Do ya just love capitalism?

*So lets say Wal-mart is the only store let in Janesville and their corporate office finds out about this. What do you think they are going to do? Lower their prices. NO they are going to raise them. Why? cause there will be no other place to shop*

Then you could open up your own store and undercut them. That's kind of how capitalism works.

You know what would be interesting...is if someone would start a website about the area's businesses, where people could put their opinions.

For example, if I had a bad experience with such-and-such, I could post that there, just as if I had a good experience.

I'll just say this - as a former employee of the "pit-o-hell" that is also known as Best Buy by kinder folk, I could tell y'all some stories.

sorry not impressed lately with Dave the owners attitude either. He seems okay if he KNOWS youre spending money but if you just call and have a question FELT VERY put off. Got put on hold for 10 minutes because there were people in the store "he had to help first". Sorry to bother you.

Team electronics sells i-pods

I love how the people that complain about walmart get to keep their posts up here, but I complain about being treated like crap at Best buy and I get deleted... No censorship here on the Gazette!

maybe lullu does like I do. I dont have much money now but if I want an xmas gift I put it on a ZERO % store card for a year and make smalll payments on it threw out the year and get it paid off. lots of stores do this with only a $300 purchase. So her i pod will be only $25 a month for a year. mind your own business. she may be ginving up something else in lieu if the $25 a month as well.

They should put a ban on the grilling your own steaks. That smoke from the grills is toxic!!!

why do you need a new one if your so poor? Shouldn't you feed you family

not new ones

BUT no locally owned store sells things like Ipod's do they?

luluberry_0981 and your the same person who bashes me and opinions. Gezzz any local operation would go out of its wasy to make things right

Thank you!

Oh and let the apple people know how you were treated at your best buy. They don't like to hear about this type of stuff. If you want a warranty by apple care for apple products. No I don't work for them but I usually buy extended warranties from the manufacturer and not 3rd parties. Best Buy is notorious for selling these warranties they don't stand behind.

lulu call apple if you just bought this a few months ago. Apple warranties are good for a year and they usually stand behind them.

So what are we blogging about again? Oh yeah, PQ shutting its doors after the first of the year. Oh, wait, someone brought up JC Penny too.

I've been to PQs in Madison and Janesville. I must admit, the Madison store used so much oil to block the discoloration of air on the surface of their steaks, all I could taste was Crisco! I've always had good service, great food, and awesome cocktails at the Janesville location.

I'll be sad to see them go... if and when they do... but honestly... I don't believe it has ANYTHING to do with GM closing. Its the general state of the economy.

Talking about purchasing from the "big box" stores, vs the locally owned and operated community stores... I prefer to shop at Piggly Wiggly here in Milton as opposed to Woodmans. Since they have remodeled, it is an excellent facility for competitive prices and fabulous selection.

Walmart? Of course I shop there for shampoo, TP, household necessities... Food? Nope, I don't go there. Even though, a lot of the produce is ok.

I really don't get why this is a big deal either... probably just a rumor, but what owner is going to announce "going out of business" before the end of the TAX year? Seriously folks, if they close - it is due to the economy... We'll see more closings of this nature before things settle down.

newsfan5, KFC is rebuilding their store.

kfc- is rebuilding in the SAME spot.
I saw a pic in a jvl book when they were building the mall in 1971 and it was the old look. red and white carnival top on it. blk white pic but i remember that.

sorry I didnt proofread till now. not a glass of wine a BOTTLE. hahah

i love cooking texas toast while drinking a nice glass of red wine. cheeks rosey from the tanins(did i spell that correctly JOKER) who cares if I didnt.And the heat of the grill. just went a couple weeks ago.

Also JOKER wroteAgain, the grammar and spelling on this blog is really embarassing. "Loosers"? Ah, ok.

Before everyone heads to Prime Quarter, I would suggest you call first to see if they are open. I always have someone else cook my steak so I guess you can count me out tonight
"

maybe you better use your spell check as well. embarRassing. and losers. I am sure it was just a typo though right?? so maybe YOU should proofread and leave ME and others alone about their grammer.

elementviagra- haha sorry SP and YES I AM CALLING HIM ON IT. shoudl I check all his other comments as well???
btw joker- i do work I am her now.

newsfan5: They tore down KFC and are rebuilding it last I heard. I thought it was going to be in the same location, but maybe not.

Northman: Very good points! I agree with everything you mention. Though I understand businesses can't give too much notice, some level of humanity should be taken into consideration. In addition, I find your comments on Walmart refreshing. I don't shop at any one store exclusively and there are many situations when I shop small businesses because of the quality or service. Nonetheless, Walmart offers a good variety at reasonable prices. As a result, I shop Walmart on occasion also. I also agree that Super Walmart and Sam's are a draw to the city. There would not be much reason for out of towner's to stop here other than to refuel and take a potty break if it weren't for such stores.

Hey did I miss something what happened to the KFC across from the mall?

angel wings- most things are cheaper in the store than going out to eat. except the mcd $1 menu. I have stayed away though for a month. trying to get my figure back haha.trying the acustaple in the ear and it is working well!!

