Sears

[Hudsons81]

Bay city MI closing.

Well, the Bay City Mall (where that Sears is located in) will now be hit with a double-whammy: their Target anchor is going out of business as well.

[Hudsons81]

This Sears anchors the Lincoln Park Shopping Center in Lincoln Park, Michigan. This opened with the center in 1956 and operated simultaneously with a smaller-and older-Sears in the downtown district of neighboring Wyandotte until that closed in 1977. Today, it and Dollar Tree are the only non-outlot tenants of the center, which was mostly vacated as property values in the area fell and as a result of rumors that a Walmart was going to be built on the site (that plan was shot down twice).

[ynkeesfn82]

Sears Appliance & Hardware at 852 North Colony Road (Route 5) in Wallingford, Connecticut in the Wallingford Fair Plaza aka Shoprite Plaza will be closing in 2015. The space is already being marketed and says it will be vacated by May 1, 2015 or earlier. At around 25,000 Square Feet this is store is much smaller than the Bristol location that closed in January 2014 which (including the garden center) was around 33,000 Square Feet.

[shore72]

After closing their Seaford, DE store earlier this year (a smaller corporate store, with little to no softlines) now a Sears Hometown store has opened in a former carpet store, within sight of the old location. I haven't been in there yet but they should have plenty of square footage.

I was talking to a mechanic at work before this store opened; he mentioned that he bought all his tools at Sears and convenience was a big factor. Without the new location they would have lost his business to the Snap-On truck as the next nearest location is about 45 minutes away.

[ynkeesfn82]

Sears Appliance & Hardware at 852 North Colony Road (Route 5) in Wallingford, Connecticut in the Wallingford Fair Plaza aka Shoprite Plaza will be closing in 2015. The space is already being marketed and says it will be vacated by May 1, 2015 or earlier. At around 25,000 Square Feet this is store is much smaller than the Bristol location that closed in January 2014 which (including the garden center) was around 33,000 Square Feet.

And it's officially closing.

http://www.myrecordjournal.com/wallingford/wallingfordnews/6852420-129/sears-appliance-and-hardware-to-close-in-wallingford.html

[buzz86us]

the Sears hometown stores that are privately owned might be all that is left if things keep going south like this

[HannafordHearts]

It wouldn't be too unusual if Target bought all the Sears store leases, while letting Sears close on their own. Afterward Target could completely gut the stores but the layouts of the new Targets would probably be a lot like the old Sears layouts. The only obstacle to this plan that I can see would be the ability to fit all the checkouts a Target store needs, because most Sears stores only have checkout counters a few places in the store. Also features such as pharmacies and snack bars might be hard to fit, but I do know of several conversions of mall-style department stores to Targets, including at least one former Sears.

I get the feeling Walmart will eventually buy the "better" Kmart store leases (of the bigger and relatively newer Kmart stores, mostly opened in the 90's) while having closing sales to clear the stores of merchandise, then taking as long as it takes to convert the stores to the Walmart appearance inside and out before reopening. Few of the 60's/70's Kmart store sites (which most current Kmart stores are) would have any appeal to Walmart, but maybe some of them could become Sam's Club, or at least could be demolished to fit Sam's Club new construction. Also Walmart has been experimenting in Texas with wholesale stores called Mas Club ("mas" is pronounced the same as "moss") which is a Mexican-themed version of Sam's Club. Of course there still is a lot of room for Mas Club to grow, and a lot of former Kmart sites in more urban areas such as the outskirts of Chicago have high Hispanic populations. I could see Walmart opening Mas Club everywhere at former Kmart sites just to keep Target out.

The problem I see with that is that in most towns where Sears stores are, there's already a Target store. They might even be in the same mall together. Unless it was a thing where they relocated their stores to the old Sears buildings, I couldn't see that happening. It would be the Rite Aid-Eckerd merger all over again, but much bigger.

[ynkeesfn82]

Sears in Meriden, CT is not closing in 2015, but the company doesn't rule out that the location will be sold.

http://www.myrecordjournal.com/meriden/meridennews/6979673-129/sears-at-westfield-meriden-mall-not-closing-in-2015-but.html

[EddieJ1984]

Was at Willow Grove Park Mall, didn't realize Sears is shrinking, top 3rd floor was closed off and 2nd floor all the clothes were on clearance/everything must go.
Sounds like its going to only be 1 floor.

