AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

That may have some impact; however, Amazon does not deliver hot ready to consume Starbucks. A multitude of these retailers have clearly stated the losses, in the closing facilities, are the reason for closing.

NotMAGA Loc: Upstate NY - in a very red county

Most don't pay shipping.
Amazon Prime.
dufus

microphor Loc: Home is TN

Our bread stores closed years ago. It was Cheaper at the grocery store and it will be till the grocery store closes down due to looting and vandalism.

NotMAGA Loc: Upstate NY - in a very red county

Not here. The short dated outlet stores were half the price if even the same brands at Walmart.
No stores have closed due to vandalism here. But we live in a small town... Less than 20k people

Oldsailor65 Loc: Iowa

I still make homemade bread occasionally...it gets my hands clean and it gits the cat hair offn the counter top plus it's cheaper and it taste better.

microphor Loc: Home is TN

I used to make 2 loaves of bread when my kids were little.

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

I cheat and purchase mine from the Amish Market.

NotMAGA Loc: Upstate NY - in a very red county

Ate you in PA too AuntiE? Or Ohio .. there were a lot of Amish in Ohio when our son was in college there.

microphor Loc: Home is TN

There's something about kneeding the bread and waiting for it to rise. Then pulling it out of the oven, the smell is unbeievable.

permafrost Loc: Minnesota

It seems very unlikely that so many stores would be so poorly managed that the shoplifting would force them out of Biz... but we all live where we live it that is the case in your world... Let it be..

When I go into local big box stores, they have plenty of prevention systems which make the looting a very gamey strategy... Now some larger schemes have come about, ofter from storing facility, back door and returned as if purchases... these have been shut down but just like everything else, the plots evolve and some new ones will emerge..

BUT... the big problem for all stores I can think of have is online buying... pricing, which often allows free or reduced shipping , which I love.. you may need to join a club or such.. they figure the cost of membership to find your personal preference..

I have been happely surprise by the newly built biz in the recovery from covid... restauants, solar panels, electronic chips, all sorts of little mfg.. it is booming and jobs can not be filled.. may need to resort to immegrants as the large plastic mfg had done..

So life is happy in the northern blue state at the top of the nation.. If only the Red states would figure it out. they good join in the good times at last.. Darn good job Joe... keep it going..

NotMAGA Loc: Upstate NY - in a very red county

♥️

Bad Bob Loc: Virginia

America 1 Loc: South Miami

Some fools will believe damn near anything.

Rose42

Joe is certainly not doing a good job. Only in an alternate reality

Its not because stores are poorly managed. In more and more cases they are closing because shoolifting isn’t prosecuted unless its over a specific dollar amount. In California you can steal up to $1000 in merchandise with no prosecution

Yeah, keep up the ‘good work’ Joe. Keep painting a false picture as homelessness continues to rise, as purchasing power continues to decline, as real estate continues to soar and foreclosures go up…. There will always be those who buy into the propaganda.

NotMAGA Loc: Upstate NY - in a very red county

Who knew? Homeless is highest among Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. Never would have guessed it.

https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-homelessness/

And 25% of the homeless population is "not living in poverty" ? That one is difficult to process.
https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2024/02/living-in-shelters.html