Terry Brimhall, founder and president of Brimhall Foods Co. Inc., has been named entrepreneur of the year by the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce.

2. Whole Foods Files Permit for Expansion - Tuesday, May 07, 2013

5014 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38117

Permit Cost: $3.1 million

Project Cost: TBA

Permit Date: Applied April 2013

3. Whole Foods Files Permit for Expansion - Thursday, May 02, 2013

Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market Inc. has filed a $3.1 million building permit application with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement to renovate its lone local store on Poplar Avenue in East Memphis.

4. Riding the Rails - Thursday, April 18, 2013

By some estimates, America’s railroad companies are in the midst of the largest investment boom since the Gilded Age – when America’s railroad track mileage tripled between 1860 and 1880.

This year, North American’s freight railroads plan to invest $24.5 billion in intermodal terminals, new track, bridges and tunnels, safety equipment and rail cars, according to the Association of American Railroads.

5. US Unemployment Aid Applications Decline to 366,000 - Friday, February 08, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Fewer Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, indicating companies continue to hire at a modest but steady pace.

The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications for unemployment benefits fell 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 366,000.

6. Book Depot Owner Maintains Familiar Place for Bibliophiles - Monday, February 04, 2013

When customers walk into The Book Depot in Germantown, they often comment on the smell, says owner Kathy Waldrop.

7. Forecasting 2013 in Sports - Friday, January 04, 2013

2013 Sports Forecast by the numbers: 1. The Grizzlies swing a deal before the trade deadline but are fined by the NBA when, out of habit, they try to trade O.J. Mayo.

2. The Memphis Airport is invited to join the Big East.

8. Museum Renovation Brings Sculptor Back to Memphis - Friday, December 07, 2012

Construction sounds coming from a museum can be jarring, even when you know the exhibits are protected or have been moved.

For Michael Pavlovsky, there were mixed feelings Wednesday, Dec. 5, as he came to Memphis to supervise the moving next week of his two-piece, 13-foot-by-26-foot, 7,000-pound bronze sculpture that has been in the lobby of the National Civil Rights Museum since it opened in 1991.

9. Lowe's Third-Quarter Net Income Climbs on Fewer Charges - Wednesday, November 21, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Lowe's Cos. reports its third-quarter net income surged 76 percent, helped by lower costs and higher revenue, as the company's efforts to revamp its merchandise and prices appeared to be gaining traction.

10. Levine Named President of Southern Growth Studio - Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Mark Levine has joined Southern Growth Studio as president. In his role, Levine leads the firm’s Strategic Analysis team and plays a key part in the company’s culture, business development and client relationship management.

11. The Heart Beats - Friday, September 14, 2012

THE HEART BEATS. AGAIN. A lifetime ago, screwdrivers with lifetime guarantees came from an art moderne castle, and screwdrivers with orange juice came from the only other Friday’s outside of Manhattan.

12. US Homebuilder Confidence at 5-Year-High in August - Thursday, August 16, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) – U.S. homebuilders grew more confident in the housing recovery in August, as many reported that prospects for sales are the best they've been since the home bubble burst five years ago.

13. US Retail Sales Rose Solid 0.8 Percent in July - Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Hopes that the economy may emerge from its slump got a lift Tuesday from a report that Americans increased their spending at retailers in July by the most in five months.

From cars, electronics and sporting goods to furniture, building supplies and garden equipment, every major category of spending rose last month. It was a heartening start to the second half of the year after consumers had reduced their retail spending in each month of the April-June quarter.

14. Hewlett-Packard Exec Joins AutoZone Inc. - Monday, June 18, 2012

AutoZone Inc., the Memphis-based car parts retailer, has added a Hewlett-Packard executive to its leadership ranks.

15. Lower Gas Prices Not Enough to Lift US Economy - Thursday, June 14, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Cheaper gas has yet to cause consumers to spend enough on other goods to boost the slumping economy.

Americans barely increased their spending at retail businesses this spring, leading economists to predict slower economic growth in the April-June quarter.

16. Retail Sales Dropped 0.2 Percent - Thursday, June 14, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans barely increased their spending at retail businesses in April and May, constrained by weak job creation and paltry wage increases.

A sharp drop in gas prices pulled down overall sales in both months by 0.2 percent, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

17. City Budget Season Ends With Frustration - Thursday, June 07, 2012

The year of the “gap budget” at City Hall felt and sounded a lot like the previous two budget years at City Hall.

