Hello, and welcome. Here you will find an ongoing list of the many Saginaw Township area businesses that have CLOSED in the last few years. All of the featured photos were taken From 2006 to 2009. The date of this post will be the last updated date.
Photos not all available, but will update the postings for new CLOSINGS. Its been a tough year for Saginaw.
THIS IS NOT A JOKE.
These are real photos of real businesses that have either closed their doors or are in the process of doing so. Has there ever in the history of Saginaw Township been so many VACANT businesses?
While it is true that not every business can make it, and many do fail. But why are so many long standing businesses in Saginaw closing down recently? Why all the empty buildings? Compare the landscape to Bay City and Midland surrounding areas. Those communities don't seem to have the same effects.
Feel free to post your comments about this site, or about any location closing, or just general opinions about what is happening to the Saginaw area business community. The citizens of this community need to speak up and do something! Contact your local officials and congressmen too. Make a difference!
UPDATE: April 28, 2016
Many years have gone by since the blog was last updated and after seeing the Saginaw community continue to decline, I have decided to work on adding more recent closings and related posts. Stay tuned for more to come!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
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38 comments:
I can only imagine there will be a lot more closings if/when Delphi goes...
I know...I talk to my parents often and the situation looks grim.
Giving at thier church was down 30% in the last few months...this just illistrates the panic people feel when their community is begining to collapse
-Flint anyone?
http://angelfire.com/mi4/forgottenmi
I have a page about Fort Saginaw Mall, thought you might be interested in.
I share your concern, but you're taking a lot of things out of context in terms of closing businesses. For example the Chi-CHi's closed because the whole chain went up. Builder Square closed because Lowes and Home Depot were built and it couldn't keep up. Same situation for RIT when Guitar Center was built.Levi's didn't close, he was bought out and built a new Levi's on State street. I could go on, but basically there are a lot of reasons that businesses go under, and we can't forget that the economy has been struggling for some time. There may seem more empty buildings than Bay City or Midland, but 1) there are way more businesses in Saginaw than either of them to compete with each other and 2) Saginaw is much larger as well, and the bigger the city, the more empty buildings you're going to see in general terms.
There are new businesses started here and there, and we need to focus on that positive and support those businesses as much as we can. Have some faith that Saginaw will fix it's problems.
This site is designed to present facts. If information here is found incorrect it will be updated.
TRUE - businesses will close for many DIFFERENT reasons.
TRUE - saginaw is larger than Bay City and Midland.
But if you weigh out the number of businesses vs the number of empty ones, and put that into perspective, there is really a challenge here - no matter how you look at it.
Lastly... its true we need to focus on the positive, we need to go and make a difference to STOP this town from falling apart and the empty buildings that turn it into a ghost town. Is there any reason that bank in front of Kmart on gratiot should still be standing? ANY? Again, let's make a difference!
Nice to see this blog up and running again!
I have to agree COMPLETELY with Saginaw For Sale!
Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous, you are missing the point! WHY continue to build NEW stores when there are so many vacant and available sites that could be made suitable for just about ANYTHING!?
IF businesses were to get smart, they would do just that, fill in some of these places and bring the FLOW of consumers back to the areas that they are in!
I personally HATE driving Bay Rd for many reasons BUT, I avoid it even more now because of the empty and ugly buildings left behind! Same with State St. It is so DEPRESSING! I have to go to Bay City or Midland, for the most part, to actually find quality places to eat, shop, or have a nice family trip out. There malls are even better than Fashion Square! As soon as Ruby Tuesdays left, it started dying. They brought in ALOT of business but the rent was raised and they said FORGET YOU!! Smart move Fashion Square...NOT!
Saginaw is bigger and we do have more business but we lack in proper governing of our monies. They don't put into our community as they should, they wait for hand outs and give nothing but excuses as to "why Saginaw is the way it is". Get for real!! I am embarrased when out of town visitors come in and we have to drive 30-40 minutes just to find something of quality so...explain all you want, if it quacks like a duck.....Saginaw is going under and something needs to be done that is all there is to it!
Go take a walk downtown in Bay City at night, it's great! Would you do that in Saginaw?
We need help because this town is worth saving!! Unfortunately, I think it may be too late.
Oh and the bank in front of the ONLY K-Mart left in Saginaw...ya know, Family Federal Savings...well my sister worked there when she was in high school and it closed just after she graduated in 1981. TEAR IT DOWN!! It would cost less and look better!
