Michigan among top 10 states hit hardest by "The Retail Implosion"

**Honky Tonk** · April-25-19, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by Former_Detroiter

I agree. What industry do you think will get Detroit out of it's financial woes?

Marijuana...

**Former_Detroiter** · April-26-19, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Marijuana...

Oh if it were that simple. I live about 400 miles from Denver, Co. IMO there are more cons than pros when it comes to legalized marijuana. Again, that's just my opinion.

**Pat001** · April-26-19, 11:15 AM

Michigan is "hardest hit" by just about everything.

**Richard** · April-26-19, 11:19 AM

businesses should concentrate on their customers’ needs, not on specific products.

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/business/10digi.html

**313WX** · April-26-19, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by Pat001

Michigan is "hardest hit" by just about everything.

That is true.

**Pat001** · April-26-19, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by Former_Detroiter

I agree. What industry do you think will get Detroit out of it's financial woes?

How about casinos? Oh, wait...

**Jimaz** · April-26-19, 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Originally Posted by Former_Detroiter

I agree. What industry do you think will get Detroit out of its financial woes?

Marijuana...

That's old news. The next big thing will be Psilocybin. Like marijauna, it's natural, nontoxic. It will be marketed as a safer alternative than what amateur mushroom hunters can provide because it can be tested as rigorously as marijuana is now.

**archfan** · April-27-19, 01:18 AM

Originally Posted by Former_Detroiter

Oh if it were that simple. I live about 400 miles from Denver, Co. IMO there are more cons than pros when it comes to legalized marijuana. Again, that's just my opinion.

I realize what you said, but I first read that as "there are more con [[artists) than pro[[fessionals)...".

**Honky Tonk** · April-27-19, 04:41 AM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

That's old news. The next big thing will be Psilocybin. Like marijauna, it's natural, nontoxic. It will be marketed as a safer alternative than what amateur mushroom hunters can provide because it can be tested as rigorously as marijuana is now.

You might have a point. I was @ a party and ended up in the company of young[[er) people. The conversation turned to travel, but specifically travel to countries where one could enjoy a bohemian lifestyle and purchase good mushrooms cheaply. I was surprised how many imbibed. Being out of it these days I didn't realize people still did that sort of thing. A throwback to the Carlos Castaneda days.

**Jimaz** · May-07-19, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

You might have a point. I was @ a party and ended up in the company of young[[er) people. The conversation turned to travel, but specifically travel to countries where one could enjoy a bohemian lifestyle and purchase good mushrooms cheaply. I was surprised how many imbibed. Being out of it these days I didn't realize people still did that sort of thing. A throwback to the Carlos Castaneda days.

I just heard on the radio today that psilocybin is on the ballot today in Denver! Honestly, I was not expecting that so soon. There is definitely some kind of cultural shift going on. I have no idea whether it's likely to pass.

**Jimaz** · May-08-19, 11:39 PM

Denver first in U.S. to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms

And there we have it.

**Bong-Man** · May-09-19, 06:47 AM

Now I have to feel some empathy towards those folks that hate the skunky smell of marijuana. There is pretty much nothing grosser on this Earth than eating a toad stool. Smells like dirt...tastes like dirt....and one heck of a way to ruin a good pizza. Wanna ruin beef barley soup ?....throw in some 'shrooms. The morel of the story is I hope they allow for some kind of pill form or concentrate, or I'll never go there.

**Lowell** · February-11-20, 08:45 AM

Sears Livonia is shuttering. That leaves only two in Michigan along with the one from its semi-partner Kmart. Back in my former life as a Sear delivery driver Sears and Kmart were number 1 and 2 in retail with the others far back in the pack.

Out of sentimentality, I guess, I was there the end of last year and it was a largely empty, dim and dreary space that made me wonder how it paid the heating bill for the huge expanse. The Walmart next to it was humming of course.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/retail...-livonia-close

**Malcove Magnesia** · February-11-20, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Sears Livonia is shuttering.

I was tempted to try to find / resurrect an ancient Livonia Mall thread but I'm glad you posted it here first.

I remember going to Sears Livonia a lot [[e.g. parents got car work done in the Sears garage, which was positioned right behind / next to the kids/toy annex -- at least it was toys in the 70's). That building is almost certainly unreusable for anything and I expect it'll be torn down within the next year or two.

**iheartthed** · February-11-20, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Sears Livonia is shuttering. That leaves only two in Michigan along with the one from its semi-partner Kmart. Back in my former life as a Sear delivery driver Sears and Kmart were number 1 and 2 in retail with the others far back in the pack.

Out of sentimentality, I guess, I was there the end of last year and it was a largely empty, dim and dreary space that made me wonder how it paid the heating bill for the huge expanse. The Walmart next to it was humming of course.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/retail...-livonia-close

The last time I went into a Sears was about five years ago on a Saturday near the end of the Christmas shopping season. The place was a ghost town. I'm surprised they have managed to stay alive this long.

**401don** · February-11-20, 10:45 AM

JC Penney is in real trouble and will be next. I read somewhere last week that 1 of every 4 malls in the country will close in the next 3 years. That leaves Macy's to anchor most malls. It will be interesting to see how many of the large regional malls will survive without the traditional anchors.