The mayor and City Council were frustrated even as the budget deliberations came to an end with a lowered city property tax rate.

18. Council Lowers Property Tax Rate, Approves $609M Budget - Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Memphis City Council members approved a $3.11 city property tax rate Tuesday, June 5, to fund a city operating budget of $609,802,357 and Memphis City Schools to the tune of $64,819,307.

The split council vote came nearly 14 hours after the council’s day started at City Hall with a budget committee session in which the basic elements of the ultimate budget compromise were mapped out before noon.

19. Pirate-Themed Fundraiser Raises Money for COMEC - Thursday, May 31, 2012

The sixth annual COMEC Treasure Hunt will take place Sunday, June 3, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Road.

20. Plenty of Sources For Economic Progress - Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Something More Than Feelings A business mentor of mine would retort “cite your source” to qualify any argument I was making. A common argument today asserts that with the developed world economies fragile and global unemployment levels high, the anecdotal information suggests that global consumers live in a tent city.

21. Cherokee Arms Undergoes Rehab - Tuesday, March 27, 2012

It wasn’t long ago that the Cherokee Arms Apartments complex in Midtown was on the market with a note of “in need of repair.”

But thanks to Memphis native and current Los Angeles resident Dana Gabrion, the three-story complex will soon breathe new life to 1508 Madison Ave. Under the entity Gabrion Properties LLC, she acquired the 30-unit, Class C investment-grade multifamily building for $455,000 in fall 2010 and hopes to have it ready for occupancy come June.

22. Safety Products Importer Seeks Tax Freeze - Tuesday, March 20, 2012

International Sourcing Co. Inc., an importer and wholesale distributor of safety products to industrial distributors and retailers, will go before the city-county Economic Development Growth Engine Board this week to request a five-year tax freeze.

23. Lessons From a 3-Legged Dog - Thursday, February 23, 2012

DAVIDSON, N.C. – This community of 11,000 residents, site of my alma mater, is also home to my favorite place to spend the night on the road: the Davidson Village Inn, half a block down Depot Street from the campus.

24. Retailers Deliver Solid Sales Gains for January - Friday, February 03, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Americans were shopping in January, but not every store was feeling the love.

Retailers reported mixed sales results for the month in a sign that U.S. consumers continue to be cautious about when and where they spend their money in the shaky economy

25. Design 500 Finds Passion Preparing Museum Exhibits - Monday, January 02, 2012

Scott Blake’s home office in a historic building at 671 Jefferson Ave. is clearly the abode of a man with a deep love of art, history and design.

26. Retailers Report Strong Sales for November - Friday, December 02, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Oh what a difference a weekend can make.

Shoppers taking advantage of big discounts and earlier store hours during the start of the holiday shopping season last weekend helped boost retailers' revenue for the entire month of November.

27. Google's Maps Go Indoors With New Mobile Feature - Wednesday, November 30, 2011

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Google's next frontier in digital mapping will span the world's shopping malls and airports.

An upgrade of Google's mobile mapping service released Tuesday includes directions within stores, malls, airports and transit centers in the U.S. and Japan.

28. Cross Creek Shopping Ctr. Sells for $12.7 Million - Tuesday, November 22, 2011

3469 Riverdale Road, 3505 Riverdale Road and 3587 Riverdale Road
Memphis, TN 38115
Sale Amount: $12.7 million

29. Cross Creek Shopping Center Sells for $12.7 Million - Thursday, November 17, 2011

Commack, N.Y.-based Allied Development of Memphis LLC has bought Cross Creek Shopping Center for $12.7 million.

30. Seeing Success - Monday, October 10, 2011

On the surface, they don’t have much in common other than their home turf. They include everything from a venerable law firm, prominent regional investment companies, tech firms and even a business that manufactures food products like hot dogs and sandwich meats.

31. Supermarkets Start Bagging Self-Serve Checkouts - Tuesday, September 27, 2011

MANCHESTER, Conn. (AP) – When Keith Wearne goes grocery shopping, checking out with a cashier is worth the few extra moments, rather than risking that a self-serve machine might go awry and delay him even more.