Joker-Personally, I would rather be considered "looser" than a "loser"... ;>

I only hope that if the place is closing, Mr. Sanger will be a little more classy then the lady who ran Shaky’s. On a Thursday, she told her employees that Sunday was their last day. Sure, you can’t give restaurant employees a month’s notice, but that was unbelievably shabby.

I’m not sure how Wal-Mart wandered into this thread, but before getting all puffy about the place, pro or con, it’s worth remembering that you can go to Wal-Mart one day, and to a Mom & Pops another. Depending on convenience, and what you’re looking for. It’s not an all-or-nothing proposition. Remember too that the Wal-Mart is bringing business to Janesville from the surrounding areas. Folks from Darien, Edgerton, et al who might rarely have come to Janesville will make a special trip to shop at Wal-Mart or Sam’s. Every extra dollar brought into Janesville now is badly needed and helps our overall economy.

Joker, I think the moral to this story is no one cares where this rumor started....end of story. I got a job for you and your "sources".... the Onion.

Excellent, I had heard the rumor and was disappointed because it's my favorite place for steaks. So it's good to hear the rumor was false.

Joker - I'm just as much of a spelling & grammar Nazi as you (probably even more so) and I twitch as well when someone errs, but just because someone spells ONE WORD wrong ("looser") doesn't mean you need to make a point of it just for the sake of embarrassing someone. You don't need to be a literary genius to contribute a valid opinion. Have some respect.
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I'm sure you've never personally made a mistake but I'll just say that you should probably be sure that you proofread your own comments very carefully because if you ever even make one mistake, you will be called on it.

After shoveling the sidewalk tonight, I sure could go for a steak at Prime Quarter, just to feel the heat from the grill as I cook it. I might even go for medium-well, instead of the usual medium-rare just to enjoy a couple more minutes by the charcoal.

Well, of course any business owner in their right mind is not going to give their employees a heads up on whether or not they have intentions to close. Otherwise, employees would stop showing up for work or do a poor job in the last few weeks of business if they knew their job would soon be gone anyway. I understand not all employers would act this way, but trust me, at that place, I wouldn't put it past them or some of the employees. We'll see how great business is going for them in the next few months....

angle....., you'd love south Florida, it's coupon heaven.

No suicide for me grandpa. I actually hope Obama becomes the president he said he wants to be We’ll know soon enough if he can when we see whether it’s Obama or those partisan power brokers in Congress that drive the agenda. By the way, the pendulum has swung to the left and it will swing to the right again, so don’t throw away your therapist’s number.
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Wasn’t it you about a week ago that you wrote “No snow here....never has, never will.” while taunting us here about our bad weather from your nice warm Nevada abode? Didn’t it snow there yesterday? I see the temperature there is 37, assuming you live near the strip. Life is just full of surprises isn’t it? Dreaming of a white Christmas?

Dont know about anyone else here but, I only go to Prime Quarter if I have a coupon. It is cheaper to buy my steaks at Loglis and cook them myself!(tastes better,too) No offense intended to them, but Im on a budget !

but see since I don't work at GM you never knew I donated quite frequently

I already do.

Glad to see Billnewbie back in action. Nice to see he has recovered from the Obama Presidential landslide. Had to be a tough period of therapy.

Hey Jvldude... How about instead of spending all that money you donate some of it to LOCAL charities? Since you make so much with your secure job and all....

Nope I wouldn't be broke I make good living and my job is secure. I can spend as I like

This discussion has really gotten silly. Either get serious or go somewhere else.

Can anyone tell me where this rumor first started? Does anybody care about this?

Jvldude: You might be broke before you even make it to all of those places haha. Have a blast

wait i think i buy some gray's beer and soda too

I'm going to go buy coffee and a breakfast sandwich at big able bagels or mocha moment, and go buy a washer and dryer at rock county appliance or wahls, and I am going to go x-mas shopping downtown Janesville. Then i'm going to.
I think I'm going to stop at Berts barbershop too and get my hair cut as well then I'll stop over to the new coffee shop next door. While I'm down town I might stop are Carousel consignments and look around. Be local buy local. Shop as wal-mart if you don't understand how macro or micro economics work.
If i ever feel bad about myself I just walk though wal-mart on my way to milton

If WALMART was so evil, why did I get such HUGE bonuses every year when I worked there? They care about their employees and the neighborhoods that they have stores in. Some people are just ignorant and feel they need to bitch about everything that they think is "evil". Honestly people... And really, the people who complain the most are the ones who have to be FIRST IN LINE whenever there is something on sale that they just have to have!

Yeah get pissed off and spend all your money at wal-mart and send all your money to china

Oh no! Not MERCY! Just be sure to get any prescriptions they give you from WALMART! They have that nifty $4 thing going on ya know! :P

LOL lulu! Yes, I'm also going to get into my FORD, but I'm going to go to MERCY and let them give me a bunch of bogus information so they can say they helped someone... someone else because I already know the answer to the reason I'm going, but had to get the order from my MERCY doctor for my FMLA stuff.

