03 October 2013 (00:36 UTC-07 Tango)/28 Dhu ‘l-Qa’da 1434/11 Mehr 1391/29 Ren-Xu (8th month) 4711
“As a part of the ordinary course of business we close stores…..”-Howard Riefs, Sears Holdings
It’s been awhile since my last update, but in West Virginia the Morgantown Kmart will close in December: “It’s going to hurt a lot of people. It’s got a grocery store, clothing store, garden center, now where are we going to go?”-Charlie Scott, loyal Kmart shopper
In Wisconsin, the Brookfield Kmart to close in December. The lease was not renewed.
The Homewood, Illinois, Kmart closing in December as well. 185 newly unemployed people from that one!
The last Kmart in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, closing down. The 43 years old Collins Road Kmart will close in December. Last year Sears Holdings closed the Kmart on 16th Avenue.
In the country of Canada, Sears Canada announced they are closing six of their Prince Edward Island (PEI) stores! The outlet stores served mainly as catalog order pick up locations, but now Sears will use Canada Post to deliver right to their customer’s doors.
In Franklin, Tennessee, the Sears was sold to mall owners CBL & Associates, who announced they are shutting it down by December. And in Memphis, after 32 years of business the Sears in the Hickory Ridge Mall Towne Centre (note the evil British empire spelling) will close in December.
“What do you see when you walk around that mall?”-WREG reporter questioning cookie shop owner
“A lot of people losing hope, they are losing faith.”-Raven Winton, owns cookie shop in the Hickory Ridge mall
At the Bend River Promenade, in Oregon, the local Sears will close in December. The store opened in 1980.
In Coos Bay, Oregon, local TV news reports show that ‘liquidation’ store closing sale prices are actually higher than the original price: “I noticed there was two tags on it, and so, I peeled it up and they were $5 more than the original price! I don’t have that kind of money to spend….so I just left”-unnamed and angry Kmart shopper
A reporter with KCBY checked it out for themselves. They bought some sunglasses that were supposed to be marked down 30%, and discovered the price was actually jacked up by $5!
Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings since the end of 2011:
Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.
Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost).
California: El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (at least 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost), Lampert owned OSH taken over by Lowe’s home improvement in bankruptcy court, at least 17 of 99 stores to be closed down (935 jobs lost!).
Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40).
Connecticut: Waterbury Big Kmart.
Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost).
Guam: Sears Hometown Store.
Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart.
Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost!!!), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).
One corner of the half vacant Chubbuck, Idaho, Sears. No official closing announcement was made.
Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost). No official announcement, but it’s painfully obvious the Chubbuck Sears going’ down. Or, maybe it’s preps for Shop within a Shop, or one of those domestic spy data storage centers?
Ever since the Kmart bankruptcy, this pad site for sale sign has been seen in the Pocatello, Idaho, Big Kmart parking lot. The Kmart is the only building on the lot.
Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost).
Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost), recently revealed Homewood Kmart (185 jobs lost). 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.
Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart on 16th Ave (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year), recently revealed Cedar Rapids Kmart on Collins Road NE (56 jobs lost).
Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost).
Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lexington Fayette Mall Sears (114 jobs lost!).
Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), Presque Isle Sears (80 jobs lost).
Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors.
Massachusetts: North Reading Sears Hardware store closed, lease not renewed.
Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Flint Kmart (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost).
Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, Monticello Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost).
Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost), Waveland Kmart (32 jobs lost), one of the Gulfport Kmarts (52 jobs lost).
Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost).
Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost).
New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost).
North Carolina: High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road.
North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost).
New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost), Howell Kmart (57 jobs lost).
New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost).
New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost).
Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost), Austintown Sears auto parts and service on Interstate Boulevard. Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants).
Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost), Coos Bay Kmart (25 jobs lost), recently revealed Bend Sears (48 jobs lost).
Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost).
South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost), both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two).
Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart, recently revealed Franklin CoolSprings Galleria Sears (92 jobs lost), recently revealed Memphis Hickory Ridge mall Sears (job loss data not revealed).
Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors.
Utah: Orem Kmart (no details reported).
Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost).
Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost), Puyallup Kmart (51 jobs lost).
West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost), recently revealed Morgantown Kmart (100 jobs lost).
Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost), recently revealed Brookfield Kmart (56 jobs lost).
On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.
Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:
Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs
Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)
Florida: West Oaks Mall
Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)
Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears closed, see above)
Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (closed, see above)
Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)
Minnesota: Apache Mall (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)
Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center