32. Retail Association Spent $770,000 Lobbying in Q2 - Tuesday, September 06, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Retail Industry Leaders Association spent $770,000 in the second quarter to lobby the federal government on a variety of issues including consumer payment protection, Chinese currency valuation and other matters, according to a recent disclosure report.

33. Mobile Shopping: More Buzz Than Buy so Far - Friday, September 02, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – When it comes to mobile shopping, so far there's more buzz than buy.

As the number of people who use iPhones and other smartphones grows, companies selling everything from hardware to high fashion are touting all the new applications they're rolling out that enable shoppers to do anything from check a store's inventory while in the dressing room to order prescriptions.

34. JLS Enterprises Buys SE Market Warehouse - Friday, September 02, 2011

A 51,000-square-foot industrial building in the Southeast submarket has traded hands. JLS Enterprises LLC purchased 4021 Delp St. in Airport Industrial Park for $850,000. The warehouse currently houses Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. and is 100 percent occupied.

35. Sanon Joins Agape As Director of Operations - Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Julie Sanon has joined Agape Child & Family Services as director of operations.

Hometown: Leesburg, Fla.

Education: Psychology major from Oklahoma Christian University of Science and Arts

36. Back to School - Monday, August 08, 2011

Back-to-school shoppers will spend about the same dollar amount this year as last year, but they plan to wait until the 11th hour to do it.

Families with children in grades K-12 will spend this year an average of $603.63 on apparel, school supplies and electronics, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2011 Back-to-School survey. That’s within just a few dollars of last year’s $606.40 average.

37. Retail Trade Group Spends $490,000 in Q1 Lobbying - Friday, July 01, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Retail Industry Leaders Association spent $490,000 in the first quarter to lobby the federal government on a variety of issues from unemployment insurance and consumer credit to banking reform and Chinese currency valuation, according to a recent disclosure report.

38. Wave of Lawsuits Over Seats Hit Retail Stores - Tuesday, June 21, 2011

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Retail store operators may want to sit down for this one – if they can find a chair.

Nearly every national chain is under legal attack in California for failing to provide "suitable seating" for cashiers and other employees who are expected to spend most of their work day on their feet.

39. Wal-Mart: A Year of Taking Stock to Regain Footing - Friday, June 03, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Wal-Mart is in a race against time to give the people what they want before they get comfortable shopping elsewhere.

Shoppers who switched to other stores when Wal-Mart decided to ditch best-selling toothbrush brands, craft supplies and bolts of fabric may be hard to win back.

40. Sears has Long Fix-It List After Posting Loss - Friday, May 20, 2011

New Sears CEO Lou D'Ambrosio has a lot of work to do.

But with appliance sales weakening, a small resurgence at Kmart faltering and Sears stores continually lagging, where to start?

The answer, analysts say, is the same as it's been for years: pour money into better-performing stores while closing flailing locations, freshen up house brands like Kenmore and bring in new brands to entice shoppers.

41. Blank Palette - Friday, May 20, 2011

When best-selling author Richard Florida visited Memphis recently, he spelled out to a room full of artists the formula for building a city’s creative class – attract, retain and engage talent.

42. Homebuilders Missing Out on Economic Recovery - Wednesday, May 18, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – For homebuilders, it hardly feels like an economic recovery. Nearly two years after the recession ended, the pace of construction is inching along at less than half the level considered healthy. Single-family home building, the bulk of the market, has dropped 11 percent in that time.

43. MBIN Signs New Lease At Bellbrook Park - Friday, April 22, 2011

A Memphis-based wholesaler of collectable items has signed a new industrial lease in the Southwest submarket.

MBIN Global Inc. has signed a new lease for 26,250 square feet at Bellbrook Industrial Park, 1004 Brooks Road.

44. Sears Interim CEO 2010 Pay More Than Triples - Tuesday, April 12, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Sears Holdings Corp.'s interim CEO W. Bruce Johnson, who gave up the top role in February, received compensation worth $5.3 million in 2010, more than triple the prior year, according to an analysis by the Associated Press.

45. Consumer Comeback Skips Wal-Mart's Aisles - Thursday, February 24, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Wal-Mart is missing out on the consumer comeback.

The world's largest retailer failed to reverse an almost two-year slide in a key revenue measure in its fourth quarter, it said Tuesday, after all but promising in November it would do just that.

46. Retailers: Home Owners Spending More on Renovation - Thursday, February 24, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Home owners are starting to spend more on home-improvement projects despite the weak housing market, quarterly results from Lowe's Cos. and Home Depot show.