So, I am going to get into my FORD and drive to WALMART to buy all my CHRISTMAS presents... And just to piss you off, I am gonna go get my new washer and dryer at BEST BUY!

Again, the grammar and spelling on this blog is really embarassing. "Loosers"? Ah, ok.

Before everyone heads to Prime Quarter, I would suggest you call first to see if they are open. I always have someone else cook my steak so I guess you can count me out tonight.

Opinionsforfree:

Wow you love Janesville so much and obviously the gazette. Do you have any friends? I would guess not because you are always sooo negative and post on the gazette multiple times on every subject. Do you have a job? You must be rich if you can afford to buy everything local. Put money into Mom and Pops pockets so they can just go spend it on their own big ticket items..

Walmart Rules!!!!

How about this? Do you eat at all local resturants too? Uh oh better not go to mcdonalds, burger king, etc.. The "man" might be making too much money off of you and pay low wages to their workers.

I'm not spreading rumors, I'm just hungry :D

"What does J.C.Penny and Prime Quarter have in common?"

According to the Gazette nothing.Yet they still made the print...
I call an epic fail, again...

gabby06 - "Why is the Gazette feeding this rumor?" You know why - this paper loves to fuel rumors instead of reporting the truth.

Anyway I'm down for meeting up at PQ tonight. Is someone going to cook my steak? I'm too lazy too and just like eating the Texas Toast

Seriously, it takes a bunch of loosers who have no life to create gossip and non-truths about stores and businesses closing. You need to get off your butt and get a job instead of spreading lies.....

lmao, that might be worth the trip ;)

I think we should all get together and eat at Prime Quarter tonight as a group. I'll start a rumor about TheJoker and see how comes out when it finally gets around the grill. If I get flaming Texas Toast thrown at me, that means it worked and the result will be printed in the Gazette tomorrow for further comment.

Nope, I don't work :))

Hmmmmmmm...where do all these rumors come from? Especially in Janesville. Oh...Wait...look below...look above. I doubt it comes from all these intelligent comments. Hey does anyone want to "Comment Wrestle".

Oh...I did it again...I joined this great club here in the Gazette.

Does anyone else here work besides me? Looks like some people have too much time on their hands.

Now I too am thinking about a nice juicy steak tonight.

All this talk of food makes mommy HUNGRY!!!!

Hmm, just read about the interstate back up near Beloit and I think I'll just stay in town and eat at Jersey's. It's not grill your own, but their bacon wrapped fillet is delicious!

You know I think I might hit PQ tonight myself as well

Yeah if you ever want to feel great about yourself just go to wal-mart

Mmmm, I'm hungry for steak now. I may have to go there tonight!

Don't worry Opinionsforfree, I'm not having any trouble distinguishing you from my father, I'm just having trouble distinguishing the intent of your seemingly contradictory paternalistic-like directives that you addressed to me.

The Joker, Spark and I are not your daddy we are not telling you what to do. we are offering our opinions on the article that the gazette published. We live in America. You don't have to like our opinions and we don't have to like yours. Isn't that great?

I love to go to Wal Mart just to listen to the ilk ponder outloud such deep philosophical questions as, "Are fish amphibians?" True story.
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I don't actually ever buy anything there. I just go for the entertainment.

Spark is right competition is good for the consume. Some of you would have learned that in school. So lets say Wal-mart is the only store let in Janesville and their corporate office finds out about this. What do you think they are going to do? Lower their prices. NO they are going to raise them. Why? cause there will be no other place to shop. BTW I was at wal-mart a long time ago, and I found things cheaper a ton cheaper at farm and fleet and woodmans, Ace etc. All you wal-mart shoppers are brainwashed into thinking your getting the best price when you go there.

There are many points here that I agree with and others I agree to disagree with. True, there will be the short-term effects of the GM, etc. closings. But, I have to agree that Jville will survive. Oh my goodness! Jville is going to turn into a Beloit! Is that a bad thing? Yes and no. Yes, because there will be a POSSIBLE mass exodus of people from Jville. No, because Jville residents as a whole will always think they are better than those of Beloit. There is still that stigma that Beloit is such a horrible place. It's not. The people of Beloit have been through a lot of closings and have learned to pick themselves up and move on. There are ways to move on. Get over this initial 'shocker.' There are plenty of cities and towns that got over this.

LOL, whatever Joker. doom and gloom, doom and gloom. life sucks, what will we dooooooo......
+++ Me? I am eating out at Prime Quarter in a couple weeks!!!

No, I can't stand unions either. I'm not telling you where to shop. I'm telling you it's part of the problem. In simpler terms, one store cannot support a community. Multiple stores help a community prosper.

Spark, why do you hate WalMart? Is it because it is non-union?! Quit telling people where to shop.

Momo, hope you have a backup plan for your dining plans. I would suggest you call ahead.

Opinon, no, I am not the grammar police. I just cannot ignore such blatant mistakes and errors. I would suggest everyone use spell check. Otherwise it makes your post look even worse.

billnewbie. I am not your daddy I am not telling you what to do. I am offering my opinions on the article that the gazette published. We live in America. You don't have to like my opinion and I don't have to like yours. Isn't that great?

