Coffee sales cool

We’ve long been expecting an announcement like this from Starbucks, and yesterday it finally came. The Seattle-based coffee king said that it will close 600 stores and eliminate 12,000 jobs. With a gallon of gas nearing the price of a venti Mint Mocha Chip Frappuccino, is it any wonder that Starbucks’ speeding growth has quickly shifted [...]

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“Ball Girl” Born in Chicago

Turns out that “Ball Girl,” the ubiquitous viral video that’s been viewed a couple million times on YouTube, has strong Chicago connections. The spot was produced by Chicago ad agency Element 79 for Chicago-based sports-drink juggernaut Gatorade.
If you haven’t yet seen the bejerseyed young woman scale a padded wall to snare a fly ball — [...]

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Up to 2,700 Jobs Lost as Boat Sales Slip

Lake Forest-based Brunswick Corp. announced today that it would be eliminating 1,000 jobs by the end of this year, and perhaps 1,700 more by the time the company is done with its current cost-cutting initiatives.
The maker of boats and recreational equipment also announced the closing of four manufacturing plants.
“An uncertain economy, high fuel and food [...]

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Motorola Shares Sink to Five-Year Low

Motorola’s woes continued yesterday, as the company’s shares fell 5.9 percent, closing at a level not seen since May 2003. At the height of the Internet bubble, Motorola’s shares hit $60. Yesterday the stock closed at $8.09.
The Schaumburg-based company has struggled to keep up with the competition in the crowded handset market. JD Power recently [...]

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