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With the demise of Bed Bath & Beyond, there are no longer any major dedicated housewares stores as Linens-N-Things also met a similar fate a number of years ago.

There's definitely endangered categories and things that have become one-of-a-kind when their competitors dropped out (Walmart Supercenter, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble) but what categories are gone with no replacement?

What I can think of:
- Big box toy stores (Toys R Us; competitors like Child World and Lionel Kiddie City closed years ago)
- Farm & fleet/hardware stores with grocery (The Andersons)
- Big box housewares (previously mentioned)
- Discount drug stores (Phar-Mor, Drug Emporium, smaller chains)

I'm sure there are others...

Beyond those, there are several who are down to one:

Electronics: Best Buy
Closeout: Ollie's
Office Supplies: Two - Office Depot/Max and Staples, both on life support.
Computers: Micro Center (but there are only 28!)

The original term of this type was known as the category killer.

Great post idea! I would like to see an analysis of why categories have disappeared or whittled down to only a few competitors. In the meantime, my notes:

pseudo3d wrote: ↑16 Oct 2024 11:50 With the demise of Bed Bath & Beyond, there are no longer any major dedicated housewares stores as Linens-N-Things also met a similar fate a number of years ago.

There's definitely endangered categories and things that have become one-of-a-kind when their competitors dropped out (Walmart Supercenter, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble) but what categories are gone with no replacement?

What I can think of:
- Big box toy stores (Toys R Us; competitors like Child World and Lionel Kiddie City closed years ago)
- Farm & fleet/hardware stores with grocery (The Andersons)
- Big box housewares (previously mentioned)
- Discount drug stores (Phar-Mor, Drug Emporium, smaller chains)

I'm sure there are others...

Toy stores: Besides Toys R Us' mismanagement on its own, I can see electronics take over a lot of the physical media and types of toys on sale.
Farm & fleet/hardware: Don't think that category was ever big enough to begin with
Electronics: Hardly anyone ever talks about this but a lot of physical media (DVD movies, CD music, computer software, physical video games) being outmoded; certain electronics such as DVD players as well

wnetmacman wrote: ↑16 Oct 2024 17:44 Beyond those, there are several who are down to one:

Electronics: Best Buy
Closeout: Ollie's
Office Supplies: Two - Office Depot/Max and Staples, both on life support.
Computers: Micro Center (but there are only 28!)

The original term of this type was known as the category killer.

Electronics: PC Richard in the Northeast, Micro Center competes in that category too, this other chain in South Florida I forgot about
Office supplies: Are OD/OM and Staples both life support-level? They have sunk but they are not less than 100 location stragglers.

wnetmacman wrote: ↑16 Oct 2024 17:44 The original term of this type was known as the category killer.

And that's the most disappointing part of it. Rather than the return of the pre-category killer: small specialty stores and department store departments, there's simply...nothing. Well, except for maybe Amazon and Walmart.

Interesting topic, but you're conflating categories with chains. There are categories of merchandise that people still buy, but chains play a much smaller role.

There are categories that have become more local/boutique:

Indie book stores have made a comeback and you can even find some small local chains like Barbara's in Chicago or Politics & Prose in DC.

Music retail has comeback through vinyl places.

Appliance stores still exist, including small local chains like Bray & Scharf in DC, but they work a lot with contractors and skew toward higher end lines.

Some categories used to have lots of chain and local stores but now are down to just a few of each. Menswear is a good example---there used be at least one men's store in every small town downtown, urban neighborhood shopping district, community shopping center, etc. and there were multiple stores at different price points in most metro areas--semi-national, low end stores like Richman Brothers, Bond's or National Shirt Shops; mid-priced regional chains (many of them owned by clothing makers like Van Husen, Hartmarx, and Kuppenheimer), and high end stores which often remained local. Malls used to have a few stores at each price point, some more traditional or stylish than others. Now, you have a couple middle-priced non-mall chains: Jos A Bank and Men's Wearhouse which both have had many problems and multiple owners and a high end chain, Brooks Brothers, that also has had problems. The locals are mostly high-end stores that draw from large geographic areas like Boyd's in Philly or O'Connell's in Buffalo and the local chains as well as neighborhood-ish stores no longer exist. Department stores and off-price stores have sizable men's selections, but the department stores are a shadow of once they once were with high quality men's stores.

There are only a few categories that truly have disappeared like traditional hat stores. The decline of national chains arguably open up opportunities for local businesses, but they appeal to people who want a particular kind of merchandise or experience.

Hosiery stores (Parklane comes to mind)...a complete 180 in my worklife!

Here's one that is at least endangered: Tobacco shops.

