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Two of the three major chain grocery stores here have recently moved closing time to10 p.m. They have closed at 11 for years. Presumably this kind of hours cutback is chain-wide. I’m sure this means money in stockholders’ pockets. I always shop late, so it’s an inconvenience, but observing fewer and fewer late-night customers, it’s understandable. But it seems like the start of a snowball rolling: Customers dwindling; hours cut back; workers laid off? spending lessens? And so the downward spiral would go. Coming on the heels of the Rite Aid shutdown, small actions like hours cutbacks portend more of the same to come. Not good news.
Doesn't seem to be a problem here. Town is booming, traffic is awful, we have new stores opening, not closing.
Not saying there isn't a possibility - there's ALWAYS a possibility - but I don't think the examples you cite are bellwethers.
Rite Aid's troubles go back at least 20 years - overly aggressive expansion, a failed merger, fallout from the opioid crisis and more.
As for supermarkets, well... a big reason they've historically stayed open late is to permit staff to re-stock for the next day during operating hours, at times when there are fewer customers in the aisles. Essentially, they were keeping the stores open because it was incremental sales while they had personnel on hand anyway, not because these were profitable operating hours.
And they arguably need less of that now. Supermarkets operate on extremely thin profit margins - 3% is doing pretty good, and a lot of their net income isn't from sales but rather from leasing shelf space and end caps to distributors. Increasingly, it's the distributors themselves who do the stocking. Store personnel stock the house brands, but the distributors increasingly stock the shelves for the national brands. That's why you see guys in Coke and Pepsi uniforms in the soda aisles.
If you can outsource that labor, you can cut your own labor costs and not have to operate at times that really weren't profitable anyway.
Not so much as a recession..comming..but..
Rathah.. a fundamental change in our monetary systum...
Hopefully for the much better of the greater masses...
Me guess is..you n we...are watching the growing pains...
Ya…I dunno….but I’m getting worried.
Transportation industry is always a good indicator of what’s happening or what’s to come.
When the railroad is booming and lots of goods are being shipped…that’s an indicator that times are good. Lots of people buying/selling…businesses flourishing…trade/commerce successful and prosperous.
When the railroad is slow…that’s a bad sign. Fewer people buying/selling…businesses cutting back or struggling, trade/commerce stagnant…nothing coming in and nothing going out…nothing to ship.
And right now the railroad is scary slow. Train size and frequency has been dwindling down over the last few months. The run that I am on used to see 24 trains a day…now it’s down to 3-4…and they’re very small now. Some trains that used to be 80-100 cars are now down to 30-50. And they’re starting to furlough people. And it’s beginning to happen all over the system. The last time we saw this type of drop in business was 2008.
And…the railroad just lost its #1 customer for soybeans overseas….not good for us or farmers.
Uncertain times for sure.
Considering history in general for the past 50 years I don't see a problem with shorter hours, unless its a reflection of dwindling business. I remember as far back as 1955 on this topic. Our department stores were closed on Sundays and Wednesdays. The only evening hours were on Friday until 9:00 PM. Sundays were closed tighter than a drum except for vital service things like gasoline and drugs [the legal kind]. Legal holidays were the same as Sundays.
The major contrast was in visiting the U.S.. Super markets open on Sundays until late at night. Evening hours were common every day of the week in the bigger stores.
I remember political ads to allow open movie theatres on Sunday. On the east coast I was surprised to see massive closing on Sundays as recent as 2015.
I think changing hours might be because people that work odd hours are opting for on line home delivery.
My daughter orders alot on line, she said it is cheaper and she can get brands that her local markets don't have. Generally speaking she said most of the time it is delivered the next day. She also got involved with some type of co-op that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables each week.
I have read intermodal type freight is down, but most other types are pretty steady.
Edited by - itsnotyou on 09/24/2025 12:17:16
Inflation,, prices go up,, people buy less. Tariffs are also creating instability around the world.