It's tough for Michigan right now with the lack of industry, and between unspirited civic administrators and the low public morale that comes with being the second worst economy in the nation.
Here in Grand Rapids, though there have been kernels of spectacular growth in particular areas, much of what you present on this site is as evident here. The town has been peppered with defunct and unkempt Hot 'N Now locations for a over half of a decade. Frank's Nursery and a lighting store are empty throughout the year except during Halloween and Christmas when they are used as seasonal merchandise stores.
And as for the state of real estate - don't even start on that path. It's a cocktail of lazy realtors who refuse to make improvements on property, and college students who don't care what conditions they live in because they'll be out of Michigan "someday." And that's what's so damning about the whole situation; most of the people I know and grew up with consider Michigan a transitory place, often said it's where you start out and would hate to end up. While I can't say that I, personally, have desire to stay here my entire life, it is certain that improvements will be made faster and better if somehow we can gather a new form of civic pride.
If you all want to see where Saginaw (my hometown), and for that matter, most of the US is headed, just look at areas like south Texas. Wages are so low due to an "oversupply" of cheap labor that government jobs are the only opportunity for a living wage.
You'll notice two or three generations in one house because of economic reasons rather than any sense of family as some free trade boosters might claim.
Soon, communities, seeking new sources of mediocre jobs, will pull together in efforts to entice state and federal authorities to build new prisons in their towns.
America, like Mexico, has become a profit-obsessed society...What could possibly go wrong there???
It made me sick to see Don Pablos closed. It's going to join the weed infested Chi Chi's. Don Pablos filed for Chapter 11, but they didn't close all of their restaurants,just the under-performing ones, which unfortunatley included Saginaw. I really can't believe that there wasn't another party interested in the Chi Chi's property right after it closed..the location is across the street from a major mall. What the heck is going on?? The 'Party USA' store recently closed in the K-mart plaza on Bay Rd. Now 'Tuesday Morning' is the only tenant. I spoke to the people working there..they're NOT happy as can be expected. They told me that their regional manager is going to have to make a decision about what to do regarding the situation. I'd hate to see them go elswhere, they're a great upscale discount store on the order of TJ Maxx (my mecca) and Marshalls in Midland. Has anyone ventured over to Sterling Heights, namely the Hall Rd area?? The growth there is mind blowing. Row after row of new malls, restaurants and retail. It's so depressing to see Saginaw in the state it's in. I feel compelled now to show elsewhere, there's nothing here. There is one little bright spot...the new Magic Bean Cafe on State STreet. Check it out. Very classy, on the order of a Chicago or Detroit style coffee/gelato shop. Someone got it right.
I don't think Delphi is going anywhere. Chassis was already bought, and Steering is on the verge.
The Fort Saginaw Mall won't ever open again as it was voted down. Businesses would be basically committing suicide because of the neighborhood around it. It's NOT a safe area.
you can't expect businesses to stay in this area when the administration running it is corrupt from the former Mayer Ham all the way down to the ghetto boom box cop cars in Buena Vista.
This is a good blog, but if you want it to survive and thrive, update it with facts, and it will get alot less flack.
Just an FYI, I heard a scuttlebug that Farmer Jack is going to be bought by Kroger for their new Super Center to compete with Meijer and wal-mart. How true it is, i'm not sure.
This is a good blog, but if you want it to survive and thrive, update it with facts, and it will get alot less flack.
I would invite any visitors here such as yourself to help correct any inaccuracies. Please share info. Post your own 'facts' on any of the postings. This blog is a collaborative effort.
Saginaw is looking like a ghost town. My wife and I recently opened a small business in the city. To our surprise the city keeps sending us tax information that we were never told abount and keep wanting more and more money. If the city is trying to tax us out of business before we have a chance to get open why would anyone want to open a business in Saginaw?
Does anyone know what's going on with the Chi Chi's site??? Last year it was announced that a small medical office/retail strip mall was supposed to go in there...and then nothing happened. Then Don Pablos closed down, along with Value City and Dawn Donuts closing on State St. What the heck is happening to this town? I love this blog, even though the news is depressing. On the upside, at least Green Acres is getting the attention it deserves. Kroger is building a Supercenter (with a Starbucks inside) along with a Rite-Aid. I also heard that a new Starbucks is going up in a new retail/office area on Bay Rd..I think it's that place that Shaheen just put up down the street from Denny's. It's got a drive thru window.
Largest, longest vacated eyesore on Bay Rd: the former K-Mart/Office Depot strip mall right behind Chili's. Pathetic.
