  Spacemonkey Member Username: Spacemonkey Post Number: 450 Registered: 03-2006 |
What kind of signs of the times, besides home "For Sale" signs have you noticed in and around the Detroit area these days of economic uncertainty? I was shopping at Kroger in Troy today, and happened to notice the guys behind the deli counter. Something seemed odd. Not to stereo type or anything, but they were not your usual minimum wage looking grocery workers. They looked exactly like laid off auto engineers: Older, maybe 50+, clean cut and looking like yer well-to-do uncle or something. They just looked out of place, is all. It occurred to me... ok, so here's an example of the people I keep hearing about who are unemployed or under employed working anywhere they can just to get by. Like my friend who is a senior art director in advertising but is working security at the Palace at nights for $7.50/hr. Are there any other social or cultural changes that you've noticed around these parts that seem different than usual? Another one I've seen, for example, is the rash of "gold parties" where people can turn in their gold jewelry for cash. What else.... | ||
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard Post Number: 6001 Registered: 10-2004 |
Engineers and IT workers can be taught fairly easily to ask if a customer wanted fries with his order. When I mystery shopped a couple of East Side Krogers (Gratiot and Kerchival) on several occasions, there were a number of workers in their 50s or 60s there, especially at Lappin--deli, bakery, fish/sea food. However, I would not have placed them as being former professional workers. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 5203 Registered: 12-2005 |
 Will Code HTML For Food | ||
Vivadetroit Member Username: Vivadetroit Post Number: 1 Registered: 04-2008 |
hi all, my first post on the site. one sign of the times.. I was in Warren, across from the Tech Center (12 Mile & Van Dyke), and the Wal-Mart there closed! I am sure it moved somewhere else, but never saw a Wal-Mart close!! usually they just add on..wow | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 4134 Registered: 06-2004 |
Borders has been actively recruiting older employees, with emphasis on the availability of health insurance benefits. Being union Kroger probably has medical benefits, too. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 5204 Registered: 12-2005 |
Borders has a reputation for that. More power to them. | ||
Pdombr Member Username: Pdombr Post Number: 37 Registered: 03-2007 |
I work 3 jobs, none pay all that well. | ||
D_mcc Member Username: D_mcc Post Number: 702 Registered: 12-2007 |
i think the fact that Lasik surgeries are at an all time low is an indicator that times are tough. Its weird to think of...but people aren't spending money on things anymore... | ||
Pdombr Member Username: Pdombr Post Number: 38 Registered: 03-2007 |
Who can afford "things", when everyday the price of gas per barrel reaches an all time high... | ||
Jt1 Member Username: Jt1 Post Number: 11549 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: A Super Walmart was opened just down the road. The closing/relocation was Walmart's decision, not a victim of our horrific economy. PS - Welcome to the forum. | ||
Digitalvision Member Username: Digitalvision Post Number: 771 Registered: 11-2003 |
I drove around the neighborhood this morning and saw too many pink "legal notice foreclosure signs." Most of the people I know that ran into issues ended up leaving. I've got a mentor who brought me into the business and now he's going to Virginia. I think there are bright spots - I have seen some of them, and so have people who I know. I think it's important to look at the positive stuff too and how to overcome the challenges we all face. | ||
Hybridy Member Username: Hybridy Post Number: 245 Registered: 08-2006 |
I have a masters of architecture I am 65k in the hole There isn't an architecture firm in metro-detroit that will even hire, much less pay an experienced graduate architect more than 35k why do i get the feeling that i will have to join the migration of young educated people streaming out of the metro area? THESE ARE SIGNS OF THE TIMES (Message edited by hybridy on April 24, 2008) | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 4137 Registered: 06-2004 |
Architecture could be a rough field nationwide for a while unless you can tap into the richistani market. Check out this article (bearing in mind that some of the states have balanced budget amendments like we do). When states are hurting like this their companies must be, too, so who will build? | ||
Fho Member Username: Fho Post Number: 76 Registered: 11-2003 |
I graduated with a BS in architecture in 2001. Have not been able to get a job anywhere near the field since. It is realistically too late now of course, even if there were any to be had. | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 1993 Registered: 09-2007 |
"one sign of the times.. I was in Warren, across from the Tech Center (12 Mile & Van Dyke), and the Wal-Mart there closed! I am sure it moved somewhere else, but never saw a Wal-Mart close!! usually they just add on..wow" "A Super Walmart was opened just down the road. The closing/relocation was Walmart's decision, not a victim of our horrific economy." I know all Wal-Marts are bad, but this particular location was horrid. Sorta like the Livonia and Dearborn Wal-Marts. Ahh, I feel so comfortable at the Roseville Wal-Mart.  BTW, they had to keep up with their one brave competitor, AKA Meijer. A SuperCenter was the only alternative left. (Message edited by DetroitRise on April 25, 2008) | ||
Flyingj Member Username: Flyingj Post Number: 168 Registered: 08-2006 |
Detroitrise; "I know all Wal-Marts are bad, but this particular location was horrid. Sorta like the Livonia and Dearborn Wal-Marts" The elephant in the room(this thread?) is that's Tech Plaza, the 1st place I ever got "lost" at. That Wal-Mart was originally a Kmart, started by the S.S. Kresge Co.-Detroit's own. 'til Wal-Mart hit town with their right-to-work state & Bottom Line attitude(y'ever been to Bentonville, AR?, something very Soviet about the place) I know 3 people who lost their jobs when Kmart went down, now that they were merged with Sears whatever jobs were in Troy are in Chicago now. I thought I read somewhere that Wal-Mart will also kneecap Meijer's in 5 years or so. Cripes, that's the Sign Of Your Times! | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 1994 Registered: 09-2007 |
