Safeway Inc., is closing its Chicagoland Dominick’s Grocery Stores, all 72 stores – an event which will cost approximately 6,000 Dominick’s employees their jobs. Some of the stores which are being closed have been in operation since the 1920’s. The closing of the Dominick’s Grocery Stores chain will affect many.
It will certainly be a hardship for many of their customers. Many of the stores are located in areas which are under-served by other grocery stores. A few of the store locations are being purchased by other chains, but the majority of the stores are still unsold.
The loss of the Dominick’s Grocery Stores will also be a loss for the local government entities in which these stores are located. If no other store replaces Dominick’s, people will be forced to shop in a location outside of their local community; and, as a result, government revenue from sales tax, real estate tax and other sources will be reduced. This, at a time when most local governments are operating under very tight budgets.
The greatest hardship from the store closings will fall upon the former employees of Dominick’s who are left without jobs at a time when unemployment is still high. It is particularly unpleasant to be unemployed during this time of the year, a time when people mix with family and close friends for the holidays. Attending holiday events while under uncertainty due to the recent unemployment has to be difficult.
According to press reports, recently laid off Dominick’s employees will have “the opportunity to apply for new jobs with the grocery store chains which buy the former store locations.” This undoubtedly provides some level of much-needed comfort to some former Dominick’s employees, and we hope that it will work out for them. But employees of the stores that have not yet been bought by other stores, and others who are unable to get jobs at the new location, still face the insecurity of having a job stripped away during the holiday season and beyond as they face the year 2014.
Today’s economy is such that many families just make ends meet even with full employment and unemployment proves to be the last straw. They find themselves unable to maintain their basic expenses, let alone service their massive debt-loads. Bankruptcy laws offer some reprieve. Individuals and families have always been able to rely upon the free competent consultation provided by the expert attorneys of this Law Firm. In empathy and in consideration of the troubles which confront the former employees of Dominick’s, this Law Firm is now offering, to any former Dominick’s employees who need to file Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, 50% off the firm’s normal and already competitive Legal Fees. For any former Dominick’s employees who need to file Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, we will offer 30% off this firm’s normal Legal Fees. In addition, we will extend this offer to the spouse of any former Dominick’s employee. This offer is good all the way through May 15, 2015.
Regardless of whether families choose to proceed, it is always best to consider all alternatives and get the information on how to proceed early on. If Bankruptcy can solve your financial problems, then it is generally best to file a bankruptcy early on during period of financial distress.
We hope that this offer can make it easier for former Dominick’s employees to face the unpleasant task of dealing with their financial situation during this hardship. Having the opportunity to sit with an attorney and find out your legal and financial rights, just to sort through it, is often helpful.
Finally and in any event, we wish the best for all of the former Dominick’s employees. Overall, unemployment rate in this country seems to be going down. 2014 is a new year, with new opportunities just around the corner. And those who helped a grocery store function 7 days a week have much to offer that can be utilized by plenty of businesses as the economy continues to improve.
Laxmi P. Sarathy,
Bankruptcy Attorney
Law Offices of Thomas W. Lynch
