As if California needed more bad news… What with the ICE raids… And a string of factory closures… And of course all the negative impacts from the trade war. Many of the factory closures nationwide have been old factories (40+ years old) - facilities that were inefficient and outdated. Which is why this latest loss in Vernon, California is so confusing - the factory was less than a decade old! The factory [...]
3 bourbon distilleries go bankrupt as alcohol market abruptly collapses
More rotten news for anyone who enjoys good, American bourbon… Right on the heels of the sudden closure of several beloved whiskey distilleries… Unfortunately now it’s bourbon’s turn as bankruptcies sweep an already weakened American bourbon industry. Some of the biggest ones: Plus there was the heartbreaking closure of Black Button Distilling in Rochester, NY earlier this Summer. The bourbon market has been [...]
2 Michelin starred restaurants abruptly close as crisis spirals
The food service industry has had a rough 2025, no doubt about it. And while the headlines have focused on major chains going bankrupt… Another crisis has been quietly unfolding - as tons of non-chain restaurants are closing, too. The combination of spiraling food and labor costs plus pullbacks in consumer spending are putting restaurants everywhere on the back foot. Even restaurants that have earned a venerable [...]
Utah loses major brewery as alcohol recession accelerates
Utah may not have a reputation for being a big alcohol paradise, but it actually has a good, strong craft beer scene - especially in Salt Lake City. Or - it did until Monster Brewing announced plans to close its brewery in Salt Lake City earlier this year. The loss of the brewery and taproom didn’t just cost 25 jobs - it also eliminated longstanding community ties to the Squatters and Wasatch brands, which were huge [...]
Perdue Farms cuts 300 more jobs as downturn accelerates
Perdue is having a rough year. Falling sales…factory closures and layoffs… Not to mention all the complicated impacts of tariffs, bird flu, trade wars, changing consumer preferences, and more. Unfortunately, the hits keep on coming - Perdue Farms just announced 300 layoffs at its factory in Washington, Indiana - with a whole shift being eliminated on October 10th. This is obviously terrible news for the local [...]
Another North Carolina factory declares bankruptcy as economic crisis spirals
More bad news out of North Carolina as a local factory initiated bankruptcy proceedings in late August. (This is on top of several factory closures that have rocked the economy recently.) In this case, the victim is Origin Food Group, LLC which makes yogurt and drinkable fruit shakes, and has been a pillar in Statesville since 2018. And while this bankruptcy may not spell the end for Origin Foods - at least not yet, [...]
