Circuit City, Linens n' Things, Tweeter, some local furniture stores.

Linens 'n' Things, Circuit City,as has been mentioned, and also a Ford dealership in a nearby town suddenly closed its doors--no warning to employees or the public. Local restaurants are having a hard time--mostly the chains (a Ryan's recently closed). Here in Texas the state government keeps telling us that "Texas is immune to the economic downturn." Oh, really?

Enjoyspring, where did you hear this news? From an email that's been making the rounds? Future Shop and Best Buy ARE NOT going out of business, you can read a short news story here saying that Future Shop and Best Buy had to come out and make statements saying they weren't going out of business because of the fake email that's been going around.

Here is a link that might be useful: News Story

Mega retailers, like Best Buy, will often periodically close underperforming stores. That does not mean the chain is "in trouble", it just means that the stores being closed did not live up to their sales expectations.

We have seen a number of mom & pop stores close in central Virginia, such as pet shops, gifty shops, etc. That is very troublesome.

The Mervyns down the street has been sold out literally to the walls. Clothes, jewelery, display cases, everything. Same with Linens 'n Things. Lamborghini dealerships which normally wouldn't bother me much except they own the Audi dealership my son works at.

Jodi-

Casey, I didn't say Future Shop and Best Buy were going out of business, if you read my post "carefully" I said they were having trouble, not the same thing.

Did you all see on the news about how the "Liquidation sales", really work? It looks as though the 50%- 75% etc, are the Linens and things prices. When the store turns the liquidation process over to the liquidators, they then are going by the liqidators prices, which are much higher. So, 50% off of a price, should say, which price they started at, but they don't.

New price tags were stuck over old price tags. The new prices were way over the orignal, that he store owners used.

I won't waste my time trying to go through things, only to pay possibly more on "sale" than it was to begin with!

Buyer beware, I guess.

I've never heard that Future Shop, Best Buy or Homesense were in trouble at all. Our FS and BB are busy as ever!!!! The only chain that closed recently was Circuit City. I did receive an email saying that CC owns FS and BB and that they were ging out of business, but CC doesn't own these stores.

I think LNT put there prices up, to make it sound like 30-50% off is a deal. I've seen small kitchen appliances cheaper elsewhere than the LNT prices even with their liquidation prices.

Two restaurants went out of business here. One was Sonic which also closed their store in a nearby town.

We have a outlet mall here too and I imagine after Xmas we will see some of those stores close.. happens every year.

LNT prices are higher due to the reason that foggyi mentioned. The LNT & Circuit City stores are now run by Liquidators. They jacked up the price then reduced at the discount making you think that you saved but in reality, you've paid regular price or even more.

For LNT stores, I believe the liquidators took over about 2 weeks after the announcement. So, at first, the prices with the discounts were legite.

Linens and things has been rumored to close around here. Also Furniture and More is closing. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has handed out 148 pink slips for Jan. & they aren't filling 140 jobs that were open. Restaurants around here aren't doing the business they usually do this time of year, in fact it has been slow here all this past year.

There is an e-mail circulating that claims many stores are closing and it's not true. The e-mail stressed not to buy gift cards from these stores. I work for one of the stores that was rumored to be closing, and people come into our store asking when our last day is. It's too bad these false e-mails get around.

Circuit City has entered bankruptcy protection, like K-Mart & several airlines have done. They are not closing the entire chain (at least not right now). They are closing some underperforming stores.

Our local Linens & Things closed & a few local restaurants have closed, but not many. I've read in our paper that car dealerships here are having a hard time.