Bankrupt chains

[badger]

Add Borders to the growing list.

Link (http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=371&articleid=20110216_67_0_NEWYOR19784)

Tulsa has lost the likes of CompUSA and Circuit City and is the process of losing Blockbuster and Ultimate Electronics (http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=53&articleid=20110215_46_E1_CUTLIN387204), all within the past few years.

Is there any common theme among the ones that are falling? Some have always been at least second-best to a competitor, but in the case of Borders and Blockbuster, they used to be on top.

Thoughts? Which one is gonna be next?

[mgsooner]

The common theme? I'd say the internet. You have to be an absolute fool to walk into any brick & mortar bookstore and purchase a book these days when you can purchase it from Amazon at a 30% discount. The same goes for electronics, to a certain extent. As for Blockbuster, well that was just an extinct business model, and again it comes back to the internet.

[rekamrettuB]

Yep...online shopping. Combine that with oversaturation of market of some of these franchises.

[soonerscuba]

Which one is gonna be next?I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of publishing houses fold as well as the eReader market expands I think you will see more self-published works spread by recommendation.

[OULenexaman]

Sears will be the next big one...

[Ike]

People still buy things in stores?

[rekamrettuB]

People still buy things in stores?

Obviously not.

[badger]

There's still good reason to buy at stores and not online - no waiting for shipping, no worries that you'll get something unexpected, being able to return or ask questions to sales associates, etc.

I like supporting local stores that employ local people more than purchasing online, even if there's a little bit of a cost discrepancy. Oooo, save 5 percent on a $20 item! How will I waste my extra buck! :rolleyes:

Alas, with Borders, they didn't ever seem to have the cooking books my husband wanted in stock, or just polluted their smartie store with crap (wtf are these action figures doing in a bookstore).

With Circuit City, the one time we went in there, the prices were jacked up and the associates did not give a crap. Bye.

With Ultimate Electronics, we had two associates rush us and then proceed to fight over who got to badger us more. Bye.

With CompUSA, we only went in there after it was closing. It didn't look like a bad store and NP got a nice laptop backpack that he still uses today. It was just very, VERY close to a larger, popular Best Buy. It was even in the same parking lot. Bad luck for them.

We went into the closing Blockbuster this past weekend to find it picked clean. NP got a bit nostalgic, remembering when he parents would pick out a movie and ready-to-pop popcorn thing that resembled what you got at theaters.

As with most goin-outta-business sales, they're not sales quite yet. Hold out for a bit - the ebayers already got their deals to resell to you online.

[KantoSooner]

There is still a spot for brick and mortar, but you have to pick your niche very carefully.
For instance in fast food, you can't be just another burger house. No, you have to do something different....unexpected. I've got it! a brand new concept that will have the field all to itself. I give you


PEKING PUPPY

Deepfried dog on a stick.

who's with me?

[Ike]

There's still good reason to buy at stores and not online - no waiting for shipping, no worries that you'll get something unexpected, being able to return or ask questions to sales associates, etc.

I like supporting local stores that employ local people more than purchasing online, even if there's a little bit of a cost discrepancy. Oooo, save 5 percent on a $20 item! How will I waste my extra buck! :rolleyes:

Alas, with Borders, they didn't ever seem to have the cooking books my husband wanted in stock, or just polluted their smartie store with crap (wtf are these action figures doing in a bookstore).

With Circuit City, the one time we went in there, the prices were jacked up and the associates did not give a crap. Bye.

With Ultimate Electronics, we had two associates rush us and then proceed to fight over who got to badger us more. Bye.

With CompUSA, we only went in there after it was closing. It didn't look like a bad store and NP got a nice laptop backpack that he still uses today. It was just very, VERY close to a larger, popular Best Buy. It was even in the same parking lot. Bad luck for them.

We went into the closing Blockbuster this past weekend to find it picked clean. NP got a bit nostalgic, remembering when he parents would pick out a movie and ready-to-pop popcorn thing that resembled what you got at theaters.

As with most goin-outta-business sales, they're not sales quite yet. Hold out for a bit - the ebayers already got their deals to resell to you online.

