More news on the Retail Apocalypse

In this CNBC article (6/2/2017), they give a bunch more facts and stats on the Retail Apocalypse, and a look at the coming Mallpocalypse.  Here are some of the key points in the article:

-Credit Suisse predicts 20 to 25% of all malls (in the U.S.) will close down in the next five years.  There are about 1,200 enclosed malls in the country, so that means 240 to 300 are expected to close.  Other sources have predicted 400 will shut down in the next five years.
-Retail sales growth is the weakest since the Great Recession of 2008.
-Luxury purse maker Michael Kors is closing 100 stores.
-Gymboree is now in bankruptcy.
-Retailers fired 6,100 workers in May 2017.  That means about 95,000 retail workers have lost their jobs in the last seven months.
-16 million people, 1 in 10 American workers, work in retail.

Meanwhile...
-Amazon is opening physical bookstores.
-Lidl (pronounced Lee-dul), a German grocery store, is opening lots of new stores.

This isn't a recession that's closing all these stores.  Not yet, anyhow, I think we'll head into a recession in the six months to a year.  What's happening to Retail stores is what happened to factory jobs in the 1980's-2000's, and what happened to music in the 90's.  New technology, automation, and changing buying habits have changed the game.  The old school department stores, mall stores, and other retailers just didn't keep up.  It's a major business revolution, and it's far from over.  Just like factory workers in previous decades, thousands, and likely millions, of retail workers will have to learn a new career... or create their own job or business in some way. 

The Retail Apocalypse is hitting teen job market hard

"Young jobseekers are facing a perfect storm of employment barriers this summer." -Jordan Bruneau

In this East Bay Times article, the writer lays out many reasons why teens will have a harder time finding work in many places this summer.

Why do I write a blog about weird ways to make money?  Because a lot of people just can't "Go get a job" anymore.  We need to find alternative ways to make a living.  That's what this blog is about.

The Retail Apocalypse keeps apocalypting: 4,229+ stores closing

This Radio Shack Vine pretty much sums it up.

Late last year, the mass of retail stores closing got dubbed The Retail Apocalypse.  The numbers just keep going up.  The best overall list of stores closing is by Clark Howard and his team at clark.com.  This article now lists 4,229 retail stores closing or closed this year.  That doesn't include Gander Mountain, which is having liquidation sales at 126 stores OR Kohl's that plans to downsize about 200 stores.  That list has expanded by 1,000 or more stores in the last couple of months.  Many, many more stores could close before this shakeout hits bottom.  I haven't seen recent numbers on the total people laid off yet by all of this. 

Somehow, in our Dali-esque, Trump-focused universe, the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Wall Street is surging even higher today.  BUT... nearly 40% of millionaires surveyed recently do not plan to invest next month.  That's huge.  They're waiting to see how this insanity in both retail and Washington D.C. will pan out. 

Why am I doing this weird little blog about starting a small business or creating your own job?  Because millions of people are going to have to create their own jobs in the next several years. 

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg wants everyone to get a check

Mark Zuckerberg, a Harvard dropout and tech billionaire creator of Facebook, called for looking at "Universal Basic Income," in his Harvard commencement speech a few days ago.  Here's a guy who made an incredible fortune in his 20's by writing a program initially designed to meet hot girls at Harvard.  He's really, really smart.  He had a great idea, and worked hard with many other people, for several years, to make it happen.  Yet, he has the audacity to say that luck played an important part in his success.  That's pretty freakin' amazing.

So what is "Universal Basic Income?"  It's the idea that every single person in the country should get a basic income from the government.  Yeah, a multi-billionaire is saying you deserve a check just for being a human being.

Why is he supporting looking into this idea?   Because a small group of people, mostly really smart people, look to the future we're heading towards.  One of the big issues they see, and the issue that sparked this blog for me, is that machines and software are quickly replacing human jobs.  Nobody who looks into the issue seriously, is sure how we will out the whole population to work in the next 10-20-30 years.  There just aren't going to be enough jobs, pure and simple.

