Post actual shortages here.

[Grower]

We did, too, but I've never seen a baler work with wire. Just wondered if it was the old type that had paddles on 3 sides, and whether it had that crazy "auto" wire binder thing or if you did it as they came out.

[graveday]

Grower, you are confusing me.  I know exactly what Cowboy is talking about, but that was my reality thirty five years ago.  I don't know what you are talking about, unless it is a homemade press like they are using right now in Pakistan to make bales for building homes.  I could give a link, but I will have to work hard to find it, though it is beautiful and involves a woman engineer from Reno, Nevada.

[Grower]

I'll try to get a better description from Dad.

[MEA]

Don't laugh, but neither my father in central NJ, nor my brother in LV, NV can find size 15 mens shoes.

[graveday]

Tell them to go to Zappos online.  Yes, it is not a laughing matter.

[MEA]

Thanks. Being of a doomer mindset (the pair of them) they each have a back up pair of work boots and slippers, but it's time to break in the spair pair of boots and get another back up pair. I'll email by brother the link and tell dad in the am.

[Katie]

Ok, we used to have four gas stations, on two major intersections that I pass on my way to work.  First one went out of business some months ago.  So that intersection has only one gas station now.  Now, it appears that one at the second intersection is closed.  Whether someone will buy it and reopen is another question.  For months the newly closed gas station has had lots of broken pumps, looked kind of spotty, etc. 

Now that's kind of like a shortage, of gas stations. 

Or maybe they know about peak oil and are selling off before things crash  . 

[graveday]

Maybe they will put a bank in there.  Hey AC, is this positive?  It is so hard, already.

[Katie]

Maybe they will put a bank in there.

I am noticing more gas stations that are closed.  The other thing I am noticing is more parking spaces.  There's a Whole Foods that's been here for 4 or 5 years.  For most of that time, you'd have a hard time finding a parking space.  Lately, there are plenty of empty parking spaces.  I guess there are fewer people driving and shopping.

Today at Whole Foods, I noticed how many of the shelves only had items on the front of the shelf.  Plus, there was always someone to help you in the vitamin department.  Today, no one was anywhere around.  Another customer commented on it, too.  When someone finally came she was not very knowledgable.  It made me wonder if they were decreasing their staff.  Now this is an upscale store in an upscale community.   

[greenmom]

All the grocery stores that I go into have clearly cut back on the stock they keep on hand.  The local dollar store just three months ago used to have an isle full of plastic storage containers, laundry baskets, etc... that isle is now mostly empty.  The local Walmart has remodeled and has at least half the stock they used to carry with very nice wide isles now.  Looks nice, but is hiding the loss of stuff.   Went three to buy an insulated coffee mug, one I bought last year broke.   There were only two types of insulated mugs on the shelf.  Last year they had at least a dozen types.  It is disconcerting.

Katie, thanks for your info.  I live in an impoverished area, so it is interesting to hear that this is happening in upscale areas, as well.

[Chesyre]

product diversion if you can get 5 % if you ship to store A instead of store B , i'd say its a given store A is going to get the goods.
 

[Annie Oakley]

I work at a grocery store and  the management seems bound and bent to do away with having any stock kept out back.....they want what will go on  the shelves and no extra! (having a doomer mindset I find this alarming) The warehouse is about a 15 minute drive away. My biggest issue is that when TSHTF anything extra will be at the warehouse...not at the store.(hopefully...cross fingers...."that" won't happen before I quit next June)

One thing that I have been trying to get for the past month is a thermometer.....the drug store in my town can't get them in!
Don't know if that is flu related or shortage related.

[Zac]

I've noticed the same thing with reduced inventory on store shelves since at least the beginning of the year (2009).  All of the local supermarkets I've seen have less inventory particularly on the more expensive items.  The space for each item on the shelves will have a display package in the front, but few additional packages behind it.  In the past, there were generally enough quantities of each item to fill most of the space on the shelves instead of just the front row.   

The local super walmart also widened aisles and reduced inventory, but they still seem to be pretty busy judging by the parking lot.  There seem to be a lot of people there shopping for food.  The more expensive supermarkets like Bel Air, Nugget, and Whole Foods have much less business than a year ago.  Even middle of the road supermarket like Safeway have noticeably less business.  But, the local Winco is busier than I've seen them in the past 8 years.  The local Costco is still reasonably busy though noticeably less so than a couple years ago, especially during the weekdays. 

Local restaurants also appear to much less busy, particularly the mid range restaurants.  This is also evidenced by considerably more advertising and signage than I've seen in past years.  The more expensive restaurants that were busy in past years still remain reasonably busy. 

[Katie]

Alright -- this is not a critical survival item, but it really annoyed me when I promised to make 300 cheese blinzes for my daughter's wedding breakfast and found out that a necessary ingredient (in my book anyway) is no longer available except as a picture on Amazon.  Baker's cheese. Yea, you can substitute, but I wanted what I consider to be the best.  I called all over the U.S. - no luck.

You can make it yourself.  I've not tried cheesemaking yet, but I'm gearing up for it.  Here's one recipe
http://schmidling.com/cres.htm#baker

That's for the future.  I'm not suggesting it for the wedding 

[Annie Oakley]

I went and I checked five stores in the neighbouring town for thermometers the other day....not a one......the $70 kind were to be had but that was it!
The was told twice that they keep ordering them but they don't come in.