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Monthly Archives: October 2013

Time For Change or My Letter to Sears Holdings


I posted this letter on Sears Forum Website, I wonder if any upper management will read it?

In my 70 years of life, I have spent 35-40 yrs in retail and experience in export and import. The condition of the Sears and Kmart stores is more like Big Lots where one expects to see empty shelves, items in disarray and the store in general -messy! This is not how Kmart and Sears should look! Instead of saving money on the backs of the employees, Management(?) should be putting money (which is deducible) in upgrades and major repairs to give customers the look and feel of a vibrant store. Some of the stores have heating plants as old as I am, the floors are patched with mismatched (cut to fit) floor tiles and some cases missing. The question I ask is would you have your personal home look this way? Who ever is in charge be it a board or single entity needs to spend some time in these store without an entourage sucking up to them. It just takes a quick walk through these stores to see the problems.If I see them then think about how many others see them and say nothing but shopping elsewhere. If this was one store in this sad state, that manager would be dismissed, since it is multiple stores, who should shoulder the blame? I am strongly suggesting upgrading these stores to at least 1970,use the resources of the many employees who are still working (since they cannot retire due the pension reforms put in place), they know more about this business than top management and the board.

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As The World Squirms


It has been my opinion for several years that  business owners and managers should have worked in an industry to run it. The Current CEO of these companies has made a joke out of 2 American icons. He has sold off parts of the business to get cash and has put no money into either business as far as store upgrades and computer systems. To top it off the long term employees who are left are primarily part time and without the pension package they worked 30 plus years for in some cases. These two institutions are being mismanaged from top to bottom with the workers and store managers taking the hit.  The article below is indicative of that.

By Ashley Lutz | Business Insider – Mon, Oct 21, 2013 8:26 AM EDT

 Sears, once America’s golden retailer, is a company in crisis. 

The company has shuttered hundreds of stores in recent years. The embattled company has been selling some its most profitable stores to raise money. 

Brian Sozzi, chief equities strategist at Belus Capital Advisors, took poignant photos inside of New Jersey  and New York Sears locations. 

“To understand why Sears is in a ‘sell stores mode’ one must look no further than the stores themselves, where the truth is to be found,” Sozzi writes. 

His photos show the sad reality of what Sears is today. 

Sears’ mannequins are outdated in comparison with competitors like Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, and JCPenney, Sozzi says. “If you are living darn near paycheck to paycheck, does this presentation excite you about making a purchase with a couple saved up electronic dollars?”

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

Sozzi points out that this display is confusing. “Huh? A random football themed carpet with no promotion around it?” he says.

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

“What’s the deal in the back of this electronics department?” Sozzi asks. “Does Best Buy look like this? Or, how about the electronics sections at Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, and BJ’s Wholesale? Nope.”

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

The shoe department isn’t adequately stocked, with empty shelves.

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

“The team can’t find any way to repurpose abandoned portrait studios into something that drives traffic and sales?” Sozzi asks. “The consistently dark zones give a ‘going out of business’ feel to nearby departments that actually log some sales, which include appliances and baby.”

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

Lights are out in the store. “This is not great for flattering a potential customer trying on merchandise,” Sozzi writes.

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

“This is where the store underinvestment appears loud and ugly,” Sozzi says.

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

“Attack of the female basics? Look at the lack of organization,” Sozzi says.sears decline

Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

Associates weren’t on hand to help make purchases in this disorganized department, Sozzi says.

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

These displays are almost totally empty.

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

“Toys stacked on a shelf next to an escalator by the shoe department,” Sozzi writes.

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

Again, Sears is disorganized. “Accessories are some of the only discretionary items selling in the mall with consistency these days,” Sozzi writes. “Best of luck navigating this flea market experience.”

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

The men’s department is overwhelming. “Inventory excess…an entire department of it!” Sozzi says. “Who is in charge of planning and allocation?”

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

The beauty department also lacks innovation in comparison with competitors. “JCPenney has Sephora. Macy’s newly remodeled stores have an array of associates at the ready to assist in cosmetics, ditto Lord & Taylor,” Sozzi says. “Ulta stores are popping up everywhere. Sears, well, yeah.”

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

“Retail is detail? Not here,” Sozzi writes.

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

The random clothing racks are confusing to customers and show a lack of organization.