At the same time, small groups of people, like Mark's initial crew at Facebook, are able to create tens of billions of dollars of value with their company in a few short years. They realize that they can't spend all that money on golf courses, call girls, yachts, gold plated urinals, and stuff like that.  These people are looking to put a chunk of that wealth back into the system to being millions out of poverty and level the playing field in the economic world.  Obviously, the people who have rigged that playing field in their favor for generations aren't stoked on this idea. 

Personally, I'm not sold on Universal Basic Income, and I've spent years homeless while working full time, and way beyond full time.  My first thought is turning us into a nation full of people sitting on the couch, getting stoned, and playing video games all day.  But around here, so many people scam to get a Social Security disability check (who don't truly deserve it), that it's be cool if the hard working and motivated people also got a check.  A lot of people would do a lot of really cool things if they could get beyond financial instability.

Personally, my focus these days is to help people build and grow the small creative scenes that give people an outlet for their energy and creativity.  Those scenes often turn into new businesses and new jobs, and sometimes entire new industries.  But I am really glad a group of really smart, really wealthy, forward looking people are thinking about this concept.  What do you think?

More tech and less human jobs in the future

I hit working age in the mid 1980's, and I got hired for every single job I applied for until age 27 or 28.  I was completely unqualified for most of the jobs, but I adapted quickly and did well at most of them.

It's a whole different world now.  This WIRED clip from a couple of days ago hits on a huge issue that very few people are talking about.  Technology changed the taxi industry in the 2000's (before Uber and Lyft), and I could no longer make a living, and became homeless.  I know what it's like to get wiped out by new technology.

I've haven't had a regular job for years now.  As I started looking into this issue, I came to the conclusion that MILLIONS of Americans will have to create their own jobs in the next several years.  There's no way around it.  That's what this blog is about. 

Seth Godin on the courage to connect

This one hit home for me.  I just spent three days putting together a blogpost for my old school BMX blog.  Only about 100 people checked it out.  That's not bad.  But I spent a lot of time on the post, but didn't put anything personal into it, just a great selection of links of clips form years ago. 

It's easy these days to create media.  But actually connecting with other people, that's another thing.  A scary thing.

A great idea for an abandoned Walmart

Just saw this on Facebook thanks to a share from Scotty Z.  This town took an abandoned Walmart and turned it into a huge, and amazingly cool, library.  There are over 3,500 retail stores closing down this year.  We need lots more of this kind of thinking.

Baby Boomers, Millennials, and the the future of real estate

It's not often that I'll share ideas from from a millennial, but this guy shares some really great thinking in this clip.  Will the younger generations' crushing student debt keep them from buying houses, and make the housing market drag along in most areas?  He could be right to a great degree.  I don't agree with everything he says here, but I think he shares a great piece of our financial/social puzzle. 

Latest retail store closings list from May 2, 2017

In this latest list of retail store closings, clark.com's list now includes 3,583 stores closing THIS YEAR.  Most of these stores haven't actually closed yet, so we're not seeing the ripple effects on other stores, but those effects will come later in the year. 

A better than expected "jobs created" number just came out, and Wall Street is still thinking things are going along fine.  In addition, Republicans are working on a bill that would repeal many of the financial industry regulations put in place after The great Recession of 2008.  In other words, we're being set up for another, similar collapse in the future.

I'm building my online store...

As I was selling my artwork in spurts last year, I kept toying with the idea of getting on Etsy or somewhere else to be able to sell online.  But nothing seemed right.  After setting a HUGE financial goal a week or so ago, I started looking for ways to achieve that goal.  I've decided to build an online store on Shopify to sell my art, zines, and what ever else I can come up with.  I'm building it right now.  I'll let you all know when it's ready to go. 

Of the Shopify videos online, this one is my favorite.  It feels the closest to my thinking these days.

H H Gregg is closing all 220 stores

Earlier in the year, electronics stores was going to close 88 poor performing stores.  As you can see from the news clip above, as of 4/7/2017, they're closing all 220 stores.  Retail Apocalypse continues...