Lowe's said Wednesday its fourth-quarter profit rose 39 percent as its shoppers spent slightly more per visit.

47. In Sign of Growth, Businesses are Borrowing Again - Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Martin Foil's company sells yarn that winds up in clothes from the Gap, Ralph Lauren and American Apparel, and business is growing. He's buying new machines and hopes to hire as many as 200 workers this year.

48. Memphis Firm Acquires Two Atlanta Properties - Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Memphis-based Cypress Realty Holdings Co. has acquired two outparcels in the North Atlanta market.

49. Bankruptcy Trends Shift, Local Numbers Drop - Friday, January 14, 2011

Bankruptcy attorney Jimmy McElroy, one of the Memphis court’s top filers, has noticed a recent change in local bankruptcy trends.

50. Home Depot to Offer Free Shipping for Web Orders - Monday, November 29, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) – Home Depot will offer free shipping through Monday on many of its online products as it joins the ranks of retailers aggressively competing for shoppers' dollars during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. The deal began Thursday.

51. Early Deals Draw Shoppers, Raise Retail Spirits - Tuesday, November 23, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) – Shoppers spent a bit more in early November, raising retailers’ spirits about the holiday season right before it kicks into high gear.

Early discounting on everything from TVs and sweaters as well as free shipping deals helped pull in shoppers in the first two weeks of November. Consumers coming out of their shells could be a gift for an economy that has suffered from depressed spending for almost three years.

52. Sears Q3 Loss Widens on Poor Appliance, Clothing Sales - Friday, November 19, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) – Sears Holdings Corp.'s third-quarter loss nearly doubled, dragged down by weak revenue at its long-suffering Sears chain, hurt by poor sales of appliances and clothing.

53. Shoppers May Have the Upper Hand This Christmas - Friday, October 08, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) – The Christmas shopping season doesn't kick off for another six weeks, but retailers already are signaling they're prepared to discount aggressively if needed to entice shoppers still skittish about spending.

54. Citi Selling $1.6B Consumer Finance Assets to GE - Thursday, October 07, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) – Citigroup is selling $1.6 billion in retail sales finance assets to GE Capital as the bank continues to restructure its business to focus on core consumer banking operations.

55. Cross Creek Center In Foreclosure - Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Cross Creek Center, the shopping center at the northwest corner of Riverdale and Winchester roads, is scheduled for a foreclosure sale, according to a first-run foreclosure notice in today’s Daily News. The foreclosure covers 3469 Riverdale Road, 3505 Riverdale (also known as 3505 Winchester) and 3587 Riverdale.

56. Former Bennigan’s Set to be Razed - Tuesday, August 17, 2010

5336 Poplar Ave.
Memphis, TN 38119
Permit Amount: $775,000

Project Cost: n/a
Permit Date: Applied August 2010
Completion: Late fourth quarter 2010
Owner: Danco
Tenant: Newk’s Express Café
Contractor: Fleming/Associates/Architects PC
Architect: Horizon Construction LLC

57. July Home Sales Plunge 21 Percent - Monday, August 09, 2010

The local real estate industry suffered a setback in July, as new and existing home sales declined a staggering 21 percent from the same month a year ago.

Shelby County’s housing market saw just 1,161 home sales last month, down from 1,475 in July 2009 and also down 26 percent from 1,570 in June, according to the latest data from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

58. FEMA Specialists at Collierville Home Depot - Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Homeowners rebuilding after the spring floods can receive valuable information from hazard mitigation specialists with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at The Home Depot store in Collierville all week.

59. Realizing Dreams - Tuesday, July 06, 2010

William Adair’s quad-cab, four-wheel-drive pickup truck is splattered with mud. The office where he parks it out back, a converted country home at the corner of Tenn. 196 and U.S. 72, is littered with maps.

60. Fear and Greed Make Rational Irrational - Thursday, June 24, 2010

Ray’s Take: It takes special mental wiring to navigate a volatile capital markets and actually build wealth. That’s because the natural instincts of fear and greed drive most mortals to make “rational” decisions that actually erode an investment portfolio’s value.

61. Splurge Smart - Thursday, May 27, 2010

Ray’s Take: As the economy seems to slowly, reluctantly rebound, Americans are starting to loosen the purse strings. Consumer spending is starting to rise.

