Pier 1’s announcement that business is so bad that it is going to cut back even more raises the question of what will happen to its store in Medallion Center, which has to have been there almost 30 years. In the old days, when we still had blue laws, that was one of the few places open on Sunday. Companies typically don’t comment on store closings; has anyone heard anything?
Pier 1’s troubles also speak to how companies can screw themselves up. What was Pier 1 famous for? Selling inexpensive, well-made, almost funky furniture and accessories (think Mary Tyler Moore’s apartment). So what did management do? Got rid of all that stuff and brought in the same sort of merchandise that everyone else sells. And they wonder why they keep losing money.