Back in IL, the Borders we had near us was a fantastic store. Selection of the books we wanted was never lacking. When we moved back to OK though, we were very not impressed with the Borders store in Norman. It seems the selection there is much more limited. Circut city was awful. Walked into one once looking for a specific thing, thinking it was overpriced at best buy, only to find it was even more overpriced there. Never went to Ultimate Electronics.

CompUSA closed while we were in IL too. The thing about them was that just down the road from them, but slightly out of view was a TigerDirect outlet store. And TD always had the better prices. Sadly, after CompUSA shut down though, CompUSA.com merged with TigerDirect...and TigerDirect got a bit crappier as a result.

[soonercruiser]

There's still good reason to buy at stores and not online - no waiting for shipping, no worries that you'll get something unexpected, being able to return or ask questions to sales associates, etc.

I like supporting local stores that employ local people more than purchasing online, even if there's a little bit of a cost discrepancy. Oooo, save 5 percent on a $20 item! How will I waste my extra buck! :rolleyes:

Alas, with Borders, they didn't ever seem to have the cooking books my husband wanted in stock, or just polluted their smartie store with crap (wtf are these action figures doing in a bookstore).

With Circuit City, the one time we went in there, the prices were jacked up and the associates did not give a crap. Bye.

With Ultimate Electronics, we had two associates rush us and then proceed to fight over who got to badger us more. Bye.

With CompUSA, we only went in there after it was closing. It didn't look like a bad store and NP got a nice laptop backpack that he still uses today. It was just very, VERY close to a larger, popular Best Buy. It was even in the same parking lot. Bad luck for them.

We went into the closing Blockbuster this past weekend to find it picked clean. NP got a bit nostalgic, remembering when he parents would pick out a movie and ready-to-pop popcorn thing that resembled what you got at theaters.

As with most goin-outta-business sales, they're not sales quite yet. Hold out for a bit - the ebayers already got their deals to resell to you online.

I agree with your premise.
I have bought two HDTV in 4 years from Ultimate Elec.
They were, by far, the best deals at the time.....and wayyyy less expensive than any I found on-line.
"Shop around" is the saying.

[soonerchk]

I love the Borders here, so I really hope they are not part of the closing list. The one on Yale is always busy and I never have trouble finding what I want.

As far as Ultimate Electronics and Circuit City, customer service was crap and the prices weren't competitive. There are too many other options available that aren't crap, so not really surprised by either of those.

[Leroy Lizard]

There is still a spot for brick and mortar, but you have to pick your niche very carefully.
For instance in fast food, you can't be just another burger house. No, you have to do something different....unexpected. I've got it! a brand new concept that will have the field all to itself. I give you


PEKING PUPPY

Deepfried dog on a stick.

who's with me?

I was going to recommend venison, but evidently that would strike a nerve around here.

[yermom]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of publishing houses fold as well as the eReader market expands I think you will see more self-published works spread by recommendation.

it's gonna take a while for books to die

what the big box stores have is customer service, if that isn't there, why go there?

Circuit City dumped their sales force and replaced them with n00bs that didn't work off commission. people stopped going there. the economy went in the crapper and people REALLY stopped going there

comparing the prices at Best Buy and Amazon/Newegg is just insane. you better really need something right now to buy it there in a lot of cases. some things are often price fixed, so it doesn't matter where you buy it though

things like cables and cards though, man. they ROB you at those places.

[Mississippi Sooner]

There is still a spot for brick and mortar, but you have to pick your niche very carefully.
For instance in fast food, you can't be just another burger house. No, you have to do something different....unexpected. I've got it! a brand new concept that will have the field all to itself. I give you


PEKING PUPPY

Deepfried dog on a stick.

who's with me?

You want flies with that?

[jkjsooner]

It's kind of ironic since many of these chains pushed out the local mom and pop stores years ago...

This isn't a win-win for the consumer. We are losing a little in the process. We can't go cruising the local bookstore and find something that interests us and immediately take it home to read. (I recognize libraries still exist.)

I prefer to watch movies on Blu Ray as it's still higher quality than on-demand movies. Mail services are fine but they don't give you the flexibility to choose a movie with little notice. (You may have friends or relatives over and the movie you have isn't appropriate or you may be in the mood for a certain type of movie.)

[badger]

I love the Borders here, so I really hope they are not part of the closing list. The one on Yale is always busy and I never have trouble finding what I want.