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

This mat appears to be shabby and stained.

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

Sozzi left the store with an empty cart.

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Brian Sozzi/Belus Capital Advisors

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Field of Nightmares


The city council of Springfield In their inimitable fashion has denied approval of a zoning change  allowing locating the “Helping Hands” organization to a building previously occupied by Ace Sign Company. This location while located next to a retirement facility is an ideal location for this agency. The objections appear to be the same ones that has caused the neediest and homeless of Springfield to be shuffled from one location to another by a city ordinance of some sort. No one wants  the homeless (which is why they are homeless in some cases) , no one wants to see them or be near them, except the organizations like helping hands. There have been locations touted that would take the homeless out of the downtown area and away from the resources that helps support them. Most of the folks are homeless due to overcrowding in mental facilities, loss of employment and thereby housing or other overflow facilities. Some are military veterans who deserve better. It appears that the city leaders want to hide the problems instead of correcting them. The situation is that no one wants to see the issue for what it is failure by the city leaders to address a problem that has been around for years and now want it to go away quietly. Why not just buy a field and put them in it with a fence around it? It worked for Hitler!

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Whose Well Being Is It?


Recently  the  CEO of   the Springfield Urban League has been selected to the Board  of security bank, while this is quite an honor for her as CEO  of The Springfield  Urban League ,it is  less of an honor for the Head Start program administered  by the Springfield Urban League. Since 2010 the program has steadily declined due to funding cuts coupled with while the administrators seemingly prospered. After several plus years of  lack luster administration  Head Start is losing 2 to 3 locations due to administrative  errors in judgment and infighting against a duly elected Union. Through the determined and pointed  opposition to unionization many longtime employees were dismissed to the detriment of the program and its clients (which is most of the Eastside). It is certainly wonderful that that the CEO has been accorded this  honor  but what about the clients (parents and children) and employees of Head Start? This is a situation where  a prominent person whose personal and public espousals indicate that their service area  is  their prime focus but their actions  tell another story. Ask the parents and employees of Head Start if their well being is being secured by this organization.

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20 Is The New 40


The common theme is women should have mammograms beginning at 40, that is apparently not necessarily so. Recently my daughter (36) after her own normal self exam, discovered an abnormality. Upon seeing her medical provider , the abnormality was biopsied and discovered to be “pre cancerous”. After further examination and tests it was discovered that it is indeed an early stage cancer. The treatment will be chemo first to shrink it then surgery to remove it . This will take place over a period of at minimum 6 months. The point being that women should be taught to self exam, and start taking mammograms at 20 years instead of waiting until 40. I know there is a lot of information on Breast Cancer but often many women ignore or cannot afford exams beyond the self exam. It is incumbent upon all families to have records on the family health as well as the currently popular genealogical trend. There is no shame in recording all ancestral health issues regardless of the type and cause. These records will allow for better overall treatment of your family’s health and possible prevention of catastrophic illnesses in the future. In many cases lack of health information is a no win situation. Steps to take:

1. Make sure your children have regular medical and dental care

2. Have all medical records (ancestral and current) available to the family.

3. Do not take your health for granted

4. Eat as healthy as you can.

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Shots Or Not


The firearm paranoia has reached the stage of ridiculous. A recent opinion wondered why the NRA did not address a state law against tossing cigarette butts out of car window (moving or not was not addressed in the opinion), third offense is a felony which upon conviction would negate the person from owning or buying a firearm. Looking at the reason for the law: lighted cigarettes tossed from a moving car could and has been the start of fires along the roadsides (many of the highways are bordered by fields and forests). The writer appears to be more concerned about his personal rights rather than the possible effect of an uncontrolled fire on a community. In Pennsylvania a campus wide alert was issued vis Email due to a “shot fired” report. It appears that the “shot” heard was the sound of newspapers being delivered. I have delivered papers and can fully understand how that sound could be construed as a gunshot yet jumping to confusions over noises that sound like with no investigation is a bit over the top. This is not say we should not be alert and aware, just a bit more prudent in reporting so we do not become “FOX News”. The recent passage od a concealed carry law in Illinois is big news as this is the last State that will allow it. The approved providers of training are all very busy with waiting lists before the actual law goes into effect and will no doubt have some kinks to work out. It is hoped that Illinois can finally make a law that works  rather than a  penalizing statute which costs more to implement with little of the desired effect.