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20150131_Sears_to_shrink_at_Willow_Grove_mall.html

[ynkeesfn82]

Sears Appliance & Hardware at 852 North Colony Road (Route 5) in Wallingford, Connecticut in the Wallingford Fair Plaza aka Shoprite Plaza will be closing in 2015. The space is already being marketed and says it will be vacated by May 1, 2015 or earlier. At around 25,000 Square Feet this is store is much smaller than the Bristol location that closed in January 2014 which (including the garden center) was around 33,000 Square Feet.

And it's officially closing.

http://www.myrecordjournal.com/wallingford/wallingfordnews/6852420-129/sears-appliance-and-hardware-to-close-in-wallingford.html

Went there today. No sign that it is closing, but it is listed on 2 commercial realty website. Plus they have a big For Lease Sign at the entrance to the plaza. First time I had been to a Sears Appliance and Hardware Store since the one in Bristol closed. Saw a sign that mentioned Sears Hometown and that it was owned by The Canyon Company (I think that's what it's called).

[ynkeesfn82]

70,000 Square Feet of the Sears at the Danbury Fair Mall in Danbury, CT is expected to be sub-leased to Primark.

http://www.newstimes.com/business/article/Danbury-mall-gets-a-new-anchor-6090330.php

[TRU7536]

70,000 Square Feet of the Sears at the Danbury Fair Mall in Danbury, CT is expected to be sub-leased to Primark.

http://www.newstimes.com/business/article/Danbury-mall-gets-a-new-anchor-6090330.php

Smart idea on Sears, they are struggling and shrinking their stores is a easy thing for them to do.

Two weeks ago while going to Dave and busters in Manchester, I walked around Buckland and the Sears their was a ghost town and so was its parking area.

[Bdubs]

The only part of Sears that has a great amount of foot traffic is the tool and lawn/garden dept.

[danfifepsu]

someone told me part of the SEars in the Rockingham PArk mall is to be sublet to Dicks Sporting goods.

[mixedday]

I visited the Seminole Town Center mall in Sanford, FL. It's a large mall anchored by Sears, JCPenney, Macy's, Dick's Sporting Goods, Burlington Coat Factory, and Dillard's. It's not an upscale power mall but still relatively large.

What was interesting is Sears shuttered one floor and stopped selling apparel some years ago.
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-19/business/os-sears-seminole-towne-center-20120319_1_sears-retailer-seminole-towne-center

I assume it's because of the competition from the other chains that sell apparel.

But could this right-sized store format be a model that Sears could embrace? I've always wondered if Sears could modify certain stores to offer everything but apparel in a smaller sized footprint maybe off-mall, perhaps in a site that was once a Kmart. I know about Sears Essentials which was a half-hearted attempt to convert some Kmart to Sears, but here I mean, stores that are fully remodeled looking as decent like a new Target, and maybe even without apparel, but with the mattress and other departments that an hhgregg would also offer, somewhat like a hybrid.

Has Sears opened any stores (maybe off-mall) that are without apparel but have all the other departments of a mall Sears?

[TheFugitive]

All I can think of are the old Sears Hardware Outlets which disappeared some time ago.

[shore72]

They had one in Seaford, DE that was in a strip shopping center anchored by Roses and Peebles. It carried appliances, electronics, tools, paint/hardware, lawn/garden, fitness/sporting goods, and had an auto center. At times they would have a limited apparel section, maybe just jeans or something like that. It closed in the last year and the space has been remodeled into a Food Lion. A Sears Hometown Store opened up nearby not long after.

[FitchMike26]

I immediately thought of the Seaford store!

[Hudsons81]

I believe there's a similar store next to Ollie's on Telegraph in Taylor, MI.

[Zayre88]

This could be a good option for Sears.

It reminds me of what the Canadian Tire store chain is:  Automotive, tools, sporting goods, home stuff, hardware, seasonal, lawn & garden.

Everything but apparel and they're thriving in Canada against a giant like Walmart.

[mixedday]

Primark will lease some space in currently occupied Sears anchored department stores:
http://www.costar.com/News/Article/Five-of-Primarks-First-of-Seven-US-Stores-Now-Revealed/168437

At King of Prussia Mall, Primark replaced Sears, but in the Willow Grove Park and Freehold Raceway Mall, both Primark and Sears will co-exist but Sears will operate at reduced space (i.e. one floor given up to Primark in many cases).

My guess is the apparel section of Sears isn't likely to be kept in those locations. I'd wager to guess that a department like mattresses is more profitable, given that competition is limited to Macy's, mattress and furniture stores. JCPenney generally only sells mattresses online.

