Leaving aside corporate bean-counting, I have wondered if the current building boom has something to do with it. At least where I am (NY City) it seems like the whole world is a construction site. From remodeling and expanding houses to new high-rises the real-estate insanity has spurred a heck of a lot of construction. Perhaps there just aren't as many unemployed tradespeople willing to work for retail wages as there used to be.
Greg Guarino