Downfall of America's most famous retailer
hits new low as beloved brand is left
clinging on in only four states
Daily Mail (UK),
by
Tilly Armstrong
Original Article
Posted By: Imright,
12/20/2024 3:12:08 PM
Sears has closed its final store in Washington, leaving it operating in only four states across the US.
The department store, which was once the largest in the country, closed an outlet in the Southcenter Mall in Tukwila, Washington, on December 15.
In the weeks leading up to its closure, the store, which had been there for three decades, hosted discount sales for shoppers. Its closure means that Sears only has eight stores remaining across California, Florida, Massachusetts and Texas.
Locals expressed their sadness at the store closing its doors.
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Reply 1 - Posted by:
Venturer 12/20/2024 3:27:51 PM (No. 1858552)
10 or 20 years ago sears may have been the most famous, but since then it has not been so.
Walmart has been the most famous for many years now and even they may be replaced by Amazon.
5 people like this.
Oh how I miss Sears' Christmas "wish" catalog, seen through the eyes of a young child! I miss the old stores, Sears and Penney's, when you had to sit down and browse through the catalogs, then get in line to order. Then we could wait for the telephone call to come and pick up our orders at the stores. We used to get the catalogues in the mail as well. This is how shopping used to be done.
33 people like this.
I also bought my Kenmore sewing machine at Sears in 1976, with my first income tax refund. It was a model that was being discontinued, as I recall but it had many features, including those decorative cams for fancy embroidery. It still works beautifully. The housing is enamel over cast iron, or sone other metal, heavy and very well made and well used. I remember that another woman was eyeing it but I got it. I think I paid about $200.00 for it. I loved the Kenmore brand.
24 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
czechlist 12/20/2024 3:48:53 PM (No. 1858568)
Bought a Sears lawnmower in 2010 and used to order repair parts from them. A couple of years ago they kept shipping the wrong parts. They would not refund my original shipping costs. After over $60 in lost costs I looked on Amazon and got the right parts for 1/4 the cost with free shipping. Adios Sears.
10 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
Dodge Boy 12/20/2024 3:54:25 PM (No. 1858574)
I bought a Sears Craftsman lawn mower, too, in the early 1990s. I still use it to this day despite a few repairs along the way. It runs like a top. While the grass clippings catcher is held together with duct tape, the mower runs like I just bought it yesterday and doesn't smoke up the air. We will save the last Sears catalog we have as a momento.
10 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
bpl40 12/20/2024 4:03:12 PM (No. 1858581)
As a new immigrant in the '70s I heard my sister-in-law's friends from the old country discuss life in the new world. In those days all we could afford in Chicago was places like Community Stores. Any woman going to Sears was denounced as a showoff and a reckless spender! It's a pity. They could have been where Amazon is today. Lack of vision.
10 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
mc squared 12/20/2024 4:07:45 PM (No. 1858583)
NY-ers here may remember the famous Brooklyn store at Bedford Avenue and Beverly Road. The building was made a New York City designated landmark in 2012.
I worked there one summer when they still had huge display windows. After the riots of the late 60's they were walled up.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sears_Roebuck_%26_Company_Department_Store_(Brooklyn)
6 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
Daisymay 12/20/2024 4:17:02 PM (No. 1858595)
So sad to hear that. As a Little girl (back in the early 40's) my grandma would take me to Sears to find a new dress or Coat to wear to Church on Christmas Eve. I thought I was a Princess in my Taffeta dress! When I had my Son, later in life, I bought his Jeans there! And what a Thrill when I got my first ever Dryer there! Lots and Lots diapers froze on the clothes Line before that arrived! After that I never bought anything else until last year when I had to buy a set of upright machines due to health issues! I'm betting the new LGs won't last 14 or 15 years as my Old Sears machines did! I think the problem with Sears was they started bringing in Junk Clothes! It was downhill after that. I never went into their Stores after that except to buy a new washer or dryer! And YES! Nothing beat getting the Sears Christmas Catalog! I spent hours circling things! Hated it when they quit sending it!!
12 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
DVC 12/20/2024 4:24:00 PM (No. 1858606)
Murdered for profit.
7 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
nwcudagal 12/20/2024 4:35:08 PM (No. 1858612)
All of my school clothes came from Sears. My mom was a very accomplished seamstress, but she had cows to milk. Very fond memories especially hiding from the Santa Claus at Christmas.
4 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
red1066 12/20/2024 5:02:46 PM (No. 1858634)
Seems many old name department stores are biting the dust. Macy's is closing a store near us. It anchored one end of the mall. Sears anchored the other end. Sears was torn down for an Amazon fresh store which never opened. Now the mall is destined to be torn down to make way for apartments. Seems no one wants to see the items and products in a store, they order everything online.
3 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
chumley 12/20/2024 5:11:45 PM (No. 1858640)
Sadly, they did it to themselves. About ten years ago I stopped at our local Sears to get a belt for a Craftsman mower I bought new but was always junk. They didnt have the belt, but could order it for me off the internet. Big deal! I ordered it off the net for less than half what Sears wanted for it, but had to wait a few days with a half cut yard.
Their prices were just too high on everything. Too many salesmen, too little quality.
4 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
seesfarwoman 12/20/2024 5:44:21 PM (No. 1858663)
I bought my first nylon string guitar at Sears in 1969 with some of my babysitting earnings. It cost $13.00. That little guitar sent me on a life long hobby of learning and playing classical guitar. Thanks, Sears!
4 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
smak90 12/20/2024 6:59:15 PM (No. 1858686)
I always bought all my appliances and water heaters there. I've still got a side by side stainless steel refrigerator and 2 gas water heaters. Had a small chest deep freezer that died a couple years ago. It was always nice to go to the store, by it and load it into my truck and get it the same day.
1 person likes this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
3XALADY 12/20/2024 7:33:06 PM (No. 1858700)
I bought a Sears Model 90 Kenmore sewing machine in 1965, it was in a walnut cabinet with chair. Metal housing, probably just about like the one #3 bought. I used it for years, then sold it when we moved to Florida in 2000. Never a service call on it. Sold it to a lady for $25 who was going to give it to her granddaughter to learn to sew and I even still had the instruction book. I bought washers, dryers, refrigerators, freezers and small appliances from Sears for all these years. First household in 1962. We also loved the Wish Book and also the gift catalogs from Penneys and Montgomery Ward. When I was a kid, Montgomery Ward catalog found its place in our outside terlet to be used as TP. Charmin wasn't around yet.
3 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
CivilServant 12/20/2024 8:53:35 PM (No. 1858725)
Sears did not do it to itself. I worked for a Sears RCCOC out of Salem, Ma back in the 90’s and they made 2 big mistakes:
Unable to shift catalogue to internet. Were poised to do so and balked.
Went into debt and sale and resale to wind up in Eddie Lampert’s hands. Rapist of companies, despoiler of corpses.
Damn shame.
3 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
mifla 12/21/2024 4:54:44 AM (No. 1858816)
Bought a Craftsman tool box from Sears in the 1980s. Just replaced it a few months ago.
1 person likes this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
Goose 12/21/2024 9:07:58 AM (No. 1858937)
Many mourn for Sears but who mourns for Roebuck? (obscure Star Trek reference)
0 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
franq 12/21/2024 9:13:14 AM (No. 1858944)
E-commerce has revolutionized shopping. I frequently use it. Price savings are sometimes enormous.
0 people like this.
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