Edgewater, thank you for the idea. I will have the eggnog but without the brandy. I think it ruins the flavor.

I cannot relax when there are so many clueless people here in Janesville.

billnewbie- That type of mentality does nothing but hurt a small town like Janesville. If you want to shop at Wal-Mart, that's your choice. But you or anyone else that shops there, should never once complain about the economy of this local community. If you're buying everything you need at one store, you are in no way, shape or form helping the cause. You know as well as anyone else, smart or not, a small business can't compete with Wal-Mart. Impossible. That is part of the problem. You saving money buy shopping there is your business and I would never criticize someone for saving money. But like I said, those same people should never complain about the economy when other stores vanish which is a direct effect of that. Stocks don't do much good when the economy is in the toilet.

God forbid some people who have an open or closed mind might make a typo

Well said etown. I too have had that happen. Also, before you use the card, verify it has money still on it. Sometimes clerks enter the information wrong on it or they pocket the money. You leave thinking you bought a gift card and then look foolish trying to buy something with a card that has no value on it. This too has happened to me.

So which is it, Opinionsforfree, am I to take Wal-Mart and shove it, or can I do what's best for me (not that you have any power or influence other than persuasion to affect my choice)?

Joker~ Keep buying into the "doom and gloom" and keep whining "poor me, poor janesville" and your world will quickly follow your attitude.
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Billnewbie: I am liking your attitude, and agree 100% with you.
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I have reservations at Prime Quarter in a couple weeks and cannot WAIT for my yummy yummy food!

oh no the spelling and grammar police are out. Everyone beware

I remember I was employed with PrimeCast. We had a big meeting. At this big meeting they said "don't worry, we're not closing". A week later the Beloit foundry shut down. They had another meeting. They told us "don't worry, the South Beloit foundry is safe" and let employess 'bump' less senior employees. Another week later, we were notified of the South Beloit foundry closing. They just wanted people around to help close the place, and they had parts they needed out. It was a strategic move.

TheJoker -

Relax. You take these blogs way too seriously. Have some eggnog, maybe with a nip of brandy, and loosen up.

billnewbie what do you think the ma' pa shops do when they make a profit. They spend it buy food for their families and other large ticket items. They hire more employee's I understand your point too, but do you want Janesville just to be all big box stores that pay low wages and have no character, or support a company that has continued to drive other smaller companies out of business and driving down wages. So umm why don’t ya take your wal-mart and shuve it. I rather buy an appliance from rock county appliance than bestbuy cause the experience personal there might have an idea about the product he or she is selling rather than buy from the punk at big box store who there only to make some beer money, and knows nothing about what they are doing or selling. So I prefer the small business experience for buck more. If you like going into wal-mart and you like shopping rush of running over the top of people or having to walking over ten miles of store experience go for it. Do what's best for you or fits your mindset.

i dont think alot of these rumor s about closing are all just about gm , several news articles and stories have been warning of buying gift cards and then having stores and restaurants close and not being able to use them, i personally was left holding two when hoffman house closed and had to go to rockford to use them , i havent bought a gift card since then ,

Quite right Spark, I and people like me are why those other shops often don't survive. I think that a stockholder's interest (the vast majority of which are small investors saving for their futures too) is of no less importance than that of Mom and Pop. If Mom and Pop are truly smart and successful, then they will learn how to compete with Wal-Mart without expecting their customers to voluntarily contribute more of their wealth by paying much more than they have to at Wal-Mart for the privilege of helping to keep Mom and Pop in business. Why should consumers be punished for being smart and prudent shoppers? Mom and Pop (and all those who hate Wal-Mart) need to face the economic reality that things are never going to be like they were before Wal-Mart just as Janevilleians need to face the reality of life after GM.

Janesville will make it. Janesville will be just fine. There will be some bumps and people will move away. But, have you noticed how many people have been moving here from Madison? My neighborhood is filled with people who commute to Madison every day because houses cost twice as much.

There will be closures, and the weak will be sorted out. Start saving money and stop using debt to buy things.

Hannah, translation please. Your post makes no sense. Grammar wise or content wise.

Momo, I am doing something to make this city better. I am making me people wake up and face reality! So get off your high horse and stop being so arrogant.

Zoom, spare us your "truth, justice and the American way" speech. I am not the one spreading these rumors. I have every right to report information that I receive from my reliable sources. If you do not want any of these stories to be printed or reported on, don't tell me, tell the Gazette. They are the ones that seem to be stirring up these discussions.

I will ask again, where did this rumor start? No one seems to know. Was it on the internet? If so, where? When?

where do these rumars start?
long time gone. it is nice to cook your own steak. it is VERY CCOOOLLDD out now to do your own. they have good wine and bread and salad.