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When They Get There


Why is it that so many political aspirants put out blurbs that they are going to change the way government works? Politics and government are entities that are so firmly rooted in the pockets of BIG business that change is difficult at best. This is not to say that business should not have influence but not a strangle hold. It appears that many elected Government legislators have roots in the legal profession which serves well in writing laws but not so well in governing. This legal basis allows for some expertise but not complete authoritative ability to legislate. I suggest we (voters) disregard the rhetoric in politics and look at the facts (not the media generated facts  or sound bites that seem plausible). It takes a lot of reading to determine what  information is as correct as we can find and we as voters will spend more time on social media than reading several available publications where views cover these situations with a broader and less biased approach. To have a specific sector dictate policy is disastrous, just look at the current situation where the government is all but closed down by a small number of legislators  or the legislators who are out of office for suggesting some reasonable changes in the method of background checks for firearms purchases. I am a firearms owner and I sure do not want anyone who is mentally impaired  or illegally ineligible to legally obtain firearms. We have a crisis in government and possibly due to our own reluctance to move beyond the media blitzes by factions who do not represent ALL of the American people yet purport to. This country is one of the few that allows free speech to all but the voters need to insure these free speeches are real and not made up to help several instead of many.

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Mums The Word


Everyone has had or heard about wasps building or attempting to build a nest. Most insecticides do little to stop them, however there is one that does the job. Any product that has pyrethrins, pyrethrins are derived from Chrysanthemums, the fall flower that we have in our gardens or buy at the store. The most effective product is an aerosol that allows you to spray over a distance of 25 feet and has instant effect. Several manufacturers have this but all have the extract from the “Mum” as an ingredient. A product with this extract as an ingredient is effective for wasps, bees and many other colonizing insects that have become pests. I have inserted a definition of the product for those who do not mind reading.

* The pyrethrins are a pair of natural organic compounds normally derived from Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium that have potent insecticidal activity. Pyrethrins are neurotoxins that attack the nervous systems of all insects. When present in amounts not fatal to insects, they still appear to have an insect repellent effect. Pyrethrins are gradually replacing organophosphates and organochlorides as the pesticide of first choice. They are non-persistent, being biodegradable, and break down on exposure to light or oxygen. The chemical structure of pyrethrins inspired the production of a variety of synthetic insecticides called pyrethroids such as bifenthrin, permethrin, and cypermethrin.*

The lesson today is: “Mum’s” the word!

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Leaves


I recently purchased a leaf collector for my riding mower, I previously collected leaves with a lawn sweeper. The lawn sweeper while much easier to use than a leaf rake (a lot easier) still left me a little more than tired and blowing leaf “dander” out of my nasal passages. The lawn sweeper allowed me to collect the many leaves in as little as 8 to 12 passes, still less time than a leaf rake. The leaf collector pulls the leaves into the mower blades where they are chopped up and blown into the collection bags at the rear of the mower. This takes as little as 3 passes and collects more as the leaves are chopped up. Once full the bags lift off and can be dumped into the burn pile. The burning  goes a lot faster as the leaves are smaller and ignite quicker and I can get rid of my weekly newspapers/ junk mail at the same time. This may appear to be a small matter but if you ever raked a lot of leaves then you can appreciate not having to do it with a rake!  Hoorake for leaf collectors!

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Hostage Rescue


How do we rescue hostages? Call Israel! Apparently  the American public is in a hostage situation with the House holding up government funding that keeps the country running. Think about the vacation you take and planned to take, what about the sight seeing tour you were going to take some friends and relatives on to National historic sites? Forget about it! The House has decided its better to close down the government rather than create a budget to keep the country running.  The Affordable Care Act is law, changes need to be made in the structure of amendments but to the degree that it would improve it  not dismantle it. By the time 2014 arrives , millions of Americans will have taken advantage of this health care law and to undo, repeal or even upend this law is as near to massacre of civilians  as any mid eastern country. There has been more negative, erroneous and misinformation presented on this than in Watergate (for those who remember it). We are in the clutches of  crazy people  who in their insanity think we approve of their actions. The end result of this will be that Affordable Health Care will still exist and many of them come election time will not.

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