Is 2021 finally the end for Sears/Kmart?

[pseudo3d]

Maybe they are still working through supplies and once they run out of supplies they will shut down.

I stopped in my local Sears yesterday and actually bought something for four bucks. They’re still using 125th anniversary bags from three years ago, so you may have something there…

The since closed (wasn't closing at the time) Yuba City Sears was using those 125th Anniversary Bags in early 2020.

Also the South Lake Tahoe Kmart has a bag with a QR Code Advertising something called MyGofer.com. I recall that was some kind of program but don't really remember the details. Looking at the small print on the bag it says 03/26/12.

MyGofer.com was some sort of store pickup system, with a prototype MyGofer opening in a converted Kmart in Illinois, and basically consisted of a small showroom with a large backroom full of merchandise. Partly a product before its time (might've done well in COVID-19), partly because it was a Lampert concept and destined for failure, it closed after a few years.

[cjd]

I still have my old Kmart Rewards card and it has the Mygofer logo on it, along with Lands End I think. I always thought Mygofer was a weird name, sounds like it's either talking about a Golf shop or a gopher or gopher tortoise. LOL

[storewanderer]

Went to Kmart today. Open until 6 PM on a Friday night as tourists pour into South Lake Tahoe (what a strategy). Only saw 3 employees in the store but the 2 registers did have relatively steady activity.

What few Cannon soft items (sheets and some blankets) are left are 80% off. No new sheets or blankets have been brought in from other brands so I guess once the 80% off goes that is it for those categories again. The towels are gone now so Kmart has no towels again.

Clothing area is literally bulging with clothing items, especially kid's coats. Everlast clothing still at 70% off along with Joe Boxer and quite a few other of the "old" Kmart lines. Lots of odd new branded clothing showing up, some even appears to be coming from Kohl's as I saw some Juicy Couture items and I believe Kohl's is discontinuing that line. Shoe area seems to be emptying.

Pretty significant price increases throughout the C&S food and drug department. Pepsi and Lays are still there, as is 7-Up/Dr. Pepper, along with assorted Beer. No Coke products still. Friskies 5.5 ounce cat food now 0.93. Dial Body Wash standard size 7.49. 20ct Advil 4.79, needed it after walking through this store because it is really painful. Yikes. Maybe this is the price structure over in Guam and just applying it chainwide? Some new items there; saw some Full Circle Organic canned foods with prices in the 1.39 range (beans, vegetables). Endcap of Cat & Co. dry cat food (says distro by Kmart) I hadn't seen before- all expired in 2020. Oh well- appears the animal shelter there only has no cats at present so maybe there wasn't an easy way to donate this food. Zero sale items in the food and drug department.

Hardlines side of the store is really empty; toy area has weird items just spread out on the shelves and I don't think has been restocked in months. Sporting goods area is basically gone. Auto/hardware has items on the shelves on the aisle that isn't closed (yes, I said aisle) but very few and spread pretty thin. Again I don't think anything has been restocked in months in this part of the place.

The store had some Easter items pulled to the front of the store but I am pretty sure they are from last Easter and not this Easter. There was also one endcap of clearance Valentine's items (cards and candy) probably all from C&S. The summer seasonal that was set around Christmas is still set now and no more has shown up so I am suspicious all of that is from last year and there isn't much left now- only a couple patio sets and a few BBQs. Not sure what happened to all the chair cushions as few are left now, hard to believe they sold in the winter but maybe. The rest of that summer seasonal area now has suitcases spread around it.

[BillyGr]

Pretty significant price increases throughout the C&S food and drug department. Pepsi and Lays are still there, as is 7-Up/Dr. Pepper, along with assorted Beer. No Coke products still. Friskies 5.5 ounce cat food now 0.93. Some new items there; saw some Full Circle Organic canned foods with prices in the 1.39 range (beans, vegetables).

Sounds like they borrowed the Cat Food pricing from Rite Aid (at least it used to be in that range as a "regular" price, only since I would get it when they had sales like 10/$5 or similar, sometimes with whatever bonus rewards they had at that time).

The Organic stuff is actually one that sounds more normal - one of the local supermarkets has their brand Organic Green Beans listed at $1.49, with things like Kidney or Black Beans just under $1 (compared to around 55 cents for the non-organic versions).

[storewanderer]

I learned there are 3 Sears Stores in Kuwait.

I wonder if licensing fees from far flung operations like this are another reason why the Sears is staying in business.

[kr.abs.swy]

Interesting find. Their Facebook page shows that they carry brands that wouldn't be caught dead in a U.S. Sears: https://www.facebook.com/Searskuwait/

I learned there are 3 Sears Stores in Kuwait.

I wonder if licensing fees from far flung operations like this are another reason why the Sears is staying in business.

[retailfanmitchell019]

New closures added: 2 Kmarts in Florida, and a Sears in Rancho Cucamonga.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaellis ... e42ab330c6

[storewanderer]

That may be the last Sears Grand...

Cannot believe how long this is stringing out.

[retailfanmitchell019]

That may be the last Sears Grand...

Cannot believe how long this is stringing out.

Yes, this is almost certainly the last Sears Grand.
Walmart will probably turn it into a Supercenter. Maybe Albertsons could do something with it.
Another sad thing is Kmart doesn't even update their location lists when stores do close...

[veteran+]

That may be the last Sears Grand...

Cannot believe how long this is stringing out.

Yes, this is almost certainly the last Sears Grand.
Walmart will probably turn it into a Supercenter. Maybe Albertsons could do something with it.
Another sad thing is Kmart doesn't even update their location lists when stores do close...

I wish they both would just die already!