How's the economy in your area?

by Sadie5 23 Replies latest jw friends

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  Sadie5

  In our personal life, there has been a slight improvement over last year. Our area, our little town is still struggling and losing small businesses. My latest co-worker is a fellow business owner. She owned a small gift shop about a block from our old store. She's been trying to keep her business going and working at one of the Wal-mart Supercenters at night too. She got home after 1:00 in the morning, got up and opened up her shop just a few hours later. Never got to see her kids. She transferred to our local Wal-mart, it a smaller one, less hours, but closer she'll be able to see her kids for a few minutes before bedtime and won't spend so much in gas money. Last night she said she is closing her business, there just isn't enough customers coming in to pay the rent and expenses. Some of the other merchants are either thinking of closing or have already closed. This economy has been rough on small businesses.

  Talked to the Wal-mart manager last night, asked how our Wal-mart is doing. He said the Supercenters were taking away a lot of our business. We've got three of them within a 10-20 minute drive. It's Wal-mart beating Wal-mart. Our town's Wal-mart is just another small business really.

  It's sad to think that there are creative and talented people now stocking shelves or scanning groceries. I know Wal-mart is getting a more responsible worker, and I am grateful they are hiring, just wonder if things will ever go back to what they were.

  Any thoughts? Excuse the typos, I've got cobwebs in my eyes yet, need more coffee.

  Sadie
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  czarofmischief

  well - I'm a writer, so the slumping economy was a kind of backhanded blessing. I got a job at Starbucks when my internship at the local paper got cancelled - and I settled into a rhythm of writing my plays - which is what I really wanted to do in the first place -and paying my bills, which is possible. I get by, which is all anyone can really ask for.

  As far as the economy in general, I know that business at the Bucks has picked up to the point where it is a phenomenal - so it seems people have money to spend on coffee, at least. And there seems to be good news all over.

  I haven't gone hungry, so I've got the 30's Depression era people beat.

  CZAR
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  shamus

  I just get by right now. I am planning on doing some investing in the stock market with a bit of cash on hand.... and that's about it for me. It is picking up here, but we rely on snowsports for the winter. If we get no snow, we're in big trouble.

  Places have gone out of business just last month.. a pizza place that I know for sure of... it's sad to see this happen, but what can you do?
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  gumby

  This question depends on where you live. The economy in places that were little ghost town types were, for the last 3 years have been growing faster than any time during the 14 years I've been here. My town is growing rapidly, houses, and new buisnesses are going up everywhere......hense buisneses are thriving.

  Gumby
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  little witch

  I have been doing some research about Wal-Mart, and the strategies it uses. It is alarming to me.

  In fact, they are almost cultish...

  They also are accused of discrimination against women, and minorities. They only hire part-time at minimum wage. How can a family subsist on that? Pretty sickening since they are the wealthiest store chain.

  My downtown died in withing a year of Wal-Marts arrival. Our downtown was our community. (I live in a Rural Town)... Hardware stores, five and dime, specialty shops, all family owned and operated shut down.

  They spell the death of community....
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  little1

  I live in the Atlanta area, which I understand is one of the few pockets of thriving economy in the nation. I work as a graphic artist for the state, and have a 10 min. commute to work which makes me the envy of all my friends who are stuck in rush our for hours in the a.m. and p.m.

  I think the Walmarts kill the small businesses-who can compete with their prices? What's sad is when they lay waste to the local ecomony like that and then move out. That happened to my mom's small town in AL.

  I'm thankful to have a job I like and to work with people I really like. There's a lot to be said for that!

  L1
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  JH

  Not too good but recovering.
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  little1

  JH-

  Come on down to GA! It's warm(er) here and we'd love to have ya!

  L1
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  JH

  Little1

  I'll probably take a little car ride down to Florida in early March and enjoy the warm weather down there for a few days. GA seems to be a nice place to live.
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  Yerusalyim

  I live in the Atlanta area, which I understand is one of the few pockets of thriving economy in the nation.

  I find that amazing...unbelievable in fact...considering the economy has grown 8.2% in the third quarter and that unemployment has gone from 6.4% down to 5.9% since June...and those figures don't account for the plethora of new small businesses that have opened.