Many businesses have been severely affected by the failing economy; many large brands have filed for bankruptcy, and will likely disappear in 2009.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28452746/page/2/

The most shocking one in my opinion is Linen's 'n Things; they were quite a large chain.

Second to that is Circuit City; all their stores around here are booming with business, it's surprising that they filed for Chapter 11.

Which local businesses are you seeing that are being hit hard by the economic recession?

In the Uk, we've lost a succession of large high street names - Woolworths having the biggest effect; not only did they have a lot of stores (over 200 nationwide), but they also supplied a number of other companies with stock, namely that of Zavvi, a music/dvd chain. They themselves have only been in business for a year after buying Virgin Megastores from Richard Branson.

Other names to have gone are The Officers Club (mens clothing store) and Whittards (Tea and coffee retailer). It's going to be a very nervy few months and i can see a few more high street chains going to the wall too

Just a town not to far from ours has a GM factory, that's already closed down after many years of making vehicles....

I haven't seen the economic crisis hit the area where I live hard yet. But Mervyns and Circuit City closing is kind of sad, they are icons =/.