Sears/Kmart: Will 2020 be the end?

Predicting the demise of Sears & Kmart since 2017!
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storewanderer
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Re: Sears/Kmart: Will 2020 be the end?

Post by storewanderer »

I have heard Sears is only operating certain essential departments within its stores and clothing is closed off. I am not sure if that is true, this is all second hand information.

Kmart is running under reduced hours. For instance the one at South Lake Tahoe is 10 AM to 6 PM. The one in Big Bear Lake is 9 AM to 8 PM. I have avoided going into the South Lake Tahoe Store the last couple opportunities I had, despite being near it, due to cleanliness concerns. Maybe I'll get a mask and gloves next time and go see what is up.
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Re: Sears/Kmart: Will 2020 be the end?

Post by Super S »

storewanderer wrote: March 31st, 2020, 10:52 pm I have heard Sears is only operating certain essential departments within its stores and clothing is closed off. I am not sure if that is true, this is all second hand information.

Kmart is running under reduced hours. For instance the one at South Lake Tahoe is 10 AM to 6 PM. The one in Big Bear Lake is 9 AM to 8 PM. I have avoided going into the South Lake Tahoe Store the last couple opportunities I had, despite being near it, due to cleanliness concerns. Maybe I'll get a mask and gloves next time and go see what is up.
I have to wonder how Sears is restricting access to parts of their stores deemed "non-essential" when the layouts are so inconsistent. I have seen stores with tool departments and appliances spread out between two levels which are intermingled with clothing and other softlines items. In some cases you would have to walk through a "non-essential" department to reach an "essential" department.

I will say that my local Fred Meyer has yet to restrict access to any part of their stores, but they would have to get creative if they took this step. I haven't heard anything about Walmart or Meijer stores doing this, the supercenter type formats have many items which could be a gray area as far as restrictions go.
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Re: Sears/Kmart: Will 2020 be the end?

Post by Alpha8472 »

Sears has taped off clothing areas with yellow caution tape and is using racks to block off areas as well.
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Re: Sears/Kmart: Will 2020 be the end?

Post by Alpha8472 »

Sears closed all stores April 4 through at least April 30. Kmart and its pharmacies are still open.

The Sears stores already have virtually no business with the clothing areas blocked off. There is no use to keep paying employees to stand there when there are no customers.

Kmart might still sell some merchandise. I assume that they still have some useful items. Perhaps Kmart is also seeing record sales like at Walmart.
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Re: Sears/Kmart: Will 2020 be the end?

Post by reymann »

i expect sears to finally meet it's ultimate fate and not reopen it's doors after the stay at home orders are lifted.
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Re: Sears/Kmart: Will 2020 be the end?

Post by storewanderer »

reymann wrote: April 6th, 2020, 9:48 pm i expect sears to finally meet it's ultimate fate and not reopen it's doors after the stay at home orders are lifted.
I think Sears will re-open... not sure why... not much to even liquidate.
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Re: Sears/Kmart: Will 2020 be the end?

Post by babs »

storewanderer wrote: April 7th, 2020, 12:27 am
reymann wrote: April 6th, 2020, 9:48 pm i expect sears to finally meet it's ultimate fate and not reopen it's doors after the stay at home orders are lifted.
I think Sears will re-open... not sure why... not much to even liquidate.
Why are we even talking about Sears/Kmart? It's a deadman walking chain that has closed 95% of their stores.
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Re: Sears/Kmart: Will 2020 be the end?

Post by Super S »

babs wrote: April 7th, 2020, 10:20 pm
Why are we even talking about Sears/Kmart? It's a deadman walking chain that has closed 95% of their stores.
These are two chains that, at one time, were top retailers. It will be notable when the end comes because of their history. I will admit that Kmart and Sears are already perceived as dead chains by many due to how many stores have closed, but many like myself are watching to see what will be the final blow. I am curious if current events will be it.
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Re: Sears/Kmart: Will 2020 be the end?

Post by SoleOwnerOfMyName »

storewanderer wrote: April 7th, 2020, 12:27 am
reymann wrote: April 6th, 2020, 9:48 pm i expect sears to finally meet it's ultimate fate and not reopen it's doors after the stay at home orders are lifted.
I think Sears will re-open... not sure why... not much to even liquidate.
And you never know - especially the way the markets are now....

Perhaps Eddie will snap up some other distressed retailer at a fire sale price and merge Transformco/Sears/Kmart into it.

Perhaps...Macy's Holding Co. Or maybe JC Penney & Amalgamated Stores. Or perhaps even: "As part of our growing family of stores, your Shop Your Way rewards are now redeemable at all of our Nieman Marcus locations!"
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Re: Sears/Kmart: Will 2020 be the end?

Post by reymann »

i think sears is pretty much toast this summer, a lot of the landlords are gonna look at terminating their leases with sears this summer.
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