The American retail middle is dying off in my view.
You’ll have Nordstrom/Saks/Nieman Marcus and Dollar General/WalMart/Family Dollar.
Has anyone else noticed that either Family Dollar or Dollar General have been opening a lot of new stores lately?
I stopped by one, I can’t remember which is which, and could not see any real reason for it’s existence except when they are in places too small for Wal-Mart but all the ones I have seen open recently were in towns which already have a Wal-Mart.
I do remember my Mother used to shop at them and she was a very shrewd shopper.
Take that to the bank, sir.
When there is no upper-middle class, there can be no Macy’s types that serve that market.
Just today I was leaving our most recently built shopping center, in a new, attractive and stable location.
I noticed several signs advertising "space and pads" available [for additional retail sales.]
I predict those will NEVER be leased so long as Obama's "new normal" business model exists. When entrepeneurs understand that in addition to rent, inventory and advertising, the next business largest expense is supporting Obama's Brave New World, and its army of indolent parasites with their hands out...
...before he can even think about a profit.
Not to mention egregious, capricious tens of thousands of constantly changing, unproductive and expensive regulations that must be paid even if the sales are zero!
Any new businesses here or anywhere else country-wide hasn't a prayer of starting under those conditions. Zero.