I don't think the economy is doing well

[struggle4progress]

There are fewer products on the grocery store shelves --- and the prices are higher. For years, the place was open 24/7. Suddenly they're closing at midnight

Local fast food places are running shorter hours too. A bunch of them stayed open 24/7 until recently. Now they're all closing at midnight too

I'm guessing people have less to spend

[Blue_true]

1. Where I live, I have seen five businesses close in the last 3 months.

Including a Dollar Store that I passed frequently. The sign is down and the lot empty. I see lots of homeless people, a lot of them just out of high school or college age, some ex-military based upon their clothing as they walk along the road.

[BlueTsunami2018]

2. Prices for fresh produce are higher.

But I’m not seeing a slowdown in the general economy. They juiced the good stuff Legitimate President Obama gave us to pump it up but when the crash comes, and it will come from these terrible policies, it’s going to be 2008 all over again. If not worse.

[lunasun]

4. ++ Same observation and prediction

[BannonsLiver]

3. If Americans aren't eating fast food then the economy really is in the toilet

[Wellstone ruled]

5. We usually get smacked after the rest of the Country gets it.

Still Building Houses,and people are finding work. But,2008 was the same way at the same time. But,Fuel Prices are taking a toll for families and Seniors. Running a full buck + for fuel over the National Average. Noticed the Produce is looking like crap. Understand whole Tomato crops are being plowed under,no field hands,Trump screwed that up royally.

Upside is,Poultry Prices have taken a hit do to over supply. Chix quarters @49 cents at Von's today. Most Staples have seen a price increase do fuel adjustment charges added to the freight costs.
Filling the freezer with Chicken,cause it is only going to get ugly by this time next month.

[mvd]

6. Giant Food here used to be open 24 hours

They now close at midnight. Very annoying as Wegmans is now the only 24 hour option outside of Wawa. There's just too much income inequality and low wage/long hour jobs for a healthy economy. I for one am doing even worse under the Moron.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

7. I am not noticing higher prices where I am,

although I might be simply oblivious. And a store going from 24 hours to something shorter may be an issue of getting reliable help.

I also question the need for very many 24 hour places.

[Sherman A1]

8. Precisely

The grocery chain I worked for many years ago shifted from an overall 24 hour operation to just a few select stores being open overnight and most others closing at midnight opening up at 6am. It costs money in both the checker, manager on duty and security guard and it's often hard to find a good overnight staff. I am sure that there were other savings that were built in with dimming lights, perhaps some insurance premium changes and alike. Those hours were devoted to stocking, cleaning and prepping for the next day without customers underfoot and it seemed to work out.

In my area, I am seeing new fast food chains move in (killing some that were on the bubble anyway), but a dearth of Retail shopping which did not survive the shifting sands in that sector over the years. Nevertheless Target is getting a facelift and the stores that are still here, seem to be holding their own.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

9. Yes. There are more costs to operating 24 hours than most people realize.

And that's aside from getting good staffing for those overnight hours. We do not, at this point, have a 24 hour economy. Even allowing for shift work (which I worked all of my working life), most people work from somewhere between 6am and 11pm, and have no need to go to a grocery store at 2 or 3 or 4 in the morning.

I am highly sensitive to the needs of shift workers, but even those needs don't require grocery stores to be open between, say 1am and 5am. Plus, a grocery store is going to need to pay a premium to get decent workers for those hours, and it simply may not be possible to staff those hours.

[Sherman A1]

10. I too did shift work for over 4 decades

And it wears on you. I agree that in most of the country we are not in the need of a full 24 hour Retail environment. Yes, a few pharmacies and some convenience stores here and there are needed, but as you mentioned staffing a full size grocery or big box merchant is costly and difficult. We had an overnight rate, but it wasn’t much, still the company tried to limit it whenever possible.

[mia]

11. Amazon cuts Whole Foods prices for Prime members in new grocery showdown

Perhaps this is part of the problem.

On Wednesday, Whole Foods debuted a much-anticipated loyalty program that offers special discounts to Prime customers, including 10 percent off hundreds of sale items and rotating weekly specials such as $10 per pound off wild-caught halibut steaks.

Those perks are available now in Florida and will roll out to all other stores starting this summer. Amazon previously announced free two-hour delivery from Whole Foods stores for members of Prime, its subscription club with fast shipping and video streaming....

The new perks could make Whole Foods cheaper than conventional grocers for about 8 million of its customers who already subscribe to Amazon Prime, according to Morgan Stanley analysts.

Prime members scan an app or input their phone numbers at checkout to receive the discounts...

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-amazon-com-whole-foods/amazon-cuts-whole-foods-prices-for-prime-members-in-new-grocery-showdown-idUSKCN1IH0BM