As far as Ultimate Electronics and Circuit City, customer service was crap and the prices weren't competitive. There are too many other options available that aren't crap, so not really surprised by either of those.

The one at 81st and Yale is closing, according to various media outlets here. Not sure about other stores across the state.

We don't mind pushy salespeople, because commission is a very good incentive and all. We've shopped at Mathis Brothers and another furniture store that was filled with commissioned salespeople. There just has to be... um... limits and stuff. You can be overly friendly, but don't be overly bearing. Have that fake smile on your face, but keep your distance so I can pick and choose when I have to stare at it.

Also, for the love of gawwwwwd, please don't fight with another salesperson over customers in public. This has happened twice to us, once at Ultimate, another at Snow Furniture (I think that was the name, could be wrong). We found another salesperson who wasn't arguing over us, one that seemed more sane and calm, whom we purchased our $500 couch from.

:rolleyes: which means that person probably got like $5 from the sale, hehe.

[2121Sooner]

I thought this was a thread about Obama but then I read bankrupt chains instead of Bankrupt Change



Carry on.

[badger]

I thought this was a thread about Obama but then I read bankrupt chains instead of Bankrupt Change



Carry on.

I don't care to talk about the politics involved here. :mad:

[soonerchk]

The one at 81st and Yale is closing, according to various media outlets here. Not sure about other stores across the state.

We don't mind pushy salespeople, because commission is a very good incentive and all. We've shopped at Mathis Brothers and another furniture store that was filled with commissioned salespeople. There just has to be... um... limits and stuff. You can be overly friendly, but don't be overly bearing. Have that fake smile on your face, but keep your distance so I can pick and choose when I have to stare at it.

Also, for the love of gawwwwwd, please don't fight with another salesperson over customers in public. This has happened twice to us, once at Ultimate, another at Snow Furniture (I think that was the name, could be wrong). We found another salesperson who wasn't arguing over us, one that seemed more sane and calm, whom we purchased our $500 couch from.

:rolleyes: which means that person probably got like $5 from the sale, hehe.


ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!:mad:

[2121Sooner]

I don't care to talk about the politics involved here. :mad:



With Obama it is not politics. With his followers it is a religion.



Hey, just cause you are the Super Bowl Champ it doesnt mean you get to be the boss of me.

[badger]

Obama

You guys have secret bets going on how fast you can derail a thread with the mention of the president, don't you? Well, this isn't going to be one of those cases... at least not yet.

I'm sorry chk, the one at 81st and Yale is gonna be closed by April, according to reports. However, you might get some good mark-up-than-mark-down deals at your favorite store ;)

:( you're from jenks, right? did you get to go to The Grille on Riverwalk before it shut down? I went in there once when it was a private party and it looked awesome. So, we said we'd come back when it had its full menu again. And then, when we tried going back last weekend, closed. Apparently shut down in December, after just opening this summer. Boo.

[MsProudSooner]

Wonder if the Border's closing will bring more business to Books-a-Million.

Books tend to be an impulse purchase for me, so I like book stores. I use the library a lot, but if I'm taking a trip, I want a paper back. I don't have an eReader yet because I use the library so much. Anyone know how far away they are from having all the books in the library downloadable?

[2121Sooner]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!:mad:

But dont worry Chk....................Payless will still be open.

[badger]

Wonder if the Border's closing will bring more business to Books-a-Million.

love Books-A-Million. Easy place to get a birthday gift from for friends. Especially with the latest and coolest... board games. Yes, do my board game shopping at a book store :O

[DIB]

love Books-A-Million. Easy place to get a birthday gift from for friends. Especially with the latest and coolest... board games. Yes, do my board game shopping at a book store :O

I have never heard of this Books-A-Million. What/where is it?

[2121Sooner]

I have never heard of this Books-A-Million. What/where is it?

Right next to the Piggly Wiggly

[C&CDean]

I shop at Books-a-million in Alexandria, but they don't have the Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans like Borders does. boo. They also always seem to be missing the book in the series I'll currently be reading. Right now I'm reading Baldacci's books about Sean Whatshisface and Michelle Whatsherface. They don't have the damned 3rd book. You can't jump from 2 to 4 dammit.