I try to still cook on the grill when it gets really cold BUT it is just too cold now 10 degrees yuk. and if alot of snow i am not willing to shovel the deck too just to get out the door to grill out. i will mjust broil it in the oven. almost as good just can t ge tthat goo dchar on it.

you may pay $2 if you want them to cook it.maybe you should try something new and get out of the "when i was young rut" are you about 60? my parents are so weird. think walmart is WAY over there. they live by the mall.

piznat- cool idea. like a corking fee.my guess though it would outweigh just buying THEIR steak.
localboy- i do agree if this is true they wouldnt just say it outloud. it will come down to last minute they go to work and say you can all go home now were done. just likem ground round.
always seems busy to me.
billiwbe- I agree we CANNOT let the close of gm affect us. We need to be positive and get on with our lives!!!!

dont go to madison to sho or eat or go to a bar etc. GO HERE and we will all be fine.

So, I'll assume for a moment that Chicken Little is right and that Janesville's sky is falling. What to do? Sell our houses and move? Who will buy them? Demand that our government replace our lost income? How deep can we realistically expect that well to be? We can all sit around waiting for someone or something to bail us out while we lament the change we are powerless to prevent, or we can look to the future with hope. As we've seen in this latest recession, our attitudes drive our economy more than economic principles. Our local economy will be driven by our attitudes about it. We can either work and hope for a better tomorrow or we may as well all meet at Traxler Park, mix up a vat of Kool-Aid sit on the grass and wait for the end of our disillusionment. Don’t look for me there as I don’t think things are going to be that bad (and I am as skeptical of Chicken Little’s unattributed data as he is of my economic credentials).

MISERY MUST LOVE COMPANY! There is life after G.M. Janesville will survive, you have a location between Madison,Rockford,Chicago on a I system that is not going away,railroads,airports,schools,medical,banks,shopping and affordable housing. The management in most companys are hearing the worst and will probally just get a little leaner to keep there margins at a positive cash flow, once the "GREAT ONE" gets into power the press will get there "BUSH BASHING" out of the way and the credit crisis will be a thing of the past. The problem I see is our Democratic govenor adding more fees on the working class and adding to our current problems. Janesville will heal.

Back on topic.

"You can't blame people from reporting what they heard."

Yes, I can blame them. Posting here is not "reporting", it's gossip. There is a reason the Gazette doesn't do stories titled "Company X is closing because a friend of an ex-employee said so!".

"You don't know it is a rumor until somebody makes an official comment, as in this case with this article."

If it's not rumor, what the heck is it? So all companies should immediately tell the Gazette they aren't closing, for fear someone will post their own version of the "facts" here first?

Just say no to rumors.

I love anything I say makes this blog longer. Funny

Zoom: It doesn't take anymore than common sense to see Janesville isn't the epicenter of art or education. But that isn't unlike many other cities our size, so we can scratch those two off the list and disregard them. However, we also lack computer technology, bio medical technology, medical research, green technology, or nearly any other growth industries. Our only leg up is in the health care field, which will surely take a hit with less people carrying top tier benefits and was built around them. I agree all cities have retail and many have cyclical manufacturing, but not all cities are so reliant on them. Although I think our city can survive and will eventually prosper, there is a LOT of work that needs to be done. If you want to wait for an official analysis be my guest, but I think our situation is obvious.

"That is what, $125 million in gross wages...soon to be gone, minus whatever those 2,500 workers can find in new wages."

Aaahhh, you finally included "new wages". That's a huge variable. You still forget the sub-pay GM workers will get, or the people that don't live in Janesville. Regardless, your estimate isn't any more acurate than what billnewbie posted earlier.

element- WATCH OUT, the GM bleeders will get ya for that comment!!!
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Joker, My comment is rational. I LIKE eating at Prime Quarter.
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Such Drama on this blog. GEEZ. Get out and do something productive to make your life better if you think things are SO bad!!

billnewbie- and you are one of the reasons those other shops don't survive. I thinks it's a little more important for a family to support a college fund that it is some stock holders cash. Why should mom and pop be punished for being smart and successful? Last time I checked, Walmart isn't making their own goods or buying from local manufacturers. Your theory is a little alarming.

GM closed. After that I heard "for every 1 job lost at GM, 3 more will be lost elsewhere". Now all of a sudden I hear "JC Penney is closing" and then "Lab Safety is closing" and now "Prime Quarter is closing." Stop already!
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On the surface the good people of Janesville bleed sympathy and prayers for the loss of jobs that GM's closing created but in reality this town's bloodlust and excitement of schadenfreude is alarming. As if everything revolves around GM and no one can survive without it. Secretly we just can't wait for the next company to go under and everyone wants a front row seat to watch it crumble, if only to be able to proudly announce "I told you so!"
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Don't get me wrong, GM was important, but just as prairies burn down to a desolate wasteland only to be replaced by nature with new grass, yes...sometimes years later...Janesville will experience some changes and loss but it will be fine in the end.

"Zoom: You fail to recognize Lear, LSI, Woodbridge, Allied, the other logistics companies and so forth."

