Stores Closing- Stores Are Going Out of Business

I live within a radius of 6 miles to a recently expanded Wal-Mart. I also live within 3 miles of a Target, that also, like Wal-Mart has expanded, but only carries a small amount of foods. One mile from where I live is a large and major Shopping Mall, and there was a time that I could not find a parking spot within a reasonable walking distance to any of the major stores in the Mall.

The highway that leads to these particular stores also has smaller shopping centers that made a living from the shoppers as they drove to those major stores. This road was always busy, especially on weekends and holidays.

Sad to say - this is no longer true, at least not to the same extent.Stores are going out of business-it is a fact that stores are closing.

I drove on the highway on Saturday to return a garment I bought at Target. The road was almost empty, and on a Saturday, this never used to be. Saturdays, where I live, used to be the busiest day on this particular road - no more - gas prices have gone up - and the amount of cars driving to and from shopping centers has declined. As a result Target had less shoppers as well.

The result has turned this path, along a busy road, into empty shopping centers that no longer have signs saying that their merchandise was 'on sale'. Instead, the entire shopping center now have signs on them as being 'for sale'. Stores are going out of business and are closing their stores.

Many major restaurants along this path, have also closed their doors. People are out of work, their finances are half of what they once earned, and some are now on welfare and the money that they have is being spent on bare necessities and food.

In the midst of all this, a very large Goodwill Store opened up in another shopping center, not far from where I live. I went in there the other day, to browse and check it out. This is the first time, in my entire life, that I have ever wandered into a Goodwill Store, but I can tell you that the store was busy and the shelves stocked with brand new over stocked merchandise donated by stores, books that others no longer need, warm sweaters to wear, a pair of shoes for the feet, or a bedspread to cover their beds. This store was busy. Others stores are going out of business.

It is the sign of the times. I live in what was, and might still be in many areas, one of the upscale sections that lured those with 'money', to live, shop and sell here.

I do not see this anymore. They recently built a major expansion to this town. It included high-rise buildings, shopping centers, coffee shops and so much more. The condos are not selling, they just cost too much. Some of the stores went out of business before they even opened up. The high-rise buildings are mostly void of tenants, and they stopped building the other condo buildings quite a while ago.

The appearance is sad! The stores are empty! The roads are quieter then they were. The mall is not as bustling as it once was; actually it is not busy at all except for lookers, a few buyers and kids that walk the mall.

There still are some local restaurants and stores - please do not get me wrong. There are also a lot of cars driving back and forth on Saturdays. There are still major shopping stores doing business and having sales.

But not as they were before - It is a sign of the times - when people cannot afford gas they do not drive- when they cannot afford food- they do not buy food items they do not absolutely need - when people have no place to live, because the bank foreclosed on their homes, people do not shop for anything except the bare necessities - it is indeed a sign of the times. The economy is bad! Stores are going out of business! The stores are closing.