"Retail Apocalypse" has a Wikipedia page... really

You know it's a fast moving trend when even the list of store closings on Wikipedia isn't up to date.  But yes, there is a page for Retail Apocalypse, so I guess that's as official as it gets.  There's isn't a page for "Mallpocalypse" yet, but I'm sure it's coming soon.

Mallpocalypse: 5,233 Retail Store Closings between 2014 and 2020

There are now over 3,300 retail stores closed or closing soon in the U.S..  When you add chain stores that have closed since 2014 and those scheduled to close by 2020, the number is at least 5,233.  And that's if we DON'T have a recession and the economy strengthens.  Here are a couple of key articles about what's happening:

Clark Howard's latest list of store closings.

The Harsh Reality of Shopping Malls- clark.com

Retail's "bigger problem hiding"- Business Insider 4/13/2017
There are over 220 mores more stores closing on this list that I didn't count above...

The Retail Apocalypse has Officially Descended on America- Business Insider 3/21/2017

The online version of my zine: 43 ideas to reuse Dead Malls

Big Picture: First reference to the "R" word

In this CNBC article/clip from earlier today, financial trader makes the case that things aren't going the way Wall Street was hoping, and the economists might start using the "R" word.  The "R" word is "recession."  

I've been expecting the start of a recession for a while now for several reasons.  But what does this mean for you, a fairly average person out there working away in the U.S.?  We are probably heading into a recession right now, or will within a few months.  For everyday people out there, that means fewer jobs, fewer good jobs, layoffs, some business closings, and a time to tighten up your budget.  If your work is steady and not likely to be affected, cut back on unnecessary spending, put a little more cash in the bank in case of the proverbial rainy day, and slog it out.  Normally, we get a recession about once a decade, and it lasts a year or so.

But we aren't in "normal" times, by any means.  This CNBC republishing of a New York Times article from this past Satruday (4/17/2017) we learn that 89,000 retail workers have lost their jobs since October, and that many see this a a complete change of the retail industry we grew up with.  "Store closures, meanwhile, are on pace this year to eclipse the number of stores that closed in The Great Recession of 2008." 

What we are seeing right now is the collapse of traditional retail sales that was an integral part of the Industrial Age economy.  3,500 major chain stores have closed in the last couple years or are scheduled to close right now in 2017.  And that's while the economy is doing fairly well.  This is going to be big.  What's happening to bricks and mortar stores, from Sears on down, will do to the retail world what the 80's and 90's did to traditional manufacturing.  

Here's where this matters to you.  If any part of your job or business depends on people who sell physical items in actual physical stores, YOU WILL BE SERIOUSLY AFFECTED by this recession.  This will be big, it will affect nearly everyone, and it's gonna hurt.  Bike shop owners, skate shop owners, snowboard shop owners, action sports manufacturers, I'm talking to you.

But there is a silver lining.  This is the point where ecommerce (aka online shopping) is going to take over as the main form of buying most items in the U.S. and the civilized world.  If you work in that area, this recession could be amazing for you.  Recessions decimate millions of people who don't pay attention to long term trends and economics.  But recessions (and depressions, which IS possible now) also offer amazing opportunities to entrepreneurs.  Where you fall in this economic tipping point is up to you.

I set an insane goal

I went looking for a good clip of a Lamborghini for this post, and stumbled across this one.  as a high school kid, owning a Lamborghini some day seemed like the ultimate goal.  So when I think of the subject of insane financial goals, Lamborghinis come to mind.   PLEASE don't try this at home with your own Lamborghini.

So, I haven't had a "real" job in years.  My last job was working as a taxi driver, which is actually a small business, not a job.  There's no hourly rate, no paycheck, and no weekly salary for a taxi driver, AND I had to pay about $600 a week for the cab and another $300 a week for gas. I had to go out and find business every single day.  It was good for a year, but ultimately, I wound up fat, broke, homeless, and damn near death. 