Actually, Long_Time_Gone failed to recognize them, which was partially my point. I find it ironic that some GM workers cry doom and gloom about GM closing, when they are the people that will still get 80%-90% of their pay for two years, and never mention the other companies. In none of my posts have I ever said there won't be an impact in Janesville. If they come across as analytical and not compassionate, then I apologize.

"...the bigger problem is our local economies over reliance on low paying retail and cyclical manufacturing."

How much does Janesville rely on retail and cyclical business? What percentage of GDP? Yes, we seem to have a lot of retail businesses, but so doesn't any city our size. I could counter by saying that those businesses have grown faster than the working age population in Janesville, and any losses will simpy return us to a level Janesville had 4-5 years ago. We also have a lot of non-retail or cyclical businesses that go unoticed, unless it seems to be related to GM. Until someone does some real analysis, I won't be following the doom and gloom crowd.

Opinionsforfree's comments would make more sense if those local retailers actually made their own goods or bought them from local manufacturers, but they don't. So the argument breaks down to whether it is better for the local economy for consumers to buy at Wal-Mart or pay a premium (as much as 50% and sometimes even more) to buy at Mom & Pop’s T.V. Emporium ( a fictional establishment) or some other small shop in Janesville. At Mom & Pops, the profit stays in Mom’s purse and Dad’s wallet and gets invested in the things they want to buy, such as a college education for their daughter while the wages they pay are limited as they employ only 1 or 2 part-timers. Over at Wal-Mart, the profits go to their stockholders (which includes perhaps thousands of Janesvilleians who have 410k plans and anyone else who wants to buy the stock) and wages are paid to perhaps as many as a hundred local employees (many if not most of whom are part-timers) who are trying to put food on their tables and a roof over their heads. True, the Wal-Mart employees use of their share of the profits may be less ambitious than Mom & Pop’s but their impact I suggest is much greater than Opinionsforfree's comments suggest while the benefits to the community of shopping locally are not as great. After all, those consumers who save as much as 50% of the purchase price at Wal-Mart are then free to take that saved money and spend it at Prime Quarter. As a consumer, I would rather pay less at Wal-Mart and be able to buy a meal at Prime Quarter than to contribute my potential Wal-Mart savings to Mom & Pop’s daughter’s college fund, as noble a cause as that may be.

Ya, I do have to laugh about all the predictions of what will close because of GM going away. So many people still shop at Wal-Mart and don't support local business in the first place so it's quite comical. As far as restaurants closing. The only restaurants Janesville can support is chains in the first place because nobody is willing to spend an extra buck for a nice restaurant.

Zoom - let's try to really simplify this for you...
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Forget the multipliers that even local UW-Extension-types are smart enough to understand, for your purpose, take 2,500 employees, pay them $25/hour for 40 hour work weeks, for 50 weeks. Simple math.
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That is what, $125 million in gross wages...soon to be gone, minus whatever those 2,500 workers can find in new wages.
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mofo1 - the sky is falling. Ask any realtor in Janesville, ask any local restaurant owner, ask Lear, LSI, ask a school board member who sees enrollments and the tax base falling, ask a college grad if he/she intends to start a business in their hometown of Janesville, ask the ad sales guy at WCLO/WJVL or the Gazette, ask any employer anywhere in Janesville if they are intending to hire new people, ask the nursing grads if they are being hired at Mercy, just ask.
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Just fine??
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Janesville has a lot going for itself, but my ole hometown is anything but Just Fine.

Here is a number for all you doom and gloom addicts 4,174. This number includes the number of employees still working at the GM plant until next week. The number is of Rock County residents that are at laid off.

We need the Ghost of Christmas Present to sprinkle some of that "happy dust" in this forum.

* shopping and buying locally is important. I'll give ya a hint. Its called keeping your money in the local economy. *

The end result of this action would mean that your local businesses will never grow beyond what the local market will support, of course, not to mentional seasonal shortages or lack of foreign delicacies as simple as genuine champagne or cognac.

Momo, you are talking about a fairy tale and I am talking about reality. Grow up and please try to post a thought with at least an ounce of common sense and logic.

THE SKY IS FALLING....THE SKY IS FALLING!!!
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Anyone remember THAT story????
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I will keep eating at prime quarter, as long as it is open. I enjoy it. It is a very fun atmosphere.
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I also feel that Janesville is going to be JUST fine!

I guess if you wal-mart shoppers took a basic econ class you would understand why shopping and buying locally is important. I'll give ya a hint. Its called keeping your money in the local economy. I wont explain what keeping your money in the local economy does due to it over your "wal-mart shoppers" IQ

You can't blame people from reporting what they heard. When you hear it from a current or past employee, it seems credible. You don't know it is a rumor until somebody makes an official comment, as in this case with this article. Even so, owners, and companies have been known to lie about these things if the news is not the "right time".

Zoom, Mercy will be making cuts once St. Mary's opens if not sooner. For those who think that Janesville will not suffer a downturn or face more closings, I cannot believe you are that clueless. Face the truth. Please!

Opinions for free, who are you to tell me where to shop and not shop?! I have every right to shop at WalMart or buy a non GM if I want to. I prefer not to go to WalMart but so what if I do? I also frequent locally owned shops as well. Remember, this is a free country.