**iheartthed** · February-11-20, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

JC Penney is in real trouble and will be next. I read somewhere last week that 1 of every 4 malls in the country will close in the next 3 years. That leaves Macy's to anchor most malls. It will be interesting to see how many of the large regional malls will survive without the traditional anchors.

Macy's just announced last week that it's pretty much giving up on malls. It is pivoting to smaller format urban stores.

**bust** · February-11-20, 11:14 AM

My biggest regret about losing Sears will be losing the opportunity to buy fairly priced high-quality Craftsman tools and tool cabinets. Otherwise I don't care.
The race to the bottom is unwinnable by American companies.
Labor will always be cheaper, standards will always be lower, and resulting profit margins will always be higher somewhere else.
Sure, American companies can outsource, and they almost all have.
But my Craftsman drill from the 60's and my mom's Maytag dryer from the 70's are still running strong.
Can you imagine anything we buy today lasting so long, and doing their job so effectively?
It's time American manufacturers realized there remains a market for products that are high quality.
Even if they cost more up front, their performance and durability are well worth the extra expense.
Leverage our strengths!

**401don** · February-11-20, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by bust

My biggest regret about losing Sears will be losing the opportunity to buy fairly priced high-quality Craftsman tools and tool cabinets. Otherwise I don't care.
The race to the bottom is unwinnable by American companies.
Labor will always be cheaper, standards will always be lower, and resulting profit margins will always be higher somewhere else.
Sure, American companies can outsource, and they almost all have.
But my Craftsman drill from the 60's and my mom's Maytag dryer from the 70's are still running strong.
Can you imagine anything we buy today lasting so long, and doing their job so effectively?
It's time American manufacturers realized there remains a market for products that are high quality.
Even if they cost more up front, their performance and durability are well worth the extra expense.
Leverage our strengths!

I'm afraid that shipped has sailed. We are in an order online, disposable society. I grew up in a small town where at 10 yrs. old we could walk downtown, knew the local merchants and could shop for comics, etc.
Today's millennials will miss the bygone era of spending Saturday at the mall.

**bust** · February-11-20, 11:31 AM

I think and hope the pendulum may swing back toward quality.
My power cable from the Mac laptop I bought last year is already fraying.
Not the one on my Craftsman drill that was handed down to me and was purchased before I was born. And I'm old.
Apple enjoys astronomically better profits than Sears does.
But is that sustainable?
I doubt it.
Unless we agree to lower our living standards to those of the cheap labor countries, can the rush toward cheap labor be sustained?
The first companies to take advantage of this are reaping profits.
But eventually equilibrium will take over. It always does. And we'll become the same as India. Is that what we want?
The land of a few haves, and astronomically more have-nots.
It is fast happening, already.
I have some buying power, and spend my hard-earned money where I think it makes sense.
Poor quality ain't it.

**Bigb23** · February-11-20, 02:33 PM

My biggest regret about losing Sears will be losing the opportunity to buy fairly priced high-quality Craftsman tools and tool cabinets.

Hey bust, don't give up the ghost yet. While they won't have the hands on selection of a full blown Sears store [[tool boxes, etc.), we can still get our Craftsman fix.

https://www.craftsman.com/where-to-buy

**JBMcB** · February-11-20, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Macy's just announced last week that it's pretty much giving up on malls. It is pivoting to smaller format urban stores.

According to this story they are going to pilot a few smaller stores in
"lifestyle centers", which is what I believe open-air malls are referred to as, and upgrading their existing mall properties. Where did you hear they are going to give up on malls?

https://www.businessinsider.com/macy...te-jobs-2020-2

**iheartthed** · February-12-20, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

According to this story they are going to pilot a few smaller stores in
"lifestyle centers", which is what I believe open-air malls are referred to as, and upgrading their existing mall properties. Where did you hear they are going to give up on malls?

https://www.businessinsider.com/macy...te-jobs-2020-2

Well Macy's model has been to anchor malls, along with a scattering of urban center standalone department stores, so this is a huge pivot. I think cutting more than 1/4 of their mall locations is pretty clear evidence that they don't see the future of the business in malls. This is as significant a change in direction as the pivot of Hudsons from their downtown store to anchoring suburban malls.

**401don** · February-12-20, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Well Macy's model has been to anchor malls, along with a scattering of urban center standalone department stores, so this is a huge pivot. I think cutting more than 1/4 of their mall locations is pretty clear evidence that they don't see the future of the business in malls. This is as significant a change in direction as the pivot of Hudsons from their downtown store to anchoring suburban malls.

I think it's not so much they are giving up on malls as being realistic. There isn't enough mall traffic to support keeping stores in dying locations like Oakland when you have another better performing store in a high traffic mall 2 miles away. Instead, you look for under served geographic locations and build a standalone store where the rent is cheaper.

**iheartthed** · February-12-20, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

I think it's not so much they are giving up on malls as being realistic. There isn't enough mall traffic to support keeping stores in dying locations like Oakland when you have another better performing store in a high traffic mall 2 miles away. Instead, you look for under served geographic locations and build a standalone store where the rent is cheaper.

Yes, malls are not the future. Mall anchor stores will continue to be a revenue source but it won't be a growth strategy for them going forward. They may never build another mall anchor store ever again.