In past years, a Strand Books holiday tradition was to have "help yourself" boxes of York Peppermint Patties prominently displayed at each cash register. This year, patties are only given out with a purchase - and only one to a customer. Hard times indeed!

Just finished eating some delivery Chinese food, and now I think that fortune cookie manufacturers are writing fortunes based on the current economy. I just got "No man is a failure who is enjoying life" and "You must experience failure to appreciate success"...

As I walk up Columbus and Broadway from the 60's to the 80's,I am saddened to see the number of shops and restaurants which have been closed. The Chase Manhattan Bank branch at 64th and Broadway which has been at the site for 37 years has recently closed.

The only positive thing in the neighborhood is that the long delayed rejuvenation of Julliard and the Lincoln Center is proceeding apace.

I teach at a public middle school in Manhattan. I am taking the students on a field trip in the neighborhood that costs 3 dollars. I had more students come to me in private and explain that "my dad didn't get paid this week" or "I wasn't able to get the 3 dollars" than I can remember ever having for the same field trip. I will be coming out of pocket so these students can participate.

People are less likely to hire bands for parties. They are opting for more inexpensive DJ services, rather than paying a 5-10 piece band for four hours.

Please give us a list of what you would call “Common” Economic Indicators so I would know what I see is “Uncommon”

Burritoville vanished!
was it hedgefund owned?
no one will say

PAYBACK

We have a suggestion for the Wall Streeter

That’s sure to impel him to phone us:

In light of your company’s vast losses,

How about a negative bonus?

what about the health problems associated with asbestos cases brought for miners, and auto workers ?? -- i may not be recalling the situation correctly

My observation of one of the indicators in the downturn in the economy;
From January until the end of march we do shows in Brooklyn and have to drive across Staten Island, usually there is such a backup of traffic that we have to give extra time.
This traffic is caused by New Yorkers returning home late afternoon from shopping in New Jersey.
So far this year there has been no traffic the road is wide open.

I have also seen many businesses closing up.

I want to raise the issue of closing theatres and clubs -- in the past 4 weeks, the Zipper on West 37th closed with one day's notice, plus the Knitting Factory and Cutting Room just closed. The Zipper's artists had to scramble to find other venues. And what's posted on The Zipper's door? A sign saying "theatre for rent"! Just a tragedy. Fortunately, the Ohio Theatre in Soho has been granted a 'stay' until June, but it's one of the only small theatres left downtown. Music clubs and theatres create business for local restaurants, taxis, shops, etc. and employ so many artists and technicians. We need to fight to keep them in NYC!

Check out who is visiting malls these days. So many elderly and those on low incomes are arriving at the mall early in the day and staying because it is warm. They cannot afford to heat their own homes.

I am finding that parking in town on Thursday nights is much easier now. We have a lot of restaurants in town, and it was always impossible to get a spot, now their are at least 3 or 4 spots open-

Plus Cosi closed in our town and in the next town over in Cranford nj

The Staples Store on Fulton and Water Street closed down after Christmas and the large empty retail space still has not been rented.

My husband is in real estate rentals and there are more Landlords paying the real estate fee because there are more rentals now available.
People are also downsizing from 3 beds to 2 or trying to renegotiate their rents because of the market.

I can see that everyone's demeanor has changed. Some seem in denial, others seem terrified but scared to show it and others (like me) feel terrified and show it (and get treated like freaks). You can "feel" something very very big is in the air, but at the speed everyone's minds are moving in this modern world we seem to be missing it, categorizing for later review, dismissal, whatever. There is just something in the air... and it doesn't feel good.

I actually do business with Neimans, Bloomingdales, Saks and Nordstrom in the Short HIlls Mall. Yes the mall has been crowded but the stores are finding that people are not purchasing.

Increasingly more people who are retired have had to find employment in order to pay bills and eat.

I work for a major services firm in the city, we had meeting this morning, and they told us to expect layoffs in the next few weeks to months. I'm freaking a bit - I'm paycheck to paycheck already, and im worried i'm going to loose my apartment.
How do I brace for this?

This is the story about Emerald Inn http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/nyregion/06emerald.html

I've noticed more people smoking - outside of office buildings and walking on the street.

I've been going to the Really Really Free Markets at St. Mark's Church for the past 5 years and I've never seen so many people as at the last one. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/nyregion/29free.html?em

After the initial bank failures last year, the NYTimes's Dining & Wine section began printing recipes that called for little more than condiments, beans, and canned tuna. However, I've noticed the price of all three increasing steadily in the last months.

I've always maintained that the price of Ramen noodles are a clear economic indicator. The more packets of noodles one can buy for a dollar, the better the economic outlook.

Coffee. I take a thermos to work now and save lots of $. Of course that's bad news for the guys at the local coffee shop.

[[Just a reminder from the BL Show team - make sure you post your Uncommon Economic Indicators to the project page, linked above, not to this comments thread. Thanks!
-BL Show-]]