I do not smoke or partake in tobacco use of any kind. But I will say that there are generally only two places where you find these: On Indian reservations, and on state border towns where one state has significantly lower taxes. There is such a shop in Rainier, Oregon, and several exist in other towns along the Oregon/Washington border.

Super S wrote: ↑17 Dec 2024 12:12 Here's one that is at least endangered: Tobacco shops.

I do not smoke or partake in tobacco use of any kind. But I will say that there are generally only two places where you find these: On Indian reservations, and on state border towns where one state has significantly lower taxes. There is such a shop in Rainier, Oregon, and several exist in other towns along the Oregon/Washington border.

Actually, I have seen the opposite. With the rise in vape usage, smoke shops have grown, or at least in my area. I am just north of Lafayette, LA. We're 100 miles from any state line. Every time I look, there's a new one opening up somewhere. My town of 10,000 (A suburb of a 150,000 city) has had three open in the last year.

wnetmacman wrote: ↑16 Oct 2024 17:44 Beyond those, there are several who are down to one:

Electronics: Best Buy
Closeout: Ollie's
Office Supplies: Two - Office Depot/Max and Staples, both on life support.
Computers: Micro Center (but there are only 28!)

The original term of this type was known as the category killer.

You also have Ocean State Job Lots in the Closeout category (as they do have many items that are buyouts of leftovers and short dated type items), and perhaps in some areas Big Lots will be back in that category as they sound like they are planning to return to that setup more than what they have been doing.

Best Buy also overlaps into the computers section as one of the items they have under the broader electronics department.

wnetmacman wrote: ↑17 Dec 2024 12:15

Super S wrote: ↑17 Dec 2024 12:12 Here's one that is at least endangered: Tobacco shops.

I do not smoke or partake in tobacco use of any kind. But I will say that there are generally only two places where you find these: On Indian reservations, and on state border towns where one state has significantly lower taxes. There is such a shop in Rainier, Oregon, and several exist in other towns along the Oregon/Washington border.

Actually, I have seen the opposite. With the rise in vape usage, smoke shops have grown, or at least in my area. I am just north of Lafayette, LA. We're 100 miles from any state line. Every time I look, there's a new one opening up somewhere. My town of 10,000 (A suburb of a 150,000 city) has had three open in the last year.

What I was referring to are shops that sell traditional cigars, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, etc.

I have never been to a vape shop, but my understanding is that they sell vape products only. I know that, here in Washington, a lot of restrictions went into effect and a lot of these shops disappeared, but there are still a few.

I live in a state where recreational marijuana use is legal (something I also do not partake in) and there are limitations on where those types of shops can operate.

I assume that the vape and marijuana shops do not sell traditional tobacco products, but I am not certain.

Super S wrote: ↑18 Dec 2024 11:23 What I was referring to are shops that sell traditional cigars, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, etc.

I have never been to a vape shop, but my understanding is that they sell vape products only. I know that, here in Washington, a lot of restrictions went into effect and a lot of these shops disappeared, but there are still a few.

I live in a state where recreational marijuana use is legal (something I also do not partake in) and there are limitations on where those types of shops can operate.

I assume that the vape and marijuana shops do not sell traditional tobacco products, but I am not certain.

In my part of the world, the traditional tobacco shop has picked up vape products. I don't smoke or vape, but it's hard to ignore.

Super S wrote: ↑17 Dec 2024 12:12 Here's one that is at least endangered: Tobacco shops.

I do not smoke or partake in tobacco use of any kind. But I will say that there are generally only two places where you find these: On Indian reservations, and on state border towns where one state has significantly lower taxes. There is such a shop in Rainier, Oregon, and several exist in other towns along the Oregon/Washington border.

In the city I currently live in(Stockton, California), it seems like there's a smoke shop on almost every other corner...

wnetmacman wrote: ↑17 Dec 2024 12:15

Super S wrote: ↑17 Dec 2024 12:12 Here's one that is at least endangered: Tobacco shops.

I do not smoke or partake in tobacco use of any kind. But I will say that there are generally only two places where you find these: On Indian reservations, and on state border towns where one state has significantly lower taxes. There is such a shop in Rainier, Oregon, and several exist in other towns along the Oregon/Washington border.

Actually, I have seen the opposite. With the rise in vape usage, smoke shops have grown, or at least in my area. I am just north of Lafayette, LA. We're 100 miles from any state line. Every time I look, there's a new one opening up somewhere. My town of 10,000 (A suburb of a 150,000 city) has had three open in the last year.

We have the same situation in Northern California... I live in Stockton, and I'd be willing to bet there's nowhere in the city that isn't within a few blocks from a smoke shop... Heck, last week, my wife and I walked to the nearest AM/PM, which is only 2-3 blocks away, and passed by 5 smoke shops...