15 years ago department stores were closing their complete chains. These included Sears Canada, Zellers, Eaton's and Woodward's. It got to the point on a Thursday evening where the stores were like a ghost town. There would be one junior clerk managing a complete floor of 4 departments. It was somewhere between depressing and haunting. It wasn't the beginning of a recession it was the end of an 80 year marketing concept. Today its the big box stores. If you have the guts to visit any of the Costco stores you will have to fight to find a parking space and be ready for standing room only inside. I don't expect that show to last forever. It gets to a point where a bargain price can become a pain in the butt.
quote:
Originally posted by donc15 years ago department stores were closing their complete chains. These included Sears Canada, Zellers, Eaton's and Woodward's. It got to the point on a Thursday evening where the stores were like a ghost town. There would be one junior clerk managing a complete floor of 4 departments. It was somewhere between depressing and haunting. It wasn't the beginning of a recession it was the end of an 80 year marketing concept. Today its the big box stores. If you have the guts to visit any of the Costco stores you will have to fight to find a parking space and be ready for standing room only inside. I don't expect that show to last forever. It gets to a point where a bargain price can become a pain in the butt.
I agree with you, almost all of my photography equipment and banjo stuff. I purchase online no dealing with store inventory that is not there or always out of what you need.
Times are a changing and not for the good. I’m glad I am where I am in life and would NOT want to be just starting. I’m also pretty sure my parents said the same thing , and so did theirs.
Slammer!!!
Economies go up and down ..... always have, but if I'm betting on any economy in the world, it is the good ole US of A. Name on better!
I hope your optimism is contagious , John. Confidence goes a long way in a consumer society.
When folks get tired of eating ($25 for 2)drive-through food. !?!?
It hasn't seemed to slow anyone down around here.
Us old pharts shake our heads at 8-10 dollar Cheeseburgers.
But gas isn't as high as it has been? My answer: who knows?
Gas sure is high out this a’ way….infilled up last week the cheapest I could get…$4.60 a gallon here in Washington state.
Gas here in Calgary is $1.19 per litre/liter ,, which is $3.23 US per gallon,, but my favourite Kicking Horse coffee went up $4 a pound. My rent goes up $100 a month every year, but who cares - I have banjos and guitars. ;-)
Edited by - chuckv97 on 09/25/2025 20:41:57
I just filled up yesterday and gas was $2.59.
Major ripples have been started in the US and global economies. It takes some time for the ripple effect to make it around. It may be years before we feel the full effects. I know that complaining about deficits then increasing them after promising to reduce them ... robbing from the poor to pay the rich, as it were ... is never a good formula for stability or growth. I'll shut up now.
Funny, the price of venison and fish in my area hasn’t gone up, but fuel for cooking it has!!!
Been saying it for years………….
Just say NO!!!
Most young people are in for a rude awakening!!!
Slammer!!!
quote:
Originally posted by slammerFunny, the price of venison and fish in my area hasn’t gone up, but fuel for cooking it has!!!
Been saying it for years………….
Just say NO!!!
Most young people are in for a rude awakening!!!
Slammer!!!
My kids aren't in for a rude awakening...they've been saying for years the world is going to hell. They just take the approach that they're going to spend it all right now and deal with the consequences later. I just don't want to hear them gripe when it happens.
Me Son explains it to me like this...
Dad..I know it seems like a lot of..$...
But...
Our $100.00 bill is now..the new...$20.00..... :0/
He is bout right... :0[
black balls used to be 3 for a penny
In the early 1980's..
I could buy..
Two eggs ovah easy ..home fries toast n coffee...at a restaurant..
For .60 cents..!
That is like $15.00 now.....
quote:
Originally posted by chuckv97black balls used to be 3 for a penny
Black balls..?
quote:
Originally posted by STUD figmo Alquote:
Originally posted by chuckv97black balls used to be 3 for a penny
Black balls..?
Not whatcha think, fig ;-)
Oops! I thought I logged into Banjo Hangout.
This seems to be the “amateur economist gloom and doom hangout”
Which way is the exit?
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