This is an interesting site. As an Architect and Builder, I can tell you that some of the thoughts by posters are just un-informed. For example, someone mentioned about building the new buildings when there are so many vacant ones. To a point, I agree whole heartedly. The architect side of me was educated in sustainability which is designing a building for multiple uses or at least to be able to be easily adapted to the new use. I try to do that whenever I can. One major problem though, most of these buildings have antiquated systems like electrical and heating / air conditioning. In the life cycle of things, sometimes it's just cheaper to build new, with more efficient equipment and products.
I also agree that we (the Saginaw area) are going through an economic recession and have been for some time (Michigan in general) Even though housing was going gangbuster’s the jobs weren’t. As for the Delphi situation, we need to move on from the large corporate job banks, they are leaving our country all together. The medical industry and small business are where the job lie now. I have a blog about Saginaw also, though I’ve been neglecting it lately due to a lack of time. It’s http://recyclesaginawmi.blogspot.com/ I’ll try to spend a little more time there in the next few weeks.
there is another closing business on Wenike and state, next to Moonys ice cream i think.
One of the biggest difference between Saginaw and Bay City (as well as other successful towns/cities) is that they support their local business owners. Spencer's, a great Italian restaurant with fantastic live music, is now having to change its format to compete with chain businesses like Applebee's and Beef O'Brady's. It would be nice to see folks in Saginaw embrace something that ISN'T owned by an enormous chain. Edward's is one of the few examples of a local clothing store that is still ticking along.
Another one bites the dust...found out that 'Tuesday Morning', the only remaining store in the plaza behind Chili's is closing Monday, 6/30. Was also told by one of the clerks that the entire mall is being sold. It was a great store with unique bargains on upscale goods. The mall will now be another ghostly presence in the ghost town called Saginaw.
Sarah is right! If we continue to let our communities support out of town conmpanies then we will no longer have any jobs in this area. For instance the new Freeland Sports Complex- this is a community group that bases itself on donations from area businesses and local private donations. At least 2 or 3 construction companies that are working on this project are from more than 30 miles away from saginaw. If we do not put money back into the hands of local people we can not expect the area to grow it will only decline. WALMART for example this company has inderectly put at least 5-10 businesses out since they opened! More to come and spread the word support your local businesses! SUPPORT LOCAL JOBS FOR LOCAL PEOPLE COALITION
Well, it is sad. I left Chesaning some 29 years ago for Texas. Glad I did. I hate to say it , but Michigan is dead. Anyone who stays there is stupid. I don't want to get personal, but sometimes you have to face reality. Saginaw is never going to come back. It's dead. Get out before you're the last one and go south or west out of the state.Some who stay don't want to see the forest for the trees, but the economy is not as bad everywhere. There are jobs, businesses booming and a new life, but it is not in Michigan. I go back once a year to see family, but it's soooooooooo depressing.
Another one bites the dust. 'Tuesday Morning' the last remaining store in the former Kmart plaza on Bay Rd has closed. It was a great upscale discount store. Darn!
You seem more concerned with the appearance of Saginaw ("eyesore this and eyesore that") which by default is what happens to an area that is experiencing financial hardship. Im sure the ex business owners are really concerned about a manicured lawn or an appearance more cosmetically suitable to please the general public who deems these places "EYESORES" such as yourself.
Love your site. It's truly frightening what's become of this area. When it's all laid out in words and pictures on your site you get a real dose of reality. What's unnerving is that for about 70% of the businesses that are closed, there's nothing taking it's place. I've heard from various sources that most of the people that own these closed properties are foreigners and are charging too much. They don't care or have any interest in this area. The fact that Chi Chi's, a popular restaurant across from the only large indoor mall in Saginaw, has been closed for about 8 years speaks volumes. I travel frequently outside the state and have never seen as many empty buildings and malls as there are in Saginaw. Depressing!!
The reasons so many business are unable to make it in Saginaw is because the lending institutions are useless even some of the credit unions such as Communications which seems to spend insanely on new branches are nothing but ways to make a few of their (the managers and their secret friends) people a private money source at the members expense. The other problem is the high tax (property and personal) rate imposed upon business,it dosen't stop. The insurance rates in Michigan along with the commercial electric bills are out of sight.