I also ended up with a mouthful of broken off teeth, only about four of which actually qualify as teeth anymore.  I took a good look at my mouth in the mirror, and decided I needed to set a ridiculous goal to try and come up with enough money to start getting them fixed.  I decided on a three month goal.  A HUGE amount of money popped into my head.  I thought, "No way, there's no freakin' way I could earn that much starting with nothing."  Then I decided to go for it anyhow. 

I won't tell you what the goal was until the 3 months are up, which will be July 8th, a couple days after my birthday. 

At the time I set the goal, the only way it seemed even remotely possible was if I could do a really creative real estate deal, and pull a huge amount of money out.  I've never done that, so that seemed impossible.  But with a huge goal in mind, I went looking online for ways to work towards that goal.  I looked into affiliate marketing ideas that might work with the blogs I'm doing in some way.  I wound up watching a video about high digit affiliate marketing opportunities.  Then I just watched one video after another, and I heard about Shopify.  Basically, it's a super user-friendly way to open an online store, or ecommerce shop as it's often called.

 I've been selling a little artwork to scrape by over the last year.  I've also published a few zines, and have been looking for a way actually earn money with my writing, like I did 30 years ago in a pre-internet world.  The more I learned about Shopify, the more it seemed the perfect way to get my creative work out there and earning me some money. 

That's where making an insane goal took me in about four days.  I've already started building the online store.  The point here is that setting a big goal, and starting towards it, can lead to places you never would have gone otherwise.  Stay tuned to see how it pans out.

Meaningful work and the decline of jobs

Jobs, as we know them, have been disappearing for decades.  Politicians like to blame it all on outsourcing to other countries, but that's only part of the picture.  Millions and millions of jobs have been replaced by some form of technology.  This trend is continuing and accelerating.  Into this issue comes Rudy Karsan, who sold his human resource tech company to IBM recently.  He's smart.  He's spent much of his professional life dealing with work and jobs for other people.  He knows this issue better than most of us.  As jobs of all kinds decline, he sees the future as people finding meaningful work, rather than focusing on looking for a new job. 

On that point, I completely agree with him.  I'm not sold on the idea of universal basic income that he believes in, but I can see the argument for it. 

I realize that those of you who found this blog looking for some way to make quick money probably won't take the time to watch Mr. Karsan's talk above.  But before you scroll away, let me ask you this.  What would you do if you didn't have work a low wage job and struggle to survive?  Would you do follow some dream?  Would you travel?  Would you wind up being a stronger part of our society?

We now live in a world where millions of people are drifting away from traditional Industrial Age jobs and finding ways to earn a living doing what they consider meaningful work.  The technology we have now helps make this possible for many.  Why aren't you doing that?  Scary question, isn't it. 

43 Ideas to Reuse Dead Malls- Part 1

Less than six weeks ago, I took my mom to a doctor's appointment in Highpoint, North Carolina, about 15 miles from where we live.  Since I knew it would be a long appointment, I went to a local McDonald's to get a drink and do some writing.  I didn't have any ideas at the time, so I sat there looking out the window at Oak Hollow Mall.  In the 8 years I've lived in North Carolina, I'd only been to the mall two or three times.  Something seemed to call to me that day, so I went to see what it was like.  The last time I'd been to it, years ago, about a third of the shops were empty.

I wound up walking through Oak Hollow Mall about ten days before it closed.  There were only a handful of shops open.  About a dozen elderly mall walkers were doing their laps.  Everything was clean and in good condition, like you can see in this video Dan Bell shot just over a week later.  This is what got me looking into the dead mall issue.

I soon found out that over 3,500 retail stores in the U.S. have closed in the last couple years, or will close in 2017.  That will probably cause thousands more smaller stores to close later on.  As many as 400 of the 1,200 enclosed shopping malls in the U.S. have either closed, or are expected to in the next five years.  Several hundred more malls are struggling as well.  That's a lot of empty space under roof.  So I did a little brainstorming to come up with ideas to use these empty malls, stores, and other abandoned buildings. Enjoy.

Here's the start of my list of 43 ideas to reuse dead malls.

