NEW YORK — Americans held back on spending during the start of the holiday shopping season, a troubling sign for retailers and the state of the U.S. economy. U.S. retail sales fell a seasonally adjusted 1.1% in November, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. It was the biggest drop in...
Will COVID Kill the Region’s Last Surviving Sears Store?
The Sears department store at Sierra Vista Mall could soon fade into history, according to a report Friday in the Los Angeles Times. The Clovis mall is home to the once-dominant retailer's last surviving "full line" store in a Valley region stretching from Bakersfield to Manteca. And, it's among 10...
US Retail Sales Rise for 3rd Month but Slowdown Expected
WASHINGTON — Americans increased their spending at retail stores and restaurants in July for a third straight month, but some evidence suggests that sales are weakening with the expiration of government rescue aid that had previously put more money in people's pockets. Friday's report from the Commerce Department showed that retail...
Heard About America’s Coin Shortage? Here’s How You Can Cash In.
If you have a stash of loose coins in a jar sitting on a shelf somewhere, your country needs you. That's because there's a shortage of coins circulating in the U.S. economy these days, brought on by widespread pandemic lockdowns. With stores closed, cash transactions plummeted. Coins that would have...
US Retail Sales Plunged a Record 16% in April as Virus Hit
BALTIMORE — U.S. retail sales tumbled by a record 16.4% from March to April as business shutdowns caused by the coronavirus kept shoppers away, threatened the viability of stores across the country and further weighed down a sinking economy. The Commerce Department’s report Friday on retail purchases showed a sector...
Lowe’s and Costco Will be Closed Easter Sunday. Here’s What’s Open in Fresno for Projects & Groceries.
Lowe's has announced it will be closed on Easter Sunday, joining Costco, Target and Trader Joe's in giving their employees the holiday off. Other retailers have observed the holiday in the past. For Lowe's the decision to close on Easter Sunday is new this year. To show appreciation to our...
Fresno Cannabis: Social Equity and When Stores Might Open
Proposed new guidelines and maps in advance of a Fresno City Council discussion show where cannabis businesses may locate, who may work there, and what the social equity component could look like. The council will discuss a new round of regulations at 11 a.m. Thursday at City Hall. Listen to...
Hidden in Plain Sight: California Illegal Pot Market Booming
LOS ANGELES — California's struggling legal cannabis industry is expected to grow this year to $3.1 billion, but it remains outmatched by a thriving illegal market ripe with bargains, a report concluded Thursday. Consumers are spending roughly $3 in the state's underground pot economy for every $1 in the legal...
Fresno Unemployment Rate Rises, But Better Than a Year Ago
Fresno County continues to enjoy the fruits of the strong U.S. economy under President Donald Trump, according to the latest figures released by the state of California. However, Fresno County's unemployment rate, at 7.6% for June, remains well above the national (4.2%) and state rates (4.5%). Clovis continues to have the strongest...