Ah, how quickly we forget.

62. Retail Leaders Group Spent $850,000 Lobbying in Q4 - Friday, March 12, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) - The Retail Industry Leaders Association spent $850,000 in the fourth quarter to lobby on a variety of issues from health care reform to consumer product safety, according to a recent disclosure report.

63. Postal Service's Emerging Model: Never on Saturday - Wednesday, March 03, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) - The post office is renewing its effort to drop Saturday delivery – and plans a rate increase – in an effort to fend off a projected $7 billion loss this year.

Without drastic action, the agency could face a cumulative loss of $238 billion over ten years, Postmaster General John Potter said in releasing a series of consultant reports on agency operations and its outlook.

64. Holiday Stragglers Find Shortages of Hot Items - Thursday, December 24, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) - Looking for UGG boots? Or what about the last string of holiday lights or inflatable Santas to spruce up the lawn? You might be out of luck.

Some last-minute holiday shoppers are facing disappointment. Stores are running out of key holiday items – and not just Zhu Zhu pets, those robotic hamsters that have been hard to find since before Thanksgiving.

65. Obama Promotes Energy Efficiency Program - Wednesday, December 16, 2009

President Barack Obama said Tuesday that home insulation “is sexy,” his newest appeal for Congress to pass incentives for homeowners who make their homes more energy efficient.

“Here’s what’s sexy about it. It saves money,” the president said at a Northern Virginia Home Depot store. He was joined at the outlet by members of Congress representing Virginia and labor and business leaders involved in services to lower homeowners’ use of natural resources.

66. Spring Hill GM Plant is Idled - Wednesday, November 25, 2009

SPRING HILL, Tenn. (AP) - At its peak, about 7,800 people clocked in daily for work at the Saturn plant.

"Now we're down to 630 people," said Darren Tonoli, a General Motors employee of nearly three decades.

67. Retailers' Results Top Estimates; Wariness Remains - Wednesday, August 19, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) - Target Corp. and Home Depot Inc. on Tuesday posted lower profits that still topped Wall Street expectations, but economic worries are likely to keep shoppers tight-fisted in the months ahead, executives predicted.

68. Here Comes the Sun: Memphis’ cut of the state’s solar energy plan - Monday, July 20, 2009

The Sharp Manufacturing plant in Hickory Hill has always been a symbol as much as a working part of the city’s economic infrastructure.

The plant on South Mendenhall Road represents the city’s first truly international big business presence. It opened in 1978 after Japanese executives came to Memphis to negotiate directly with city leaders. And once the deal closed, a now-legendary picket line was thrown up by local union leaders. The picketing symbolized organized labor’s determination to have a voice in local economic development.

69. Smart Spending: Make Home More Energy-Efficient - Monday, July 06, 2009

CHICAGO (AP) - Times may be tight, but in making your home more energy-efficient it's actually true that the more you spend the more you save.

Here's the scoop: This year's federal economic recovery legislation offers rebates for some energy-efficient appliances. And the resourceful can score tax credits of up to 30 percent of the cost of other improvements aimed at making a home more green.

70. Home Depot Raises Full-Year Earnings Guidance - Thursday, June 11, 2009

CHICAGO (AP) - Home Depot Inc. reported Wednesday that its full-year earnings from continuing operations may come in better than previously forecast, thanks to a one-two combination of an improving housing market and strong sales in May.

71. Home Depot Q1 Profit Rises on Fewer Charges - Wednesday, May 20, 2009

CHICAGO (AP) - The Home Depot Inc. said Tuesday that its fiscal first-quarter profit climbed 44 percent on fewer charges, and the nation's largest home improvement retailer beat Wall Street's expectations despite lower sales.

72. Retailers, Service Cos. Gain as People Stay Home - Tuesday, May 19, 2009

CINCINNATI (AP) - As Americans grow accustomed during the recession to spending more time at home and living in the same places longer, home-improvement companies are regaining momentum.

"My wife and I had thought of this as more of an in-between house," said Scott Nichols, 50, who had considered moving from his suburban Cincinnati home to a condo or ranch-style house. "Now we have decided to concentrate on making our current home exactly like we want it, pay it off and stay."