[soonerchk]

You guys have secret bets going on how fast you can derail a thread with the mention of the president, don't you? Well, this isn't going to be one of those cases... at least not yet.

I'm sorry chk, the one at 81st and Yale is gonna be closed by April, according to reports. However, you might get some good mark-up-than-mark-down deals at your favorite store ;)

:( you're from jenks, right? did you get to go to The Grille on Riverwalk before it shut down? I went in there once when it was a private party and it looked awesome. So, we said we'd come back when it had its full menu again. And then, when we tried going back last weekend, closed. Apparently shut down in December, after just opening this summer. Boo.

You know Waterfront Grill is opening in early March, right? I was talking to one of the managers at Los Cabos and she said the menu there is amazing. We'll see. I'm learning not to get too attached to any restaurant because it's usually gone within a couple of months.


Wonder if the Border's closing will bring more business to Books-a-Million.

Books tend to be an impulse purchase for me, so I like book stores. I use the library a lot, but if I'm taking a trip, I want a paper back. I don't have an eReader yet because I use the library so much. Anyone know how far away they are from having all the books in the library downloadable?

I really dislike BooksaMillion, and that will be the only thing close to me. Waaay too pushy and the store is overcrowded and disorganized. Looks like I'll be hauling it over to Barnes & Noble come April. :(

[badger]

I have never heard of this Books-A-Million. What/where is it?

If you're a Tulsa area dweller, there's a nice one at the new Tulsa Hills area at 71st and U.S. 75. It's basically another big book store that has a coffee shop, comfy chairs and mostly books, but also some other stuff for when you're feeling sophisticated (board games involving lots of words and strategy, magazines for a wide variety of interests... and trinkets to keep kids distracted, hehe)

[badger]

You know Waterfront Grill is opening in early March, right? I was talking to one of the managers at Los Cabos and she said the menu there is amazing. We'll see. I'm learning not to get too attached to any restaurant because it's usually gone within a couple of months.
More deception in the Riverwalk area, hehe. After following all of the signs pointing us to The Grille only to find that it was closed, we're all like, "Hey, let's go to that new Waterfront place that had the cool neon lights that we saw on the way in!" We arrive in their mostly empty parking lot, greeted with "NOW HIRING!" signs.

Los Cabos waits are waaay too long. Seems like that should be enough to make other restaurants want to stay around longer, to get some of that waiting hungry customer base.




I really dislike BooksaMillion, and that will be the only thing close to me. Waaay too pushy and the store is overcrowded and disorganized. Looks like I'll be hauling it over to Barnes & Noble come April. :(

Really? It's never crowded when I'm there and I hardly ever encounter a sales person. weird.

[soonerchk]

More deception in the Riverwalk area, hehe. After following all of the signs pointing us to The Grille only to find that it was closed, we're all like, "Hey, let's go to that new Waterfront place that had the cool neon lights that we saw on the way in!" We arrive in their mostly empty parking lot, greeted with "NOW HIRING!" signs.

Los Cabos waits are waaay too long. Seems like that should be enough to make other restaurants want to stay around longer, to get some of that waiting hungry customer base.





Really? It's never crowded when I'm there and I hardly ever encounter a sales person. weird.

Next time you drive that far and the restaurant you want isn't open, go to Michael Fusco's. There's almost never a wait for bar seating. The new Italian place at Tulsa Hills is also getting great reviews from everyone I know that's been there.

Every time I go to BooksAMillion, they keep bugging me to buy some kind of membership thing at the register. You say no to one, they follow up with another one and another and another. Just let me have my things and stfu and let me go. Plus I can't find anything in there, the layout seems random. I've tired going there several times, and I have the same experience every time. Do. Not. Want.

[badger]

The register crap happens at Best Buy also. You get a "free" magazine or two, which turns into a subscription if you forget to cancel after the free runs out. Just say up front that you don't want their credit care or any magazine and that'll be it. They're required to ask and there's probably an evil manager watching on closed circuit making sure they ask. We've all been there :mad:

have no tried michael fusco's. Where is it? The Italian restaurant on Riverwalk across from Melting Pot is TEH SUCCCC. We tried the Tulsa Hills one once, the food was great, but the portions were smaller than expected and the prices were moderately high. We went shortly after they opened. Might have just got at the wrong time.

