opening up right next to the Five Guys by my house, I would be in unhealthy, delicious chain fast food heaven.
 
yg17 said:
Five Guys is awesome. The first one in St. Louis opened up 5 minutes away from my house, right in front of a Target store. So I can go buy stuff I need at Target and head over to Five Guys.

I just drove past another location in the area that opened up recently, I guess they're making their way out west. Now, if Tim Hortons would continue expanding west, preferably opening up right next to the Five Guys by my house, I would be in unhealthy, delicious chain fast food heaven.
Click to expand...

No kidding. My biggest gripe is that Five Guys is a long drive from my house, so I have to drive out of my way to get to it. It is worth it, though. It is closer to my office, but it's difficult to get in and out during lunch hour. I just wish In N Out would expand eastward. Then again, that may be a bad thing. I've never actually had anything from Tim Hortons.

Darn it, now I'm craving Five Guys. Guess I know where I'm going for dinner.
 
steve2112 said:
Darn it, now I'm craving Five Guys. Guess I know where I'm going for dinner.
Click to expand...

Actually, Five Guys just opened here last year - great place....

I was at the FYE and the discounts have started.

20% off DVD's and CD's (New and Used, except for the $9.99 Audio CD Sale)
10% off Blu-Ray and Video Game stuff (consoles, accessories, new/used games).
20% - 40% off everything else (accessories, etc.)...

The game consoles sold out first thing this morning. I got a used DVD...

I assume the next set of discounts come next Sunday. I'm unsure if this store is going to have the chain's Black Friday specials (they're working to get rid of stock).

The last week of December (after Christmas), stuff will be 40% off, but probably hardly anything left by then. The close their doors about the 1st week in Jan. :(

Just want to help out anyone bye a closing FYE (a whole bunch across the country are closing).
 
Kwyjibo said:
I wouldn't really classify any of the stores he mentioned above as local stores, they're the local component of national chains with good staff as he mentioned.
Click to expand...

I was kind of wondering about this... I mean, no one calls it a "local store" closure when Chilli's (I pray for the day) or CVS closes a location. :p

When Electric Cheetah or Cherry Deli or Schuler Books closes here, I'd consider those local store closings... or even when Hyde Park lost its Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop (the owner runs other restaurants, among which are one or two others with the same name and menu, but it's not a franchise).
 
There are no stores in my immediate neighborhood. For me 'local' means in or near the city.

Anyway, I thought this thread was going to be mostly about locally owned stores. Not chain stores. I can't think of any major chain stores that closed this year. Well, except Circuit City of course. Restaurants come and go all the time.

Will the day come when there will be no brick and mortar stores at all?
 
Local can be truly "local" or "national" in scope at times...

The thing to remember unless we support any store in our local area; whether it be a mom&pop shop or a national chain - the community looses in the end.

All well and good to go off to Amazon or some other website to buy - even after visiting your "local" shop. Sure you save on sales taxes. Remember that when college tuition goes up over 30% as it is California from what I heard. Or that the parks you once went to shut down or start charging fees. Or the roads that drive on on pothole filled or clogged with traffic. Or that there are fewer police officers protecting you, your property, and the roadways.

We all have areas that we would like to see budgets cut in to save taxes on; but in as a society we have to look at the bigger picture. There will always be things that we don't support regardless of being Red/Blue, Democrat/Republican, or Right/Left.... both both sides do get their own benefits from tax policies... just to find that right balance.
 
I really don't have a favorite store. I look for the best deal, either online or via brick and mortar.
 
^^^ Tell me about it - looks like Amazon matched a lot of stores' Black Friday deals so it was easier to just go online rather than wait in the long lines this weekend...

But, it's still nice to go to the stores and look - if you're into that kind of thing (I am).

I learned from FYE on Friday that their discounts will stand until after Christmas, when it then increases slightly, and any left overs in early Jan. will just be shipped to their other stores to replenish stock rather than get discounted further.
 
I used to love Suncoast Video. They merged with FYE then most of those stores closed near me.

All if the Ritz Camera stores near me have closed.

Those "As Seen on TV" stores seem to be opening everywhere. I with they'd close. The sell junk.
 
Chip NoVaMac said:
The thing to remember unless we support any store in our local area; whether it be a mom&pop shop or a national chain - the community looses in the end.

All well and good to go off to Amazon or some other website to buy - even after visiting your "local" shop. Sure you save on sales taxes. Remember that when college tuition goes up over 30% as it is California from what I heard. Or that the parks you once went to shut down or start charging fees. Or the roads that drive on on pothole filled or clogged with traffic. Or that there are fewer police officers protecting you, your property, and the roadways.

We all have areas that we would like to see budgets cut in to save taxes on; but in as a society we have to look at the bigger picture. There will always be things that we don't support regardless of being Red/Blue, Democrat/Republican, or Right/Left.... both both sides do get their own benefits from tax policies... just to find that right balance.
Click to expand...

A particular item I bought as a gift this last Black Friday was more than $100 cheaper on Amazon than it was in Best Buy, etc. Why the hell should I buy from a B&M store? If they want business, they need to keep their prices competitive.
 
This came in my e-mail today from Grand Rapids's LocalFirst, our local buying initiative, and made me think of this thread... although this is clearly not about the OP's definition of local, I thought it interesting. I did add emphasis on the two interesting take homes....

'Tis the Season for Local Shopping!

The holidays are here... and there's never been a better time (or reason) to support your local businesses! No matter what you're searching for this holiday season, West Michigan's local businesses have the answers: products that won't trouble your conscience at prices that won't break the bank!
Did You Know? In 2009, holiday sales at independent stores declined an average of 5.0 percent from the same time period in 2007. That compares favorably to most competing chains, including:

  • Barnes & Noble: -7.7%
  • Best Buy: -6.5%
  • Borders: -14.0%
  • JC Penney: -8.1%
  • Macy's: -7.5%
  • The Gap: -14.0%
  • Williams-Sonoma: -24.2%

The survey also found that independent retailers in cities with active 'Buy Local' campaigns reported much stronger sales than those in cities without such campaigns. Independent retailers in these cities reported an average drop in sales of 3.2%, compared to a steeper decline of 5.6% for those in cities without an active Buy Local initiative. SOURCE: January 2009 survey of 1,142 independent retailers in a wide range of categories (books, toys, clothing, etc.) and across all 50 states.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back