73. Lowe's Q1 Profit Falls, But Tops Wall Street View - Tuesday, May 19, 2009

CHICAGO (AP) - Lowe's Cos. Inc. said shoppers buying paints, plants and replacement parts in the first quarter helped the home-improvement chain beat Wall Street forecasts and prompted it to boost its full-year outlook.

74. Man Bankrolls New Nursery From Personal Savings - Monday, March 23, 2009

Mike Earnest didn’t let a frozen credit market or a beaten-down economy stop him from pursuing a business opportunity.

75. MATA Files Permit for Airport Terminal - Thursday, March 12, 2009

The Memphis Area Transit Authority has reached another milestone in the development of its South Intermodal Terminal near Memphis International Airport.

Months after clearing structures off the 9-acre site, MATA has filed a $10 million building permit for the 29,000-square-foot facility at 3033 Airways Blvd., at the intersection of Airways and Brooks Road.

76. Retailers Report Dismal 4th Qtr, Gird for Future - Thursday, February 26, 2009

NEW YORK - Retailers marched out a series of cheerless results Tuesday for their most important season of the year, the fourth quarter, when consumers seem to have put off buying almost anything they had a choice about.

77. Gov’t Says ‘Mass Layoffs’ Soared in January - Thursday, February 26, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) – Employers took a large ax to their payrolls in January, the government said Wednesday, and the cuts are likely to get worse over the next few months.

The U.S. Labor Department reported that mass layoffs, or job cuts of 50 or more by a single employer, increased to 2,227 in January, up almost 50 percent from the same month last year. More than 235,000 workers were fired in last month’s cuts.

78. Home Depot Reports 4th-Quarter Loss of $54M - Wednesday, February 25, 2009

CHICAGO (AP) - The Home Depot Inc., which has suffered under the weight of the collapsing housing market, reported a fiscal fourth-quarter loss of $54 million Tuesday mostly due to its plan to shut its four smaller home-improvement brands.

79. Goddard School Planned For Winchester Road in Collierville - Tuesday, February 24, 2009

2.5 Acres
Collierville, TN 38017
Loan Amount: $1.3 Million

Loan Date: Feb. 13, 2009
Maturity Date: N/A
Borrower: R.S. Harris LLC
Lender: First Citizens National Bank

80. Lowe's Q4 Profit Falls Along with Housing Market - Monday, February 23, 2009

CHICAGO (AP) - The dismal housing market dragged down fourth-quarter profits at Lowe's Cos. Inc. by 60 percent, and executives at the home improvement chain said they see little hope of a substantive fix from a federal effort aimed at helping struggling homeowners.

81. Harrison Wholesale Provides Wealth of Roofing Experience - Monday, February 23, 2009

Whether a building is flat, sloped or steep, be it shingled or rubberized, Harrison Wholesale has the materials to roof it.

This Binghampton business at 2680 Broad Ave. specializes in shingles and anything else needed for a roof, including some guidance for the do-it-yourselfers.

82. 598K Job Cuts: Most Since ‘74 - Monday, February 09, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) – Recession-battered employers eliminated 598,000 jobs in January, the most since the end of 1974, and catapulted the unemployment rate to 7.6 percent. The grim figures were further proof that the nation’s job climate is deteriorating at an alarming clip with no end in sight.

83. Shabazz Helps Children Discover Books - Friday, February 06, 2009

Akiba Shabazz lures children into books with garden seeds, celebrity hairstyles, paper airplanes and stories.

Her approach varies according to the individual child. The children’s interests and ages vary, but the one thing they have in common is they are inner-city youths hungry for knowledge and curious about opportunities.

84. As Unemployment Rises, Uncle Sam Has Jobs - Tuesday, February 03, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - The economic downturn has forced private industry and state and local government to shed jobs, but one major employer in the country is hiring: The federal government.

While the nation's 11 million unemployed and the millions more who fear losing their jobs may feel Washington should streamline too, economists say a strong federal work force is key to economic recovery. Were President Barack Obama to put any of the nearly 2 million federal civil servants out in the street in the middle of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, the consequences could be dire.

85. US Economy Shrinks at 3.8 Percent Pace - Monday, February 02, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. economy shrank at a 3.8 percent pace at the end of 2008, the worst showing in a quarter-century, as the deepening recession forced consumers and businesses to throttle back spending.

