In a setback for the U.S. economic recovery, retail sales unexpectedly fell hard in May as consumers pulled back their spending on things from cars to clothing.
Retail sales tumbled 1.2%, the Commerce Department said Friday, prompting one forecaster to lower its outlook on second-quarter economic growth.
The retail sales report "is a reminder that households are not going to be the engine of growth for some time," Capital Economics economist Paul Dales wrote in a note, adding that the retail sales report "dramatically weakens the outlook for consumption growth in the second quarter."
Sectors showing losses:
Building and Garden Supply -9.3%
Autos -1.7%
Gas stations -3.3%
Clothing stores -1.3%
In spite of this and the high unemployment rate, some sectors showed modest gains:
Furniture sales 1.0%
Electronic and Appliance 0.6%
Health and personal care 0.3%
Internet sales 2.0%
Sporting Goods and Hobby 0.4%
Restaurant and bar 0.1%
"Consumers are still shopping despite high unemployment, sluggish income growth, and relatively tight credit," said Insight Economics analyst Steven Wood.
On Sunday June the 27th, the New Vision General Baptist Church in Taneyville Missouri is having a service from 7 to 8PM with fireworks beginning at dark. Dinner will be provided from 5 to 6:30 PM. Be sure to bring blankets and lawn chairs if you are staying for the fireworks. For more information you can call 546-3112 or 546-6096.
I had a chance to go down and get a picture of the work being done to construct a new access road from the Hollister side to the Branson side which will eventually be a one way road after the old bridge is resurfaced sometime in 2011. A gentleman that was driving a truck carrying trusses by the name of Tom informed me that the new bridge should be completed by November or December of this year. That’s the rumor he’s heard at least. What surprised me was the fact that getting across was not the nightmare I had been told. I actually crossed without having to stop once for construction crews! So, for the short term, at least, if you live to the east as in Kirbyville or Forsyth and you want to go that way to get into Branson, have at it.
In a previous report, I mentioned my desire to critique Charlie’s Steak Ribs and Ale in Forsyth Missouri. It was a Monday and had slept in late so I missed the morning breakfast crowd. On arrival, I elected to sit at the bar and have my lunch there. I was immediately acknowledged by the server, Dianna. She took my order for a coffee and a virgin Mary to be followed by the steak and eggs platter. The drinks were excellent and the food was served promptly (within ten minutes) and the overall presentation was good. When I ordered I was given a choice of rare medium rare and well done. The steak was a little more done than I would consider medium well but was tasty none the less. The hash browns were done with a slight crunch and the eggs were sunny side up and done to perfection. Following are my scores for this visit:
Quality of service (1= I’ve been mugged & assaulted to a 10 = I want to put my waitress in my will!) On this visit I gave them an 8. Quality of the food (1= I’m poisoned, call 911 to a 10 = I’m in heaven, so leave me alone!) A slight demerit for the steak, but overall the food was a solid 9. Overall eating experience (1= A toxic cesspool to a 10 = I’m setting up my bed in the back!) The restaurant was quiet, clean and I felt comfortable being there. For this visit I gave them a 9 rating.
So, overall the score was in the low end of the excellent or what I would call the ‘Happy Camper’ range.
Charlie’s Steak, Ribs and Ale is a restaurant located in Forsyth Missouri. It’s been in operation for over a couple of years now and is located close to the intersection of Hwy 160 and Y Hwy. I’ve had occasion to eat there a number of times (all pleasant experiences) and will admit to frequenting the full service bar which is a nice place to stop for a cool libation on a hot day. (Say hi to Brandy if you do stop by)!
In recent months, Charlie’s has begun offering a varied breakfast menu, and I thought it might be fun to see just how good their breakfast fare is. (Before reading any more, please understand that this eatery has already been recommended by many of my discerning friends). (Note: this report is not meant to be scientific, it's the thoughts of just a local stopping in for some food and atmosphere).
My plan is do this early on Monday, May 24th. On that date, I had decided to try out the Steak N Eggs which includes an 8 oz hand cut sirloin, 2 eggs hash browns and a choice of bread. A seeming bargain at only $7.99. I felt for the purpose of this blog entry, I wanted to quantify this eating experience a bit, so I came up with three subjective criteria:
Quality of service (1= I’ve been mugged & assaulted to a 10 = I want to put my waitress in my will!)
Quality of the food (1= I’m poisoned, call 911 to a 10 = I’m in heaven, so leave me alone!)
Overall eating experience (1= A toxic cesspool to a 10 = I’m setting up my bed in the back!)
So, that is what I wanted to go with. Just those three criteria. (As I mentioned, while this may not be very scientific, I hope to impart something of worth). You might note that I shied away from rating the cost of the meal, as I’ve always felt you get what you pay for. (If you want cheap eats, then head for to a fast food hook me up). I'll now cover some thoughts on each category.
Quality of Service - In my mind good service is just what it says. When you enter a place that serves food, you expect to be shown to a table promptly and then you expect your serving professional to be just that, a professional. Someone who is on top of all the specials and who looks neat and who makes your eating experience a pleasure.
Quality of food - This category is of utmost important to me. If the food is of poor quality or is not cooked properly (or is moving), then everything else is quickly forgotten. I'm not looking so much for quantity as I am quality.
Overall experience - This is a sort of catchall category. It encompasses a lot of little things like the atmosphere, ambiance and yes, even the smell of the establishment. If it's a venue that you feel you want to go back to again, then it should score at least a 20 or so.
As of May 2012, they are still in business and doing quite well. I have been a regular customer there for some time now and can attest to the food and beverages!
