Superior Markets, Incorporated, operates three stores in a large metropolitan area. A segmented absorption costing income statement for the company for the last quarter is given below:

Superior Markets, Incorporated Income Statement For the Quarter Ended September 30
	Total	North Store	South Store	East Store
Sales	$ 3,540,000	$ 849,600	$ 1,416,000	$ 1,274,400
Cost of goods sold	1,955,496	475,776	778,800	700,920
Gross margin	1,584,504	373,824	637,200	573,480
Selling and administrative expenses:
Selling expenses	964,060	273,052	371,700	319,308
Administrative expenses	451,940	125,080	178,062	148,798
Total expenses	1,416,000	398,132	549,762	468,106
Net operating income (loss)	$ 168,504	$ (24,308)	$ 87,438	$ 105,374

The North Store has consistently shown losses over the past two years. For this reason, management is giving consideration to closing the store. The company has asked you to make a recommendation as to whether the store should be closed or kept open. The following additional information is available for your use:

1. The breakdown of the selling and administrative expenses that are shown above is as follows:

	Total	North Store	South Store	East Store
Selling expenses:
Sales salaries	$ 282,020	$ 82,600	$ 105,020	$ 94,400
Direct advertising	220,660	60,180	84,960	75,520
General advertising*	53,100	12,744	21,240	19,116
Store rent	354,000	100,300	141,600	112,100
Depreciation of store fixtures	18,880	5,428	7,080	6,372
Delivery salaries	24,780	8,260	8,260	8,260
Depreciation of delivery equipment	10,620	3,540	3,540	3,540
Total selling expenses	$ 964,060	$ 273,052	$ 371,700	$ 319,308

*Allocated on the basis of sales dollars.

	Total	North Store	South Store	East Store
Administrative expenses:
Store managers' salaries	$ 82,600	$ 24,780	$ 35,400	$ 22,420
General office salaries*	59,000	14,160	23,600	21,240
Insurance on fixtures and inventory	29,500	8,850	10,620	10,030
Utilities	125,080	36,580	47,200	41,300
Employment taxes	67,260	19,470	25,842	21,948
General officeother*	88,500	21,240	35,400	31,860
Total administrative expenses	$ 451,940	$ 125,080	$ 178,062	$ 148,798

*Allocated on the basis of sales dollars.

1. The lease on the building housing the North Store can be broken with no penalty.
2. The fixtures being used in the North Store would be transferred to the other two stores if the North Store were closed.
3. The general manager of the North Store would be retained and transferred to another position in the company if the North Store were closed. She would be filling a position that would otherwise be filled by hiring a new employee at a salary of $12,980 per quarter. The general manager of the North Store would continue to earn her normal salary of $14,160 per quarter. All other managers and employees in the North store would be discharged.
4. The company has one delivery crew that serves all three stores. One delivery person could be discharged if the North Store were closed. This person's salary is $4,720 per quarter. The delivery equipment would be distributed to the other stores. The equipment does not wear out through use, but does eventually become obsolete.
5. The company pays employment taxes equal to 15% of their employees' salaries.
6. One-third of the insurance in the North Store is on the store's fixtures.
7. The "General office salaries" and "General officeother" relate to the overall management of Superior Markets, Incorporated. If the North Store were closed, one person in the general office could be discharged because of the decrease in overall workload. This person's compensation is $7,080 per quarter.

Required:

1. How much employee salaries will the company avoid if it closes the North Store?

2. How much employment taxes will the company avoid if it closes the North Store?

3. What is the financial advantage (disadvantage) of closing the North Store?

4. Assuming that the North Store's floor space can't be subleased, would you recommend closing the North Store?

5. Assume that the North Store's floor space can't be subleased. However, let's introduce three more assumptions. First, assume that if the North Store were closed, one-fourth of its sales would transfer to the East Store, due to strong customer loyalty to Superior Markets. Second, assume that the East Store has enough capacity to handle the increased sales that would arise from closing the North Store. Third, assume that the increased sales in the East Store would yield the same gross margin as a percentage of sales as present sales in the East store. Given these new assumptions, what is the financial advantage (disadvantage) of closing the North Store?