[soonerchk]

The register crap happens at Best Buy also. You get a "free" magazine or two, which turns into a subscription if you forget to cancel after the free runs out. Just say up front that you don't want their credit care or any magazine and that'll be it. They're required to ask and there's probably an evil manager watching on closed circuit making sure they ask. We've all been there :mad:

have no tried michael fusco's. Where is it? The Italian restaurant on Riverwalk across from Melting Pot is TEH SUCCCC. We tried the Tulsa Hills one once, the food was great, but the portions were smaller than expected and the prices were moderately high. We went shortly after they opened. Might have just got at the wrong time.

I don't care if they ask me once, but stop there. That's my problem with BooksAMillion, I say no to the first offer, and then they make 3 more offers. Just take my money and let me go!!!!

Italian place at Riverwalk has good pizza, but everything else is meh. Fusco's is at 97th and Riverside, just down from Red Robin and Outback. Food is excellent, easily my favorite restaurant in town. It can be pricey, but it's worth it. Easter brunch is the best in town by far.

I will have to try the place at Tulsa Hills and we can compare notes. Everyone I've talked to raved about it, so you may have just hit their learning curve wrong?

[Bourbon St Sooner]

Border's was always behind Barnes & Noble, so no surprise that they were the first to go.

Even though Blockbuster has been dieing for years, I went there up until a year or so ago. When they brought back the late fees I finally said enough and went to Netflix. I love Netflix. We stream kids stuff for my 2 year old every day. I don't have to go purchase videos for her. Thanks Blockbuster for your last gasp of stupidity.

[badger]

Yeah, I highly recommend Netflix just for the online insta-view, but I also still have a Blockbuster subscription by mail for video games. Gamefly just takes too long to get anything sent to you. Blockbuster apparently has a distribution center near Tulsa's airport. No new releases, but you never got them with Gamefly anyway (always the "very long wait" category, hehe).

I love the area by Red Robin and Outback, it's like a whole 'nother Riverwalk over there. We have probably been to the place you're describing and I just don't remember the name, hehe.

[Breadburner]

Hollywood Video....

[badger]

I remember Hollywood Video - my sister in law worked there in Norman before it went outta business.

What was really crazy though was the Just For Feet in Norman. They had to go out of business because apparently employees were embezzling a lot.

[Breadburner]

I always called Blockbuster,Headbusters because one of my friends spastic hyper-active kids went haulin *** in there and smacked his head on the turn-style and wound up with quite a few stitches....

[NormanPride]

Fusco's was the place we went into when Red Rock was full and looked at the menu. Once we saw $20 for an appetizer we left. I have also heard that the chef there is an ***, so whatever.

[soonerchk]

Alrighty then.

[NormanPride]

And furthermore, that other place you like uses roach droppings as a condiment! The gall of them!

;)

[soonerchk]

Fine!! See if I invite you to my house for dinner!!!:P

[NormanPride]

I'll go if the balloon artist is there.

[Eielson]

I like supporting local stores that employ local people more than purchasing online, even if there's a little bit of a cost discrepancy. Oooo, save 5 percent on a $20 item! How will I waste my extra buck! :rolleyes:

I generally get much more than a 5% discount on Amazon as compared to a bookstore. I can also be sure that the book is there, whereas at the bookstore the inventory is drastically more limited.

[pphilfran]

Sears will be the next big one...

Who, in 2005, was acquired by a recently out of bankrupt K Mart...

[KuppiKunta]

:( you're from jenks, right?


She's actually from Glenpool!

[pphilfran]

I generally get much more than a 5% discount on Amazon as compared to a bookstore. I can also be sure that the book is there, whereas at the bookstore the inventory is drastically more limited.

I alone, with my book purchases, keep Amazon in the black...

[soonerchk]

I'll go if the balloon artist is there.

He died. :( We'll see if Dean can come and do card tricks.

[NormanPride]

...You don't want that.

[soonerchk]

I'm sure it will be fine as long as everyone keeps their backs up against the wall.

[Boomer.....]

Fusco's was the place we went into when Red Rock was full and looked at the menu. Once we saw $20 for an appetizer we left. I have also heard that the chef there is an ***, so whatever.

