Macy's in Brockton closing, Flash mobs of shoplifters (Boston, Taunton: houses, buying)

[mdovell]

Having worked in retail for a number of years in the past I can tell you there's a ton of waste out there. Shrink that is product loss is very significant. Goods shipped damaged or not shipped at all, interior theft, exterior theft and the time to ship. A warehouse by definition by default is going to be more efficient than brick and mortar. You don't have to maintain an extra set of bathrooms, you don't have to have safety rules that vary on customers, you prequalify the customer online because they pretty much have to type what they want. Customers aren't leaving items in other areas of a website, they aren't making odd false claims, they aren't getting into fights with other customers etc.

Sears and Kmart are the same company and it's a odd story. They pretty much were kinda merged due to their CEO which owned most of both. He's running it like a government competition. Parts compete to get resources but yet the sales are down so it's competing against itself...huh? He was probably thinking of making into one massive retail REIT but that didn't work out.

Sears is buying time, Kohl's gives away too much. There's no reason why someone buying a sweater somehow walks away with a free tv and pair of sunglasses.

I'll give best buy some credit they tend to sell in their own brands and try to give more of an experience to at least get in the door.

[MMS02760]

Originally Posted by mp775

The Sears in Woonsocket, RI is closing (the back of the building is the state line) as is the Kmart in South Attleboro.

The Sears in Woonsocket is not a full fledged Sears store. It much smaller in sq footage with limited offerings and is in a strip mall development on Diamond Hill Road. This stretch of road has lost nearly all its larger tenants in the last few years as a new shopping center a few miles west got many to move there. This stretch of road already now has many abandoned former stores - Walmart, Lowes, Staples, and Shaws. Sears will soon join them.

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by MMS02760

The Sears in Woonsocket is not a full fledged Sears store. It much smaller in sq footage with limited offerings and is in a strip mall development on Diamond Hill Road. This stretch of road has lost nearly all its larger tenants in the last few years as a new shopping center a few miles west got many to move there. This stretch of road already now has many abandoned former stores - Walmart, Lowes, Staples, and Shaws. Sears will soon join them.

That's right seems most of those storss are over in N Smithfield now. I think it's a shame though how buildings are just abandoned as they are. Woonsocket does not need an abandoned Diamond Hill Road.

[mdovell]

The sad thing about retail is that sometimes the buildings are so specialized that it takes extra funds to retrofit them for others or redevelop. There's plenty of empty stores and malls in the USA. I heard the lowes in Brockton used to be a HQ (remember them?). the one in Springfield I think was a lechmere. If you see extra loading doors or extra anything that is a indication it was something else.

[bostonguy1960]

I still enjoy the CityTsrget in the Fenway.

It's still newish, fun, organized...and a higher class of people than Targets in certain areas is all I should sa

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by mdovell

The sad thing about retail is that sometimes the buildings are so specialized that it takes extra funds to retrofit them for others or redevelop. There's plenty of empty stores and malls in the USA. I heard the lowes in Brockton used to be a HQ (remember them?). the one in Springfield I think was a lechmere. If you see extra loading doors or extra anything that is a indication it was something else.

I remember HQ and I was in Lechmere a number of times. I liked both of those stores. As you mentioned many times buildings are converted into other stores. I was surprised when Market Basket, bought the Shaws in So Attleboro. They decided to tear it down and rebuild it. Evidently MB felt the building would not work for them. That store is in the same plaza, with the KMart that isclosing. I'm curious what will happen with that big KMart building. I think it has been there since the 80s.

[lrfox]

This is anectdotal/observational, but I think small businesses (true local shops) have actually seen a bit of a bump in recent years. The growth of online shopping has been toughest on department stores like Sears, Macy's, etc. but things that are best purchased in person will always do better in brick and mortar stores. I can buy a craftsman wrench online because 3/8 is 3/8 and I know what I'm getting. I can even buy certain groceries online because a box of Cocoa Puffs is a box of Cocoa Puffs. But I'm not going to buy a homemade pie online (unless it's from a baker I've tried in person), and I want to see/taste/smell fresh meats, veggies and cheeses before I buy.

So online shopping is brutal on major department stores and malls in general, but I think it's actually assisted in the revival of local specialty shops. There are some things online shopping can't replicate and smart business owners are taking advantage. Many are doing both (I.e. Selling products from their successful brick and mortar shops online around the world).

[MMS02760]

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

I remember HQ and I was in Lechmere a number of times. I liked both of those stores. As you mentioned many times buildings are converted into other stores. I was surprised when Market Basket, bought the Shaws in So Attleboro. They decided to tear it down and rebuild it. Evidently MB felt the building would not work for them. That store is in the same plaza, with the KMart that isclosing. I'm curious what will happen with that big KMart building. I think it has been there since the 80s.

There has been some speculation that Kohl's might move into the Kmart location at the Bristol Place Shopping Plaza in South Attleboro. The plaza currently has Home Depot, Market Basket, Bob's (apparel), Bob's Discount Furniture, Olive Garden, McDonald's, PartyCity, and an MBTA Commuter Rail Station. The plaza, located at Routes 95 and 1A is the southern end of the high traffic retail stretch of rte 1/1A that runs north to the Emerald Square Mall in North Attleborough. This busy stretch of road (with additional new plazas currently under construction) has nearly every big box retailer but as yet has no Kohl's.

[massnative71]

I believe the former HQ in Norwood is still empty. Real surprised Lowe's hasn't moved in there by now.

[james777]

Originally Posted by massnative71

If only people would wake up and realize how much on-line shopping is harming the economy, or be less greedy and pay an extra lousy 10% on that pair of sneakers if that's what it takes to preserve a few local jobs and taxpayers.

I would if I could find a pair of shoes that fit me in the store; I take a size 13EEE. That extra lousy 10% is going to preserve a few local jobs, but instead is going to those shoplifters you see at the beginning of the thread, all of whom should be shot.

The economy is changing, and online shopping is not the only trend that is burying the retailers, the retailers have done an excellent job of digging their own grave.