I fear disregard and complacency more than I fear bad news. It was only recently that our city council finally woke up to reality and put ridiculous spending proposals on hold. I also fear our elected officials having the same type of disregard for the real problems and challenges our city (and our entire state for that matter) faces. It’s no secret we’ve got problems and they are likely to continue. I don’t feel as though additional bad news is going to somehow push Janesville over the edge. We’re already there and most rational people recognize that. Though GM is only a part of that problem, the bigger problem is our local economies over reliance on low paying retail and cyclical manufacturing. Both generally get most affected by a downturn in the economy. What we need to leadership and ideas that will help move us forward. Hopefully our new city manager is that individual. He certainly has his work cut out for him.
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Zoom: You fail to recognize Lear, LSI, Woodbridge, Allied, the other logistics companies and so forth. None of them will get 80-90% of their pay. I personally think the loss of benefits from these companies is more troublesome than anything. They only get coverage for three months after layoff. I can tell you from experience that the state funded or spousal benefits they will pick up will pale in comparison. Most will face higher co-pays and deductibles while living on unemployment. That will also have an effect on the medical facilities in town. Mercy has already made cust backs. Let’s not forget that most of the above mentioned employers offered the best medical benefits in town. Though I don’t think its all gloom and doom, it seems as though those who aren’t laid off or directly affected come off as though there are no problems. Have you looked at the job market? Last time I checked there were only about 5700 full time openings across the entire state of Wisconsin available through Wisconsin’s Unemployment JobNet. That was leading up to the busy holiday season. There is a difference between gloom and doom and reality. Until all of these people find jobs, no amount of good news is going to make them run out and buy something.

I dont eat at Prime Quarter so I dont care about this.

But why does everyone seem to rip on people who work at walmart or shop there?

Walmart workers make more than fast food and most retail jobs around here. Most places will start you at minimum wage..walmart doesnt.

Also I shop at Walmart because I cant afford the "local" stores. Its the cheapest around and im gonna continue to go there. Sorry if you want to buy the same product for a few dollars more. It all adds up and in our economy we cant afford that.

"And for those left behind living on Wal-Mart wages..."

Wow, how arrogant can you be? Not everyone working in Janesville makes Wal-Mart wages. Did you forget that Mercy has been the single biggest employer for over a year? Also, many of Janesville's mid-size employers are actually doing quite well, and have no direct relationship to the auto industry.

Long_time I love you educated long written doom and gloom fact sheet. But….
People who have will lose their jobs at the GM plant will most likely retrain to go into other fields. The city (I hope) has a plan to intervene with the massive downturn in our economy which I am sure they do with a city manager now that I am sure has fresh ideas and wants to get down to work on making this city survive. Another point too is when you have a large population (no offence to blue collar workers) of people who are educated or trained in some field or another . Businesses tend to want to setup shop in those areas. But I could go on and on. Bottom line is there is hope for Janesville and I am tired of the doom and gloom opinions i read here everyday, and for those of you who shop at wal-mart STOP YOUR IDIOTS. Shop at local shops and eat at locally ownened places. and maybe you could be part of the possible solution to a potential big problem in this city. I am not saying thats a cure-all but its a start

2,500 people may be "employed" by GM, but many of them have already been laid off and not working for some time. Unless the UAW contract is renegotiated, either voluntarily or through a Chapter 11 style reorganization, GM workers will also get 80%-90% of their pay for the next two years. The general downturn in the economy, which started before GM decided to move up the closing date, will do more harm to Janesville than the closing of GM and the suppliers alone. If I was a UAW member, I'm not sure I would want to take credit for the economy in Janesville.

Long_Time_Gone: Unfortunately I think your calculations are probably accurate. Even if we assume you are coming in high at 1/3, we must take in mind the other layoffs and cut backs due the overall economy, which would probably take that percentage higher than 1/3.

I agree with billnewbie on that one too. The exaggeration and overstatement of the current bad news is feeding into the problem.

Ill make my point again that I made on the JCpenney rumor story. Rex posted an article stating they were not closing and they did 2 weeks later. So....hmmm....

A few things I've learned from experience. First of all, if a company is going to close they typically have a target date. This is generally due to fiscal or tax related reasons. However, they must be able to staff and operate until said date. As a result, their is rarely a time anyone other than upper management knows the truth, because otherwise it would be impossible to run the business. I don't think it takes a genius to figure out there will be a rash of closings after January. The biggest hit from the GM closing hasn't even been felt yet and the overall economy appears to look bad well into 2009. However, which stores or restaurants will close is unknown.

Joker: I am beginning to think you enjoy getting yourself into trouble.

