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First the Florence, Alabama K-Mart is closing then when up the mall I noticed that Sears Roebuck was obviously dark/closed.  The sign on the door announcing the new hours of operation.  Here the mall is open till around 9:00 PM and Sears is closed at 6:00PM? (5:30PM on Sunday).  

The last time I was in the store it looked as if they were reducing inventory having parts of the store, such as electronics, TV's etc, noticeably bare.  May first thought then was that Sears was on their way out as well as K-Mart.  Speaking to one of the employees did little to reassure me that I was not accurate in my assessment either.

Next my thoughts ran to the names that used to mean something special, names such as Kenmore and Craftsman.  Craftsman tools with, for most, a lifetime warranty/guarantee but they didn't tell you whose lifetime it meant.   

Sears, and K-Mart, needed/needs to make changes to began to be relative and competitive once again if that is even possible.  Everyone (or most everyone) knew that the Kenmore brand on an appliance meant three,things.  You could depend on the quality, you could depend on Sears standing behind it, and you could depend on it being built by Whirlpool or another quality manufacturer according to Sears high standards.  Today you can count on none of those.  

Just how bad of shape Sears is in remains to be seen but, the mall store, closing at 6:00 PM and having so sparse inventory as well as employees running around appearing as if they were applying for a part in the zombie Apocalypse or the Walking Dead.  I was pessimistic when I heard that the person that purchased K-Mart was also buying out Sears and frankly I think we all have a right to be concerned.  Sears was once very highly respected and could be counted on for high quality, dependable, products.  It was a store where you could walk in and view, touch, and open the appliances you were interested in and you didn't just have to view it online or in a catalog.   

I hope Sears isn't in the dire shape it appears to be in because I always liked Sears but you also have to do certain things to remain relevant and competitive in your market and remaining open while your competition and other surrounding stores I believe is one of them.  I've since started considering Kobalt (Lowe's brand) tools when I make a purchase as I believe/feel that Lowe's is in a much better position than Sears/Craftsman is in.  I hope Sears finds a way to pull out of this but one thing you can bet is no longer valid.  Within the enclosed doors leading into the building stuck on the glass above the doors is the saying that made Sear's famous and a household name.  "Satisfaction or Your Money Back".  That along with quality tools and appliances and attractive stores made people enjoy shopping at Sears.  Today Satisfaction is not guaranteed nor, do I believe, is Sears, as far as being there in the foreseeable future.

 

Be as the Bereans ( Acts 17:11 )

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Mr. Hooberbloob posted:

Best Buy, WalMart, Lowes, Homedepot, Bed bath and beyond, Target.....just a few of the many reasons Sears is going under. 

Yep, Sears used to be just about the "only game in town", and it was, the last time I was in one, (15 years ago), a nice store. The appliances used to be unbeatable, but most likely as if with everything now, the quality has dropped. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Last edited by Bestworking

Occasionally, I visit the tool, lawn mower equipment section to see what is on sale. Have a Ted Williams, 9Hp air-cooled Outboard motor from Sears, used on john boat for years. Even mounted on Coleman Scanoe. (Too Much Motor for Scanoe, but was lots of fun trying it out). The Ted Williams product lines were of good quality and built to last at a good price. Sears today has lost its identity and has not changed enough to keep up with its competitors. Lowes, Home Depot and all the other big box stores have all taken 90% of Sears former market share of customers.. You never see a Sears TV ad, only an occasional sunday paper circular, which no one hardly still subscribes to anymore due to high cost. Sears is fading as a place to shop. You just don't think of Sears as a place to go. 

Burke's clothing store next to Target closed about a month ago. Saw where Kohl's is closing about 200 stores and Joseph A Banks clothing is closing hundreds of stores. Haven't seen a closing list yet but sooner or later Florence will be on those closing list. Sears is closing more stores. Florence is slowly going broke with the county not far behind. These leaders just keep on doing the same failing things.

jmmgj5 posted:

Burke's clothing store next to Target closed about a month ago. Saw where Kohl's is closing about 200 stores and Joseph A Banks clothing is closing hundreds of stores. Haven't seen a closing list yet but sooner or later Florence will be on those closing list. Sears is closing more stores. Florence is slowly going broke with the county not far behind. These leaders just keep on doing the same failing things.

I would not be surprised at all to see our Sears on the closure list, when/if it is released.  Closing at 6PM is essentially throwing in the towel.  Stick a fork in it cause their done.

I hope Sears survives.  I might eventually need replacement parts for the air compressor, circular saw and drill I bought from them in the mid-1970s.  My Sears "Eager One" lawn mower was a bummer.  Bought it in 1972, used it for 2 years all year round in Florida and for 19 more years in parts further North.  The piece of junk finally conked out on me.

I inherited a 3/8-inch reversible drill from Sears that my parents used for 5 or 6 years before I got it in 1988, and the thing still works like new.

I still have, and occasionally wear, a pair of Ted Williams boots bought in 1974 for hiking and climbing in the Pacific Northwest. Climbed on lava rock pinnacles that scraped and cut the leather, but a good coat of mink oil made them entirely serviceable.

Remember the J.C. Higgins line?

"The brand name, J. C. Higgins, was based on a real person, John Higgins who was a Sears employee. He moved from his birth country of Ireland to the United States in his late teens and began working for Sears in 1898. He spent his entire working career with Sears and was Vice President for the company for a period of time. He was actually born with no middle name but the Sears Co. presented the idea of labeling their sporting good line with his name and saw it more presentable labeling the brand as J.C. Higgins. He worked with the company until his retirement as head bookkeeper in 1930. Higgins died in 1950."

More on J.C. Higgins and that sporting goods line:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._C._Higgins

My first "English bike" was a J.C. Higgins with chrome fenders, bought in 1958 with hard-earned money I earned as a surveyor's gopher.  I rode that thing for 3.5 miles each way to work for two summers and never had a glitch with it, not so much as a chain or brake adjustment.

BUT, regrettably, Sears' more recent stuff is not up to the old standards.

 

 

Last edited by Contendahh

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