Labor shortage. Retail in trouble.

[GordonJ]

OH my goodness. My corner convenience store, a Circle K, was closed due to lack of help. For almost a full day.

They are running out of people. And the replacements are the ones who least fit into a retail environment.

Of course, most entry retail jobs suck. Low pay, long hours, no vacation time, etc.

My local Discount Drug Mart, a Northeast Ohio chain, spent several million dollars over the last couple of years upgrading the store...and today, IT SUCKS.

For one reason. CRUMMY employees. I mean, I had to disturb a cashier who was putting on fake nails, and she seemed perturbed that I wanted to check out. Today, long lines, few registers open, a nice looking stocked store where people don't want to go anymore.

We are having a labor shortage, at least for crummy jobs. I think this is fueling the underground and shadow economies, and more and more

Sanfords and Sons

Are popping up (an old TV show reference with Redd Foxx)...the pickup trucks are full of salvage these days.

Covid didn't help. Amazon and online ordering is now a mostly preferred way to shop and if the retail stores with doors still open continue to get people who really would rather be doing something else (and who could blame them?) then expect to see some MORE big name store closings in the coming months.

Gordon