Janesville's population is roughly 60,000. The adult population is roughly 45,000, or, roughly 26,470 adult households in Janesville.
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We can do the math for all of Rock County using similar projections - but let's just look at my ole hometown....
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OK, so, economists with far more credentials than billnewbie possesses indicate that each auto industry job directly impacts 7 other workers.
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Roughly 2,500 workers are employed at Janesville GM Assembly...translating into a direct impact on 17,500 jobs.
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Or, roughly, 66% of all adult households in Janesville will be directly impacted by the loss of 2,500 jobs at GM Janesville.
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Dilute that number by roughly 50% because GM's loss will be felt beyond Janesville's city limits and we still have a third of the jobs in Janesville will be impacted.
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And it would be stated more accurately that it is business that will be significantly impacted by their loss of sales, leading to either layoffs or hopefully, simply capping their employment numbers.
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Removing those wages from the community will surely lead to restaurant closings. And for those left behind living on Wal-Mart wages, time will tell if all the current dining choices will survive with the lack of volume they once enjoyed.

I agree billnewbie. The rumors of Janesville's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Dumbledorf, you have a lot of nerve telling jviers77 what he can say or not say. He has every right to report what he knows on this blog. He is reporting what he was told. Get off your high horse.

I hope Prime Quarter stays open. But I do not trust one thing the owner says about the future of the store. He has every right to shut his doors when he wants. The same is true for JC Pennys. They can say they are staying open but this can change to closed doors within a matter of days. Sometimes the local managers have no control. These places can be open one day and then closed the next.

Where are the rumors of JC Pennys and Prime Quarter being posted? On this website?

Billnewbie, I think it is time that you wake up and face reality. I have no idea if Prime Quarter is closing. I hope not because I like going there.

But Janesville is in serious trouble and in denial. A lot of businesses will be impacted by GM, Lear LSI,etc. More job cuts and closings are on the way. You heard it here first.

Hope you are right billnewbie, but unless you speak as a business owner in the greater Janesville area, I fear your forecasting could not be more wrong.

These rumors have a lot to do with the assumption by many that Janesville is doomed without GM. The truth is that most of Janesville's residents have little to do with GM and its troubles. Life will go on. Sure GM's closing will have an effect but only temporarily, and not nearly as devastatingly as so many predict. That's true on the national level as well.

jviers77, you just did exactly what the owner of this restaurant asked people not to do. So if the restaurant closes are you the one who stands up and says, "See I told you so!" Why would you spread a rumor that you have no idea about what it thruth and what is not?

The owner just said they have no plans to sell or close and you just went and spread another rumor. Unbelievable.

Would you like it if people you work with spread a rumor that they heard that you were going to be fired?

Come on, use some common sense.

This story is confusing. Where did the email rumor start? On this website? Someone's personal email?

I would suggest the Gazette confirm with the owner that they are booking parties in January. If so, I would suggest Prime Quarter get someone else to answer their phones who is better informed about the reservation schedule.

Anybody ever play the telephone game as a kid? One person says a simple sentance to another person, who repeats it to the next person, etc. After four or five people, it starts to get messed up, because most people just don't listen very well.

So, jviers77 spoke to a former employee, who spoke to a friend, who spoke to an employee at the restaurant. Any chance the message got messed up somewhere? Naaa, that can't be it...

Why is the Gazette feeding into this rumor? Didn't it start right here on these blogs? For as long as I can remember something in Janesville is always closing, true or not. But normally it was GM, well now that GM is closing people have to find new 'Did ya hear Pick N' Save is closing?' rumors. NO PICK N SAVE IS NOT CLOSING! Or as far as I know they are not. The OWNER of the company said they are not closing. I think he, outta everyone, would know if it was closing or not. As far as the employees thinking there are/were closing, maybe they heard these dumb rumors too and were just helping you out by telling you they might not be open so to make other plans. This town seems like one big high school to me!

jviers77 - your story is same as mine which only confuses the truth. However, if the owner is on record stating different, that is all we can go on. But, owners have been known to lie also.

I heard this the other day speaking with a former employee. She had spoken to a friend in charge of planning her company Christmas party (Alliant Energy J'Ville office) who said she called to make a reservation for Jan. 16 and the employee she talked to said they couldn't make the reservation yet because they didn't know the official closing date. It would be sad to see this restaurant go, but I'm starting to think it really is closing. I've been hearing the rumblings from employees and former employees for too long. Their business isn't doing well and they've had to raise prices over the past few years due to rising costs across the board. And, to top it all off, the management recently fired most long-time employees for really bizarre reasons. I would recommend grilling your own if you do go in, because the grill chef could be pretty new on any given night.

I don't know that these rumors are always malicious. Janesville had been jittery about GM for months before the credit crisis hit the country in September. It's no secret that 2009 is going to be difficult for many businesses, but spreading rumors in advance of a closing can actually accelerate it. Please be responsible!

This also is frustrating. My wife heard this rumor at work from somebody "who supposedly heard from an employee there" that they were closing.

I actually like this place, they have killer beef, and is a great place to go in the winter when you are having the cookout bug.

Maybe the new format for PQ could be BYOF..Bring your own food. Just pay a fee for using the grills.

But, if they did close, would customers then be expected to simply unlock the front door themselves, and then leave cash on the table?
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I mean, isn't that the logical conclusion to taking the family to a restaurant where one is required to cook your own food?

Not another stupid rumor