The Borders store in Grand Junction is expected to soon close as part of a bankruptcy reorganization for the struggling book retailer. Borders Group, which owns the Borders and Waldenbooks chains, announced it will close nearly 200 “underperforming” stores — about 30 percent of its national network — as it reorganizes under Chapter 11 of […]
Consumer spending increased in Mesa County during December compared to a year ago, the first such increase for the holiday shopping month since 2007. According to the January tax report, which reflects spending in December, Mesa County collected $3.41 million in sales taxes. That’s a 0.51 percent increase over the same month last year. January […]
The average apartment vacancy rate in Grand Junction declined during the fourth quarter of 2010, as did the average monthly rent. According to the latest results of a quarterly survey reported by the Colorado Division of Housing, the average apartment vacancy rate in Grand Junction fell to 7.5 percent for the fourth quarter. The average […]
Commercial rafting firms in Colorado reported an increase in business in 2010 that pushed the estimated stream of revenue from the industry to more than $150 million. With an anticipated increase in consumer spending as well as deep snowpacks that serve as the source of Colorado river flows, the outlook for the 2011 rafting season […]
While property foreclosure activity slowed in Mesa County in December, proportional increases in year-end totals for foreclosure listings and sales were far greater than in any of 11 other metropolitan counties in Colorado. According to the latest statistics from the Colorado Division of Housing, 128 foreclosure filings and 69 foreclosure sales were reported in Mesa […]
Tom Sawyer envisions a time early next year when his Grand Junction-based marketing firm will enjoy a national presence. He sees account managers communicating with clients across the country and feels what it’s like to work at such an operation. But that’s not all. Sawyer also plans to write a second business book in part […]
A monthly measure of economic conditions for small businesses in Colorado has climbed to its highest level in more than five years, forecasting a more robust recovery that includes job growth. “Colorado’s swing from net job losses during the most recent 12-month period to net job gains should continue in coming months. Colorado’s economic recovery […]
While the proportion of adults in a 14-county region of Western Colorado who hold four-year college degrees now tops the natonal average, the proportion of adults in Mesa County with college degrees continues to trail the nation. Mesa State College President Tim Foster announced that 33 percent of residents 25 years or older in a […]
What’s in a name? More than what Shakespeare suggests when it comes to colleges, recruiting students and even addressing funding concerns. To help compensate for dwindling state funding, Mesa State College in Grand Junction has pumped up efforts to bring in more out-of-state students, along with the higher tuition they pay. And part of those […]
The natural gas industry constitutes a major player in the Mesa County economy. Unemployment figures and sales tax collections aside, what’s happening in the Piceance Basin provides a significant indicator in determining the economic outlook. While the number of people earning paychecks directly from Encana Oil and Gas, Williams Production and other companies might comprise […]