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	$ 3,180,000	$ 763,200	$ 1,272,000	$ 1,144,800
Cost of goods sold	1,756,632	427,392	699,600	629,640
Gross margin	1,423,368	335,808	572,400	515,160
Selling and administrative expenses:
Selling expenses	866,020	245,284	333,900	286,836
Administrative expenses	405,980	112,360	159,954	133,666
Total expenses	1,272,000	357,644	493,854	420,502
Net operating income (loss)	$ 151,368	$ (21,836)	$ 78,546	$ 94,658

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:

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	$ 253,340	$ 74,200	$ 94,340	$ 84,800
Direct advertising	198,220	54,060	76,320	67,840
General advertising*	47,700	11,448	19,080	17,172
Store rent	318,000	90,100	127,200	100,700
Depreciation of store fixtures	16,960	4,876	6,360	5,724
Delivery salaries	22,260	7,420	7,420	7,420
Depreciation of delivery equipment	9,540	3,180	3,180	3,180
Total selling expenses	$ 866,020	$ 245,284	$ 333,900	$ 286,836

*Allocated on the basis of sales dollars.

	Total	North Store	South Store	East Store
Administrative expenses:
Store managers' salaries	$ 74,200	$ 22,260	$ 31,800	$ 20,140
General office salaries*	53,000	12,720	21,200	19,080
Insurance on fixtures and inventory	26,500	7,950	9,540	9,010
Utilities	112,360	32,860	42,400	37,100
Employment taxes	60,420	17,490	23,214	19,716
General officeother*	79,500	19,080	31,800	28,620
Total administrative expenses	$ 405,980	$ 112,360	$ 159,954	$ 133,666

*Allocated on the basis of sales dollars.

The lease on the building housing the North Store can be broken with no penalty.

The fixtures being used in the North Store would be transferred to the other two stores if the North Store were closed.

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 $11,660 per quarter. The general manager of the North Store would continue to earn her normal salary of $12,720 per quarter. All other managers and employees in the North store would be discharged.

The company has one delivery crew that serves all three stores. One delivery person could be discharged if the North Store were closed. This persons salary is $4,240 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.

The company pays employment taxes equal to 15% of their employees' salaries.

One-third of the insurance in the North Store is on the stores fixtures.

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 persons compensation is $6,360 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 cant be subleased, would you recommend closing the North Store?

5. Assume that the North Store's floor space cant 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?

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