Goodbye Circuit City

There’s nothing sadder to a consummate shopper than seeing a store or chain of stores forced to close. Sure, the final liquidation of the stock might serve as a bargain-hunter’s dream, but that only serves as a short-lived thrill. And the loss of a shopping opportunity pales in comparison to the people who are out of a job and, in some cases, the loss of a major contributor to the community.

We also have to admit there is a certain sentimentality involved. When the closure is of a major name that’s been a feature of the American consumer landscape for decades, it’s far sadder. Such is the case with the loss of Circuit City–maybe not the hottest shopping spot for us girls more into fashion than tech, but still one of our favorite places to pick up movies, music, and little electronic gifts for our friends. The announcement that Circuit City will shutter all of their stores and liquidate their entire stock shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise to anyone who has been following the news. The retailer filed Chapter 11 back in November, and any company would be hard-pressed to find a buyer with the economy the way it is at the moment. But still, it is a sad day, and a sign of just how hard the current recession is hitting retailers. This is one of the largest retailer bankruptcies in recent months, and we can only hope that there aren’t more to follow.