What's interesting in the SE PA side is that Sears has left King of Prussia and will operate at reduced space at Willow Grove. This somewhat leaves a geographic hole area. Neshaminy, Exton Square, Granite Run and Montgomery Mall will remain as Sears' only full fledged mall store for a lot of Montgomery County, PA. Granite Run might not even count for long if Sears closes there. I could be wrong but I believe these malls  are 25-30 minutes away from certain areas that one will have to really seek out to go to Sears, given that a full Sears won't be in one of the two nearest malls one is accustomed to go to, and not significant or existing at the top two malls on the SE PA side.

However:
Sears operates with full fledged stores at both Neshaminy and Oxford Valley Mall (malls that are very close together) and might do well at both still.

[store215]

What's interesting in the SE PA side is that Sears has left King of Prussia and will operate at reduced space at Willow Grove. This somewhat leaves a geographic hole area. Neshaminy, Exton Square, Granite Run and Montgomery Mall will remain as Sears' only full fledged mall store for a lot of Montgomery County, PA. Granite Run might not even count for long if Sears closes there. I could be wrong but I believe these malls  are 25-30 minutes away from certain areas that one will have to really seek out to go to Sears, given that a full Sears won't be in one of the two nearest malls one is accustomed to go to, and not significant or existing at the top two malls on the SE PA side.

Hardly anyone shops at Sears anymore so I don't think it really matters if they have a full selection of merchandise or not, IMO..especially clothing. I bet clothing sells much better at Kmart stores vs. Sears.

[mixedday]

It would be interesting if Sears operated on one level, and Kmart on another level. Probably the Kmart would be selling apparel, while Sears selling more of the hard goods.

[TheFugitive]

Sears to accelerate the previously announced closings of 50 stores after reporting
horrendous Q4 results.

http://www.freep.com/story/money/business/michigan/2016/02/10/sears-accelerate-closings-amid-weak-sales-warnings/80056888/

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

This Sears anchors the Lincoln Park Shopping Center in Lincoln Park, Michigan. This opened with the center in 1956 and operated simultaneously with a smaller-and older-Sears in the downtown district of neighboring Wyandotte until that closed in 1977. Today, it and Dollar Tree are the only non-outlot tenants of the center, which was mostly vacated as property values in the area fell and as a result of rumors that a Walmart was going to be built on the site (that plan was shot down twice).

I guess they'll paint over the Sears logo on the water tower when they are done.

[Hudsons81]

This Sears anchors the Lincoln Park Shopping Center in Lincoln Park, Michigan. This opened with the center in 1956 and operated simultaneously with a smaller-and older-Sears in the downtown district of neighboring Wyandotte until that closed in 1977. Today, it and Dollar Tree are the only non-outlot tenants of the center, which was mostly vacated as property values in the area fell and as a result of rumors that a Walmart was going to be built on the site (that plan was shot down twice).

I guess they'll paint over the Sears logo on the water tower when they are done.

What is surprising is that this location was actually the top-grossing Sears location for a short time in the 1960's and it remains one of their largest stores to date.

[TheFugitive]

Sears 4th. quarter even weaker than previously reported.
Sears AND Kmarrt sales both down approx. 7%.  That's huge!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/sears-reports-4q-loss/2016/02/25/e3ce29d2-dbb1-11e5-8210-f0bd8de915f6_story.html

I have to admit I've actually done some pity-shopping at Sears and Kmart recently.

[Chuck E. Cheese]

Sears Outlet in West Hartford still has the retro signage!!

[Zayre88]

Sears in Canada has stopped selling electronics.

They drastically reduced the number of Craftsman tools and hardware items they carry in favor of brands like Stanley or unknown brands. Meanwhile they carry more mattresses than before. 

Sears Auto Centers have been sold then all closed down in the past few years.  Recently the company sold several stores back to landlords and malls.  They recently sold out 8 Sears Furniture stores to a major canadian furniture chain.

Not sure where they're headed with this strategy... but they essentially are in the business of slowly going out of business.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Sears in Canada has stopped selling electronics.

They drastically reduced the number of Craftsman tools and hardware items they carry in favor of brands like Stanley or unknown brands. Meanwhile they carry more mattresses than before. 

Sears Auto Centers have been sold then all closed down in the past few years.  Recently the company sold several stores back to landlords and malls.  They recently sold out 8 Sears Furniture stores to a major canadian furniture chain.

Not sure where they're headed with this strategy... but they essentially are in the business of slowly going out of business.

They're doing the worst here in the States as well as Canada, which means they might be doing well in Mexico.