Retail Watchers

Three of the 4 Ohio locations are essentially dead malls. Sears was the last anchor in the two Columbus locations and I think that also was the case in Elyria--I happened to see that mall a couple months ago (but didn't go inside) and it didn't seem clear whether the Sears was still open. I think it was the last anchor.

The area around one of the Columbus malls, Westland, has undergone significant economic change and now has a large concentration of immigrants. The other mall, Eastland,is close to areas that have had racial change and the mall itself was easily eclipsed by a larger, newer complex further North on the same interstate, which has become Columbus' dominant shopping area. The one in Elyria is fairly close to relatively new lifestyle-ish development and the nearest traditional mall is less than 10 miles away in an economically better off area that also draws from a larger, denser population base. The closing of these stores are not surprises. Sears has a lot of mall locations where they are the surviving anchor and it wouldn't be surprising if those stores rapidly close, as well. Perhaps, they have held out for a better deal from developers who want to re-do the properties, but new, truly lucrative development doesn't happen very often with dead malls.

The Kmart in Sacramento that's closing is their last remaining store in that area. The next closest one is in Auburn. There used to be at least four or five stores in the area (that I can remember); now they've just completely abandoned the market.

J-Man wrote:The Kmart in Sacramento that's closing is their last remaining store in that area. The next closest one is in Auburn. There used to be at least four or five stores in the area (that I can remember); now they've just completely abandoned the market.

There are other areas where Kmart seems to be gradually disappearing...Portland (Actually Oregon in general), Western Washington, Southern Idaho, and others. The sad thing is that the stores that are closing tend to be the nicer ones and the holdouts mostly are the older, run down ones.

I decided it would be best to go get some photos of the Sparks Kmart. Here are photos. The store has looked this way for at least the past year, nothing really has changed.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/7636026@N04/

For what it is worth, I've been to other Kmart locations in the past few months and they look better, at least they have stocked garden centers and the aisles also are much better stocked (locations have been in Auburn, CA and Bartlesville, OK).

Looks like Sears Canada filed for bankruptcy

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report- ... e35418399/

bm10k wrote:Looks like Sears Canada filed for bankruptcy

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report- ... e35418399/

What's the over-under on their odds of emerging intact? There was talk of liquidation in the days leading up to the filing. The odds appear long to me given Fast Eddie's track record.

Thought this one would last until the end: Sears in Colonie Center Albany, NY closing by the end of September. It was an original anchor when the mall opened in the '60's. I believe Sears developed that mall if memory serves. I'm surprised BillyGr didn't scoop me on this one.

20 more US Sears stores are closing:
http://www.businessinsider.com/sears-is ... res-2017-6

The Sears in La Jolla that's closing is one of the few that has the current signage on it.

ninersdd wrote:The Sears in La Jolla that's closing is one of the few that has the current signage on it.

Lafayette,LA has the new signage also, and it's a Seritage property. I bet I know why it's closing....recaptured!