I say the market will do this

[Kathe]

I agree that we have only seen the beginning of this.

I got this today:

STORE CLOSINGS AND LAYOFFS


Ann Taylor closing 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

Eddie Bauer to 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.

Cache closing stores. Women's retailer Cache announced that it is
closing 20 to 23 stores this year.

Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines closing 150 stores nationwide.
The owner of retailers Lane Bryant , Fashion Bug , Catherine's Plus
Sizes will close about 150 under performing 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.

Talbots, J. Jill closing stores. About a month ago, Talbot's
announced that it will be shuttering all 78 of its kids and men's
stores. Now the company says it will close another 22 under
performing stores.. The 22 stores will be a mix of Talbot's women's
and J. Jill , another chain it owns. The closures will occur this
fiscal year, according to a company press release.

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.

Foot Locker to close 140 stores. In the company press release and
during its conference call with analysts today, it did not specify
where the future store closures - all planned in fiscal 2008 - will
be. The company could not be immediately reached for comment

Wickes is going out of business. 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.

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 1960's, the
warehouse/showroom concept brought Levitz to the forefront of the
furniture industry. The local Levitz closures will follow the
shutdown of Bombay ..

Zales, Piercing Pagoda closing stores. 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 under
performing 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.

Disney Store owner 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.

Home Depot store 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 under performing U.S. stores being closed
represents less than 1 percent of its existing stores. They will be
shuttered within the next two months.

CompUSA (CLOSED) clarifies details on store closings. 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.

Macy's - 9 stores

Movie Gallery - 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 Sunwear - 153 Demo stores

Pep Boys - 33 stores

Sprint Nextel - 125 retail locations. New Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse
appears to have inherited a company bleeding subscribers 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.

J. C. Penney, Lowe's and Office Depot are scaling back

Ethan Allen Interiors: The company announced plans to close
12 of 300+ stores in an effort to cut costs.

Wilsons the Leather Experts - 158 stores

Pacific Sunwear will close its 154 Demo stores after a review of
strategic alternatives for the urban-apparel brand. Seventy-four
under performing Demo stores closed last May.

Sharper Image: The 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..

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.

KB Toys posted a list of 356 stores that it is closing 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

Dillard's to Close More Stores. Dillard's Inc. said it will continue
to focus on closing under performing 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 under performing stores this year.

[EliteMike]

Don't forget my favorite, Circuit City filed for chapter 11

[Kathe]

That wasn't even on the list Mike. It's a crazy world out there right now. Weird thing is that we are up and have been all year. Best year ever in fact. Selling packages and lotion like crazy. I'm just going to keep smiling.

[EliteMike]

I am still waiting for my chunk of the bailout money. Someone mentioned that the big 3 should become the big 1 and that is true. There is no reason for the variety of cars. None of the american companies were quick to change their ways, so I wouldn't really care if they all go under. Maybe if the 3 combine they can finally produce one good car that is both useful and full efficient.

[SteveMiller]

Republicans and W sure did a good job in the last 8 years.

[Kathe]

I think there is enough blame to go around Steve. Dems have their fair share of the blame. Right now regardless of who did what, we have to do our best to stay alive in our businesses. This financial meltdown started many years ago. We are reaping the rewards of that now.

[Tanning Queen]

THat list is only PARTIALLY true.

snopes.com: Store Closings

Though many stores on the list ARE closing up, they fail to mention how many are opening or have opened in the last few years. And reading that email makes it sound like they are all closing up and goig out of business. Not the case. Sure, it sucks to move in a downward turn and close up businesses, but overall, they are doing what we all need to do and that is watch the bottom line and make changes where needed.

I DO predict that it will get worse with the new Gov't in place and when the new tax plan happens. I dont think 1-2 more years but rather 4-6...

[John]

[Kathe]

Cute!

[tanalicioustans]

I would hate to own a tanning franchise right now.

[Dmc5]

I think the housing market will continue to drop for another 2 years.
I agree with UV, wait till the other shoe drops.

I am about 20 mins outside of flint, mich. you wouldn't believe the empty buildings. Independants and chain stores alike are going out. We have restaurants the used to have substantial wait times that have 6-8 cars in the lot on sat nite @ 7:30-8:00. My clientelle that used to be my backbone, buying the higher end lotions, etc. is laid off or downsized. I've got people who used to be corporate bigwigs pulling in to my lot driving hummers, living in palatial palaces on the lake, asking if they can work for me in exchange for their tanning. Really scary.

Gas today here was $1.93 per gallon, 2 cent discount for using a debit card. That's another thing that's wrong with this picture-it SHIOULDN'T be cheaper to use a card than to pay with good old greenbacks.

[SBT 501]

Damn Jim that is a hell of a crystal ball you were looking into. In a little over a month Dow is at 8500 and gas $1.61.

[Owner#1]

It looks like many of you have done the same in business this year as opposed to last year or even better. I'm down about 3% this year compared to last. However, I'm down 15% so far this November from last November. I want to avoid any further drop in sales next month.

I just wanted to get anyone's input or advice on what I should do to help increase sales. This is the first year out of 5 that my sales have actually dropped. I went up 23% during the 4th year of business compared to the 3rd. I've seen upgrade sessions and lotion purchases decrease quite a bit this year. These were some ideas that I had...

1. Offer a free month of tanning for a new EFT referral for both the existing EFT client and new EFT client.

2. 25% off upgrades for members

3. Some sort of lotion incentive

4. Bring in another product or service

5. Offer a discounted Sunless Airbrush session for EFT members next month

Trying to motivate employees by increasing commissions hasn't really helped sales the past few months. It seems like I need to work with the clients instead.

Please let me know what your thoughts are.

Thank you,

Matt

[tuscantan]

I think it depends on your area....Here were I am, growth is everywhere. Granted it has slowed down, but I think that is only because so many new stores have opened in the past months, i.e. Giant Eagle just opened last week, Wal-mart(which is across the street from GE) just opened 6 months ago, along with Menard's and Kohl's. Gas is down to $1.76 a gallon. Lots of people around here aren't big market watchers and go by the gallon of gas to determine how the market is doing. Thanks goodness lower gas is freeing up their pockets. With this being my first year of business, I don't know if it is low or up. But, I feel as though we are on the right track. I know that ony after being open for 7 months, we got a SB Loan at 7.5% for 3 years...So we'll see. Luck to everyone! ~Rach

[Dmc5]

I don't have a clue where to go...I'll tell you what hasn't worked for me....

Adding Massage Services (cost alot for insurance, and pissed off some of the good clients I had when they didn't show up)

Nail Services (same thing)

Airbrush Tats They want them for free, system cost $2,000 and my insurance threstened to cancel me when they found out)

Employee Commissions on lotions (they B**** about $, but don't want to earn it. I had a previous employee admit to telling a client that it's really better to tan dry the first few times. He admitted he thinks lotion is stupid.

Brought in Some new lotion product @ higher and lower price points, most of it is getting dusty...

[Dmc5]

Okay, so...tuscantan...Where are you?

[JonNena]

Gas in and around Memphis, TN is 1.79 a gallon.... That's just down the street from my salon in a suburb of Memphis....

[tuscantan]

Originally Posted by Dmc5743@aol.com

Okay, so...tuscantan...Where are you?

In Southeastern Ohio near Columbus.

[labweb]

Originally Posted by Tanning Queen

I cant believe that their is one Sunoco still charging $2.78! Go down the street and save $.50. I can't believe people were actually filling up. Idiots!

Probably slaves to their plastic...

[Owner#1]

Okay, thanks for your input. I think I'm going to try some incentives for EFT members in December. I'll keep everyone posted on how it does.