Flyingj, please tell me what's your point (if you even have one) because I don't understand a word you typed. | ||
Bigb23 Member Username: Bigb23 Post Number: 1329 Registered: 11-2007 |
When I got off work at 11:30 pm from a contract job, I stopped in a Meijers to shop while they were re-stocking shelves. Asking an older clerk (50's), where I could find an item, we started to chit chat. He told me he was a mechanical designer at a well known Utica firm for 25 years when he and others were given the one day heave-ho without notice. My point being that the Bush Admin. has always touted how great the 4.5 national jobless rate is. But how many of that group lost their $20/ hr wage with benefits, only to have to work for $8/ hr sans benefits, to survive? No wonder that all the other industries are suffering now. (Restaurant, recreation, travel, electronics, etc.). | ||
Bobceng Member Username: Bobceng Post Number: 61 Registered: 04-2008 |
Sign of the times: the Legal Notices section of local newspapers is getting bigger by the week. Thank god, the Obits haven't (yet). | ||
Bobceng Member Username: Bobceng Post Number: 62 Registered: 04-2008 |
Sign of the times, automotive division: every car ad now lists the gas mileage (except Hummer...if ya gotta ask, you can't afford it). | ||
Sailor_rick Member Username: Sailor_rick Post Number: 214 Registered: 02-2004 |
People are unloading their internal-combustion “toys” at a rapid rate. Craig’s List, the local rags and E-Bay (and driveways) are clogged with motorcycles, hot-rods, boats and snow-mobiles. Great if you’re a buyer but tough and often emotional, “Oh, man I had those high-compression heads ported and polished instead of Juniors braces and you’re only offering me five?” if you’re selling. | ||
Higgs1634 Member Username: Higgs1634 Post Number: 391 Registered: 10-2005 |
quote: Well, 4.5 is almost 2x better than Michigan's. In fact 3-5%, by economist's standards, is a fully employed system. Here in the land of 7% and up, I would think we'd be striving to reach 4.5% instead of sneering at it. Where is your criticism of Granholm? Or is it all Engler's and Bush's fault still? quote: How many of that group had artificially high and unsustainable wage and benefit packages ? The time, for the rest of the country anyway, has long since past where one could expect (or demand) life long, high wage employment, on a high school diploma (or less). We are all paying for the anti-education and entitlement mentality that has become part of the DNA in this rust belt backwater. Sign of the times? A large slovenly woman loading bag after bag of crap into her beat up 10 year old ford explorer. Said vehicle was, of course, parked in a handicapped spot (with no handicap plate or designation. Said vehicle was also sporting a bumper sticker that read "Out of a job yet? Keep buying foreign"....and.... wait for it.... this was at WALMART. If ever there was a time for a camera phone. | ||
Tetsua Member Username: Tetsua Post Number: 1556 Registered: 01-2004 |
Sign of the times is when you pay more for gas in a month, than you do on your car note, and insurance. | ||
Spacemonkey Member Username: Spacemonkey Post Number: 465 Registered: 03-2006 |
Did any of you look at houses for sale last weekend during the Tri-County Big Open House? My wife and I went through a few houses in Beverly Hills and Birmingham. There were hundreds for sale, but very few prospective buyers signing in on the Open House sheet, like 2 to 4 people. And desperate looking realtors. It was depressing. | ||
Darwinism Member Username: Darwinism Post Number: 735 Registered: 06-2005 |
Two things I noticed as signs of the times; 1. Local municipalities (such as Warren, Roseville, Fraser, Rochester Hills) are desperate for money and having traffic police 'throw darts' at any moving vehicle that could pay fines. After all, police officers make good overtime pay on taxpayer dollars being in court regardless of the judgment. And local district courts could certainly pay the magistrates and judges better, if more traffic revenue can be generated. 2. While driving down Gratiot from Eastpointe into downtown Detroit, there was quite a backup at the couple of pawnshops where street parking extended out to 2 lanes in front of the stores. Many folks are hurting financially, and need to 'liquidate' the 'bling' to put gas in their cars and food on the dinner tables. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 177 Registered: 03-2008 |
Detroitrise, I am guessing his post had something to do with Walmart kicking out the old tenant, which was K-Mart. Then he alluded to K-mart's merger with Sears, and then relocating it's headquarters to Chicago. Then he talked about Walmart taking out Meijer. My best guess is the jist of it was (I guess) that many jobs are leaving Michigan? Not sure what happened down in Alabama. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 398 Registered: 11-2007 |
Architecture grads looking for downtown lofts for 500 bucks. | ||
Skylark Member Username: Skylark Post Number: 43 Registered: 08-2007 |
I went to that Walmart at 12 mile and Van Dyke just once. I'd have to say that was the worst shopping experience in my life. The store was filthy, other shoppers were screaming, stuff was falling off the shelves, and I couldn't even find a kitchen drain board. I'm glad to hear the placed has closed down. BTW I've never bought anything at any of the Walmarts. I was just curious as to what this Walmart thing was all about. Now I know. YIKES! | ||
Retroit Member Username: Retroit Post Number: 17 Registered: 04-2008 |
I've seen several gas stations go out of business lately. Maybe the owners weren't gouging us after all! (That was a joke.) | ||
Trainman Member Username: Trainman Post Number: 683 Registered: 04-2006 |
We could save money by voting NO next August 2010 on the SMART property renewal. Federal laws would then require the Michigan Department of Transportation to restore about $32 Million per year to SMART. Not a single job would be lost and every single rider who relies on bus service would still be served by federal laws. A Yes vote only means that you support the state cuts and the multi billion SEMCOG 2030 freeway expansion plans in the city of Detroit and nearby suburbs which will add over 25 miles of new lanes and you support shifting tax dollars to the wealthier outer suburbs to get rail service and more roads. |