86. Mass Layoffs Surge in 2008 - Thursday, January 29, 2009

The number of layoffs involving 50 or more workers jumped by one-third last year, and the pace of large job cuts appears to have quickened in the first month of 2009.

The U.S. Labor Department reported Wednesday that 21,137 mass layoffs took place last year, up from 15,493 in 2007. That’s the highest annual total since 2001, the last time the economy was in recession, and the second highest since the department began tracking mass layoffs in 1995.

87. Fed Pledges to Use All Tools to Help Economy - Thursday, January 29, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Reserve, acknowledging the economy has continued to deteriorate, signaled Wednesday that it will keep using unconventional tools to cushion the fallout, including keeping a key interest rate at a record low for quite "some time."

88. Job-Killing Recession Racks Up More Layoff Victims - Tuesday, January 27, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - The recession is killing jobs at an alarming pace, with tens of thousands of new layoffs announced Monday by some of the biggest names in American business – Pfizer, Caterpillar and Home Depot.

89. Small Business Woes Have Big Impact on US Economy - Wednesday, January 21, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) - Times are tough for small business owners, those whom politicians tout as the backbone of America. As the recession marches on, it's those businesses – which employ about half of the country's private-sector workers – that are particularly vulnerable to the squeeze.

90. Family Celebrates 50 Years of Painting Cakes - Monday, January 12, 2009

Switching from selling paint to specializing in cake decorating supplies may seem like a risky proposition, but the family behind Mary Carter Decorating Center made it work.

91. April House Combines Fun With Food - Monday, December 29, 2008

Foreclosure can be a new beginning if you persevere.

Paulette Sanford navigated April House Premiere, her catering and special events business, through financial hard times that sometimes left her scrounging for a place to operate from 1999 to 2001.

92. Green Neighborhood Closer to Reality - Monday, December 22, 2008

Habitat for Humanity’s goal of launching its first entirely “green” neighborhood in Memphis has moved a step closer with a $263,060 infrastructure grant from the Plough Foundation.

The money will be used for development costs and the construction of a community resource center at Trinity Park, a $3.1 million, 38-home neighborhood that Habitat will launch next year on 8.6 acres at Winchester and Tchulahoma roads near Memphis International Airport.

93. Fitch Ratings Expects More Credit Card Defaults - Monday, December 15, 2008

Credit card delinquencies will likely further stress card issuers and retailers as more consumers find themselves unable to pay the debt in the coming months, according to a report issued Friday by Fitch Ratings.

94. Home Depot Q3 Profit Falls 31 Percent - Wednesday, November 19, 2008

CHICAGO (AP) - The Home Depot Inc., the nation's largest home improvement chain, said Tuesday that its third-quarter profit sank by nearly a third as shoppers scaled back on everything from custom kitchens to lumber and flooring.

95. Lowe's Q3 Profit Falls 24 Percent on Slow Spending - Tuesday, November 18, 2008

CHICAGO (AP) - Lowe's Cos. Inc. posted better-than-expected third-quarter results Monday, even as profit slid more than 24 percent because shoppers postponed big-ticket purchases amid growing economic uncertainty.

96. Stewart Bros. Hardware Offers Nostalgia With Service - Monday, November 17, 2008

Stewart Bros. Hardware deals in more than nails, nuts and bolts or hinges.

It’s the kind of place where one still can get a pair of overalls and buy candy cane by the stick. It might seem more like going back in time here, but it won’t be trudging through in slow motion.

97. Stores See Surge in Applicants for Holiday Help - Wednesday, November 12, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) - The odds of landing a part-time job at department store operator Bealls Outlet Stores Inc. this holiday season are slimmer than getting into Harvard: It's one out of every 45.

98. Retail Groups to Lobby Against Pro-Labor Bill - Friday, November 07, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) - With Barack Obama's election as president and Democrats controlling Congress, retailers and industry trade groups are bracing for a fight on Capitol Hill next year against legislation that would make it easier to unionize workers.

99. Retail Groups to Lobby Against Pro-Labor Bill - Thursday, November 06, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) – With Barack Obama's election as president and Democrats controlling Congress, retailers and industry trade groups are bracing for a fight on Capitol Hill next year against legislation that would make it easier to unionize workers.

100. Home Sales Continue Downward Trend - Friday, September 05, 2008

Shelby County’s home sales experienced another month of decline in August, slipping 28.3 percent from the same month a year ago, according to the latest data from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.