# Doomed Companies & Brands **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 21, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979 "2010-06-21T14:04:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/1 "2010-06-21T14:04:52Z")
Last week, the New York Times had a great article about the number of blue-chip companies that are now floating tits up in the fish tank. That got my interest and I found a site that predicts companies and brands that are in real danger of going under. **already dead** Mercury Plymouth Saturn Sabb Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac (kept alive for the connivence of the government) Gateway (no longer a consumer brand) Merrill Lynch (the thundering herd!) US NEws & World Report (now a monthly) **circling the drain** Newsweek Architectural Digest Reader’s Digest (as a US brand) Palm Eastman Kodak Blockbuster Palm Old Navy (part of The Gap) T-Mobile Moody’s (A suicide, really) Radio Shack (I could see this turning around) KIA Borders (people have been saying that for years) Any more you can think of? I wonder if a corporate death pool might be a good game for next year. ---
**Author:** ![kbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kbear)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/2 "2010-06-21T14:23:22Z")
That explains the T-Mobile store closing on the high street recently (my daughter said good riddance as they took over the Hagen Das store) ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/3 "2010-06-21T14:26:43Z")
United Airlines was mentioned in the cite, but how can that be? They are our only US airline around here. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/4 "2010-06-21T14:47:34Z")
Radio Shack defies logic year after year. I though they were very profitable. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/5 "2010-06-21T14:48:06Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > **circling the drain** > KIA Err… what? KIA has increased market share in the US quite a bit over the last few years (even in 2009, where they and their parent Hyundai posted big increases even after the Cash for Clunkers program ended), and have had increases of nearly 20% in per-month sales this year over last. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/6 "2010-06-21T15:13:27Z")
I’d be surprised if T-Mobile went under since it is owned by Deutsche Telekom. If the iPhone wasn’t exclusive to AT&T, T-Mobile would be the biggest beneficiary as they use the same wireless standards as AT&T. Of course, that will change by the time the likely end of the exclusivity agreement ends, as Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile will all be using the same 4G standard. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/7 "2010-06-21T15:15:31Z")
Waitaminnit… fish have tits? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/8 "2010-06-21T15:18:08Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > Radio Shack defies logic year after year. I though they were very profitable. You mean “The Shack”? Obligatory [link](http://www.theonion.com/articles/even-ceo-cant-figure-out-how-radioshack-still-in-b,2190/) to The Onion. One of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/9 "2010-06-21T15:25:53Z")
I think there is a role for a chain of stores that sells resistors, memory card, all the stuff you need to make your own computer/ham radio. Radio Shack is now a cheap place for cheap cel phones. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/10 "2010-06-21T15:49:09Z")
I’m kinda surprised at Old Navy. They are a cheap, hip clothing store. You’d think they’d be doing ok in this economy. Better than their more expensive brothers and sisters. Hmm…perhaps they aren’t hip anymore, tho. When I was in high school everyone had OLD NAVY across their chests. Now, you don’t hear anyone brag on the good deals they got there. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/11 "2010-06-21T15:54:28Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Last week, the New York Times had a great article about the number of blue-chip companies that are now floating tits up in the fish tank. Can you provide a link to this article? I’d like to read it. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/12 "2010-06-21T15:56:27Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Can you provide a link to this article? I’d like to read it. Sadly, the _New York Times_ has just gone under. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/13 "2010-06-21T16:02:45Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Can you provide a link to this article? I’d like to read it. Let me look for it. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/14 "2010-06-21T16:09:48Z")
Sorry, it is not in Saturday, Sunday or today’s paper. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/15 "2010-06-21T16:14:46Z")
Try [this](http://247wallst.com/2010/06/15/247-wall-st-ten-brands-that-will-disappear-in-2011/) ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/16 "2010-06-21T17:44:47Z")
I was in Old Navy this weekend and bought a pair of shorts. The store was busy, it always seems to be when I go in. I like Old Navy for what it is, cheap clothing. They sell rubber flip flops cheap in a rainbow of colors, I have 7 or 8 pairs of them. I buy at least one pair a year for my husband also. Their t-shirts are perfect for work, where I have to look presentable but have the chance to ruin my clothing on a daily basis. I am assuming they have to sell a large volume of their “Made in a 3rd World Country” stuff to break even. From the April 2009 report: > [@](#): > > Gap (GAP) Old Navy and Banana Republic. Gap is a three-brand company living in a two-brand body. In March, same-store sales for the Gap North America flagship brand were off 14% following a 14% drop in the same month in 2008. Sales at Old Navy were flat for the same month but dropped 27% in March 2008. Sales at Banana Republic were off 16% this year and 8% last year. Gap announced that year-to-date net sales were $2.08 billion for the nine weeks that ended April 4, 2009, a decrease of 9% compared with net sales of $2.28 billion for the nine weeks that ended April 5, 2008. Old Navy has more stores than Banana Republic, 1,067 compared to 573. In the fourth quarter of last year, Gap had less than a 6% operating margin on $4.1 billion in revenue. In other words, if same-store sales at the company continue to drop 15% month after month, Gap is going to run into problems. Old Navy is still the weakest brand of the lot. Gap will have to close it down. The latest report says they missed the mark on saying Gap/Old Navy was headed for closure. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/17 "2010-06-21T17:51:11Z")
Old Navy is always busy - it’s the Gap that’s a graveyard. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/18 "2010-06-21T18:14:34Z")
It always seemed to me that the Old Navy, Gap and Banana Republic stores seems to sell roughly the same merchandise but at three quality and price points. ---
**Author:** ![Beerman1963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@Beerman1963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beerman1963)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/19 "2010-06-21T18:15:18Z")
My wife manages or will until Thursday a Blockbuster at that time it will be the 3rd or 4th store in her area to close its doors in the last year. So put Blockbuster on the dead pool for 2011 ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979/20 "2010-06-21T18:18:41Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I’m kinda surprised at Old Navy. They are a cheap, hip clothing store. You’d think they’d be doing ok in this economy. Better than their more expensive brothers and sisters. > > Hmm…perhaps they aren’t hip anymore, tho. When I was in high school everyone had OLD NAVY across their chests. Now, you don’t hear anyone brag on the good deals they got there. But it appears that they had to let go all the Supermodelkins, I guess they just couldn’t afford to pay them all. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doomed-companies-brands/543979.md?page=2)