Costco, Dollar General, and TJ Maxx defy the retail apocalypse

[rcjordan]

More than 2,000 new stores are opening in 2019 as Costco, Dollar General, and TJ Maxx defy the retail apocalypse - Houston Chronicle
https://www.chron.com/technology/businessinsider/article/More-than-2-000-new-stores-are-opening-in-2019-as-13686079.php

[Brad]

Dollar General:

"It reminds me of a craps table," Brown, the commercial real estate analyst, says. "Essentially what the dollar stores are betting on in a large way is that we are going to have a permanent underclass in America. It's based on the concept that the jobs went away, and the jobs are never coming back, and that things aren't going to get better in any of these places."

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-10-11/dollar-general-hits-a-gold-mine-in-rural-america

Looks like they are winning that bet.

[rcjordan]

Dollar General 2019 profit forecast disappoints, shares fall 6 percent | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-dollar-general-results/dollar-general-2019-profit-forecast-disappoints-shares-fall-6-percent-idUSKCN1QV1GR

[rcjordan]

>permanent underclass

A fifth of Americans say they have zero savings | Markets Insider
https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/americans-with-zero-savings-at-20-2019-3-1028029171

[DrCool]

>>permanent underclass

And Costco seems to go the other way and target a more affluent base. Not sure what their average cart size but it has to be well over $200. I rarely go in there and get out for much less than that. And I can get prime briskets there for about $3 per pound which is crazy.

[rcjordan]

Toyota investing $750M at 5 US plants, creating 600 jobs - ABC News
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/toyota-investing-750m-us-plants-creating-600-jobs-61681086

[buckworks]

Hmmm ... over a million dollars per job.

[rcjordan]

"The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment."

http://th3core.com/talk/water-coolerextra/bedtime-story/

[rcjordan]

The average refund as of March 1 was $3,068, up slightly from $3,046 a year ago.

Average tax refunds are up.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/03/14/average-tax-refunds-are-up-by-way-irs-says-it-has-billion-waiting-be-collected/

[Mackin USA]

'Retail apocalypse' now: Analysts say 75,000 more U.S. stores could be doomed.

An estimated 75,000 stores that sell clothing, electronics and furniture will close by 2026, when online shopping is expected to make up 25% of retail sales, according to UBS. Roughly 16% of overall sales are made online.

https://www.lmtonline.com/business/article/Retail-apocalypse-now-Analysts-say-75-000-more-13755644.php

[grnidone]

Russell, Kansas (where I'm at) has 2 Dollar General stores.  Population:  about 4,000 people.