#1 Man caves in the malls still left.  No beer needed, because the guys have to drive home.  Next to all those overpriced boutique stores where women still shop, build a man cave in an empty store.  All you need is some comfy couches, a few recliners, and big TV's in every direction tuned to sports channels.  Add a few snack machines, and the men have a place to hang out while their wives and girlfriends shop.

#2 Adult Big Wheel Drifitng Course.  I'd go to malls if they had a place to do this:



#3 Gynecologist's office and tattoo/piercing shop.  Since you women have to get into an uncomfortable position to get your ladyparts checked, why not got a tattoo or piercing while you're at it.  We'll even have them warm up the duck lips, since every woman seems to complain about that.

#4 Vape shop that offers sex change operations.  I don't really need to explain that, do I?

#5 Huge indoor skatepark.  Van's made this happen at The Block at Orange Mall 20 years ago in Orange, California.  Here's what it's like on a big day with old school legend Chris Miller skating.

You can get signed and numbered copy of my zine, 43 Ideas to Reuse Dead Malls, for $6, postage paid in the continental U.S.

Many years ago, a woman sitting on a train had an idea pop into her head...

Many years ago, single mom Jo Rowling was sitting on a stopped train and an idea for a story popped into her head.  She didn't have anything to write with.  So she just sat that and thought about it... for four hours.  In the video above, J.K. Rowling gives us a look at the first five years of work on the story of Harry Potter.  That idea made her a billionaire.  You never know what a random idea will ultimately turn into.  Here's a great documentary on how the Harry Potter phenomena came about. 

43 Way to Reuse Dead Malls- Part 2

Two or three months ago, I saw an episode of Abandoned on VICEland TV, where skater Rick McCrank took a tour through the abandoned Rolling Acres Mall in Akron, Ohio.  When I looked it up, I realized that this mall was built about five miles from where I was born.  This is one of the many malls I spent time in as a kid.  That show is what first piqued my interest in dead malls.  It was recently demolished.

Here's more of my list of 43 Ideas to reuse dead malls.

#6 Micro Apartments for homeless people.  The apartments are tiny, like the place Bruce Willis had in the movie The Fifth Element.  They rent for about $150- $200 a month, and each one has a bed, a shower, a small closet, and a fridge just big enough to hold a 40.

#7 Wifi Lounge.  It has comfy chairs, tables, electrical outlets everywhere, open areas for hanging out with friends and more secluded spots for working.  Like Starbuck's, but without the $8 coffees.

#8 Pop-Up Restaurant spots at the food court.  You know that idea you have to serve grilled emu and mushroom sandwiches?  Here's a place to test it out before you invest in buying a food truck.

#9 Vintage Shops that sell real old people.  Seriously, there are way too many elderly people in the world.  We all know of one or two we'd like to sell.  Here's a place to find them a good home. 

#10 Indoor Mountain Bike Park.  Have you ever heard of Ray's MTB in Cleveland?  This is an AWESOME idea.  The world needs lots more of these places.  Check this out.

#11 Self Serve Funeral Parlor.  Did you know standard funerals can run $10,000 or more?  Even cremations will run you $2-3,000.  I say we need a do-it-yourself funeral parlor to save money.  Toast some marshmallows and make s'mores while you cremate granny and save money.  Let's put the "fun" back in funeral.

#12 MMA Octagon where politicians fight each other while running for office.  Make 'em earn that cushy job.  If we would have had one of these in November, Hillary would be president.

#13 Boy Band Shooting Gallery.  Real boy bands, live ammunition.  They perform.  You shoot.  Society wins.

You can get a signed and numbered copy of my handmade zine,  43 Ideas to Reuse Dead Malls and Abandoned Buildings, for $6, postage paid in the continental U.S. 

From Homeless to Heroes: Steve Harvey interview with Destorm Power

You may not know it, but both of these guys went from homeless to being stars.  Steve Harvey lived in his car for something like three years as a young comic on the road.  DeStorm Power was couch surfing and singing in the subways before striking it big in social media then on TV.