I think it was called Michael Fusco's or something like that. We ate there back when we lived in Tulsa. Pricey but very good food. Plus they had the table scrapers that get every crumb you lose which makes you feel rich.

[C&CDean]

...You don't want that.

Whatever do you mean?

[texaspokieokie]

hooray, i'm gonna be in bixby,jenks & tulsa on saturdy.

friend is having a party.

also, okmulgee.

[NormanPride]

Whatever do you mean?

JM's told me stories about your party tricks, and I have no desire to get arrested.

[soonerchk]

Okmulgee hasn't been the same since the Pig Out Palace closed.

[texaspokieokie]

Okmulgee hasn't been the same since the Pig Out Palace closed.

true, but i ate there only once or twice. there's one over by henryetta.

okmulgee does have a new (about one year old) holiday inn. it's nice.

[Scott D]

Borders is closing 200 stores, including their first store ever opened in Ann Arbor within the next month. But to be honest, with them the only thing I really care about is that my employer gets their money from Borders for the work we do for them. We'll be doing a fair bit of work for them over the next month or so while they close those 200 stores.

FWIW, Blockbuster's problem is more that they really don't advertise the fact that they have online rentals, streaming, on-demand, and kiosk based rentals. Then again, at this stage they don't advertise much of anything outside of in the store.

[soonerchk]

true, but i ate there only once or twice. there's one over by henryetta.

okmulgee does have a new (about one year old) holiday inn. it's nice.

Drive to Glenpool and have dinner at Mamadous. You'll thank me.

[yermom]

they came too late to that party. i remember seeing a quote from the CEO about how people wanted to come into the store to get their movies and the streaming thing would never take off :rolleyes:

they goofed around with their business too much anyway trying to sell DirectTV and candy focusing on that instead of how NetFlix was killing them

[DIB]

Blockbuster doesn't do streaming the way netflix does. There is no unlimited streaming option. You have to rent individual movies. It is much more expensive than netflix.

[yermom]

so it's too little and too late...

[KuppiKunta]

Drive to Glenpool and have dinner at Mamadous. You'll thank me.

Told ya she was from Glenpool and not Jenks!!

[texaspokieokie]

Drive to Glenpool and have dinner at Mamadous. You'll thank me.

i'll try to give it a whirl.

seems like the guy that used to run the restaurant in the "Best Western" in
okmulgee , was connected to Mamadous. his food was good, but ,IMO the Best Western (rite across from Chevy dealer) is to far from the main part (?)
of okmulgee.anyway it's been closed for some time. (just the restaurant & bar).

[soonerchk]

i'll try to give it a whirl.

seems like the guy that used to run the restaurant in the "Best Western" in
okmulgee , was connected to Mamadous. his food was good, but ,IMO the Best Western (rite across from Chevy dealer) is to far from the main part (?)
of okmulgee.anyway it's been closed for some time. (just the restaurant & bar).

Yep, same guy. Don't think he's still doing that, but I could be wrong.

[badger]

they came too late to that party. i remember seeing a quote from the CEO about how people wanted to come into the store to get their movies and the streaming thing would never take off :rolleyes:

they goofed around with their business too much anyway trying to sell DirectTV and candy focusing on that instead of how NetFlix was killing them

I think that really was the sinker, not taking their competition seriously at first. But...

I heard that Blockbuster thought they could squish competition by paying movie companies more to withhold new releases from rental before Redbox and Netflix could have em (that's why you couldn't rent Russell Crowe's Robin Hood till three months after it's DVD release, yes). So, they paid more money to be able to rent out flicks.

When they got that big Super Bowl spot announcing their own online rental program that meant you could rent via mail and return via store, it sounded like the big step they should have taken years ago. Alas... it was costly. The movie supply showing up at stores and then getting rented outta stores resulted in big losses for big and mortar locations.

Blockbuster also did something recently that they should have done years ago: Offer video game rental by mail. Netflix and Redbox don't offer video games, so this could have been another thing that set them apart, but again, they dragged their feet, allowing another competitor to eat at their market share, Gamefly.

The "no more late fees" campaign was a source of lawsuits more than a source of business. The hamster commercials were cute, but the feet dragging really doomed em.

[CrimsonKel]

I'm going to miss the Border's on the NW Expressway. I loved that store.