I've been gone from the Sagnasty for a while now, every time I go back it just gets worse and worse. I would love to one day move back to the area, but with the lack of any kind of valid revitalization effort I don't see how that could ever be a viable option in my lifetime. Growing up it was my dream to see Saginaw become the bustling and thriving city I always imagined it must have once been, sadly it seems there is not much of an effort to accomplish this.
I remember going to Baker College in Flint in the early nineties. One of the saddest things I remember seeing was this book this woman had of all the people who had been shot (or so I'm assuming, all the causes of death were "sudden death"). The woman couldn't get off the telephone if her life depended on it, sadly enough, and I wonder if the reason for that was all the loss she experienced, and how it ended up forcing her to reach out to people even as she was unable to hold onto them once they responded.
Hello All,
I'm from Chicago...but spent plenty of time in Saginaw. My father grew up in Buena Vista. As a child I use spend my summer vacations in Saginaw. I have great memories of attend summer camp at Buena Vista Lion's park. Even as a child I always thought Saginaw was going to be a "ghost-town". I was born in 1983 so I never really saw Fort Saginaw mall when it was thriving. Now that the township has purchase Fort Saginaw...maybe they can change it for the better. While visitng last summer, I was shocked to see all the businesses that have closed on Bay Rd. Fashion Sq. will soon look like Fort Saginaw. With lack of jobs, how can these business stay open? People don't have the money to just throw away at the mall!
I agree with the comment about Saginaw needing to embrace the business/restaurants we have that are unique to the area. Applebee's, Bennigan's, etc. are a carbon copy experience no matter where you go, but people around here fail to realize that and keep going there over and over. Same can be said for other local businesses as well.
Although financial hardship is probably the biggest factor holding Saginaw back, its probably the mentality of the residents doing just as much damage. Everyone around here seems to never want to embrace change or encourage it whatsoever. The whole GM/Delphi shop rat way of thinking reins supreme, and its holding this (and other) communities back.
Everything keeps thinking if GM leaves, they are going to come back. FACE IT, they aren't coming back. I don't necessarily support their "outsourcing" but why wouldn't they outsource, if they can get the same productivity at a lower price in a foreign country? I don't know why everyone is so surprised that GM is in the shape its in, its been in the making for decades.
And unfortunately, this, coupled with Saginaw's failure to embrace other forms of economic investment and diversity, is what will probably keep this community in the shape its in for quite some time.
We all know things are rough through out the entire country but with all of this volitility it is also creating opportunity! Things change and we all need to change with the times to make this country and city survive. This is the era of the entreprenuer. We need more people to start thinking of what they can do outside of a "job" to make this country a better place. It's out there -it really is. But more people need to recognize it and take action to breath new air into our economy. I could go on for hours...
johnprincinsky@ymail.com
IS THIS SITE STILL BEING UPDATED? I DONT SEE AN UPDATE SINCE JAN 2K9
DON PABLOS IS REOPENING AS HARVEYS BAR AND GRILL
THE OLD CHICHIS IS REOPENING AS CHENS MONGOLIAN GRILL
BOTH WILL BE OPEN SHORTLY
Updates coming soon..
Yes Don Pablos is not occupied, and finally chi chis building too..
Thanks for your comments!
Well, you all may think I'm nuts but I'm moving to Saginaw from Florida. I'm going to work for the ONLY people hiring...the government. I have never been to your town and I am southern 42 years, never delt with snow, may freeze by butt off. But I am SICK of hurricanes, the devastation that takes 10 years to rebuild, the preparing for one possibly coming and living without electricity for a week. I am looking forward to your beautiful woods and changing seasons. Here its just hot and humid. But about the economy, it sucks everywhere. I was a real estate broker and I have watched businesses fold around here at an alarming pace. Even ones that had many customers. We have no industry here, just AFB and tourism. We have been hit so hard by the housing market, vacaction homes and condos. But people keep moving here to get away from snow. I can't wait to get up there, and do work that will have a positive impact on other people's lives (veterans). I am looking forward to being a "snow-newbie". Any advice about what's good or where to avoid? Thanks.
I love this blog, as a Saginaw resident for all my life I find it interesting.
Just wanted to let you know for your next update, that the former Kroger's on Tittabawassee next to Hobby Lobby is now opened as a Big Lots.
IT SUCKS THIS SITE IS NO LONGER UPDATED
Is this blog still active?
Hi I am the creator of this site. It has been inactive for last few years because the framework on Blogger was acquired by another company and site has had glitches. Looks to be working better now. If anyone want to contribute to it or help please let me know.
Site is going back up!!! Please leave comments on new closings to add.
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