Is 2021 finally the end for Sears/Kmart?

Predicting the demise of Sears & Kmart since 2017!
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Re: Is 2021 finally the end for Sears/Kmart?

Post by jamcool »

How strange is it the Sears and Kmart thrive outside the US, but are almost dead in the country that created them.
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Re: Is 2021 finally the end for Sears/Kmart?

Post by storewanderer »

Lots of fast food chains like that too. Swensen's Ice Cream, Kenny Rogers Roasters, probably many more.
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Re: Is 2021 finally the end for Sears/Kmart?

Post by storewanderer »

Costa Mesa, CA Kmart closure announced...

I think this will be the last of Kmart in SoCal?

Then 3 Kmarts will remain in NorCal:
Freedom
Grass Valley
South Lake Tahoe

Or basically 3 Kmarts left in the entire western/intermountain/southwest half of the US (unless you go ahead and count Hamilton, MT in there).
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Re: Is 2021 finally the end for Sears/Kmart?

Post by retailfanmitchell019 »

storewanderer wrote: May 5th, 2021, 7:28 pm Costa Mesa, CA Kmart closure announced...

I think this will be the last of Kmart in SoCal?

Then 3 Kmarts will remain in NorCal:
Freedom
Grass Valley
South Lake Tahoe

Or basically 3 Kmarts left in the entire western/intermountain/southwest half of the US (unless you go ahead and count Hamilton, MT in there).
You are absolutely right, Kmart is extinct in Southern CA with the Costa Mesa closure.
There are now only 5 Kmarts west of the Mississippi River at this point (including Guam), max of 20 Kmart stores left in the entire US.
I truly think Kmart will be entirely defunct by the end of this year. As for Sears, I don't know, maybe 12 months from now they'll be a goner too.
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Re: Is 2021 finally the end for Sears/Kmart?

Post by Super S »

retailfanmitchell019 wrote: May 5th, 2021, 9:08 pm
I truly think Kmart will be entirely defunct by the end of this year. As for Sears, I don't know, maybe 12 months from now they'll be a goner too.
This has been a slow, painful death that has been going on for way too long. I really think that we are at a point that the two brands are no longer worth saving. The problems have spilled over to the Sears Hometown and other Sears small format stores. Despite not being directly owned by Sears, the Sears name is associated with a bankrupt retailer and this has driven people away. There were three such stores in my area which have all closed: Scappoose, Oregon; Astoria, Oregon; and recently Longview, Washington.

Then again, we could be talking about a chain somehow still operating with less than ten stores a year from now if the last few years are any indication.
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Re: Is 2021 finally the end for Sears/Kmart?

Post by babs »

Super S wrote: May 13th, 2021, 7:36 am
retailfanmitchell019 wrote: May 5th, 2021, 9:08 pm
I truly think Kmart will be entirely defunct by the end of this year. As for Sears, I don't know, maybe 12 months from now they'll be a goner too.
This has been a slow, painful death that has been going on for way too long. I really think that we are at a point that the two brands are no longer worth saving. The problems have spilled over to the Sears Hometown and other Sears small format stores. Despite not being directly owned by Sears, the Sears name is associated with a bankrupt retailer and this has driven people away. There were three such stores in my area which have all closed: Scappoose, Oregon; Astoria, Oregon; and recently Longview, Washington.

Then again, we could be talking about a chain somehow still operating with less than ten stores a year from now if the last few years are any indication.
Sears Hometown is also owned by Fast Eddie:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/eddie-lamp ... 1559560382

But yes the individual stores are owned by locals.

I'm always amused by this thread. Sears and Kmart are dead. I don't know what's keeping the few locations open. It's all a crazy saga. It is interesting since I've never seen a wind down like this before, and we may never seen it again.
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Re: Is 2021 finally the end for Sears/Kmart?

Post by veteran+ »

I don't think that there has ever been such a corporate Vampire - Vulture like Lampert in USA business history.

At least Perelman was fast and voracious with Pantry Pride - Revlon!
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Re: Is 2021 finally the end for Sears/Kmart?

Post by marshd1000 »

It is a shame to see Sears/Kmart go away in such a manner. It is a shame that Kroger didn't buy the two, get rid of the Kmart banner and go with Sears Grand and put the old Fred Meyer management in charge of it. I mean before they tinkered with Freddies. But it could have been a strong competitor to Walmart. But what do I know? :(
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Re: Is 2021 finally the end for Sears/Kmart?

Post by retailfanmitchell019 »

storewanderer wrote: May 1st, 2021, 11:02 am Lots of fast food chains like that too. Swensen's Ice Cream, Kenny Rogers Roasters, probably many more.
I can say the same for Buick cars. They are thriving in China, but almost non-existent in the US at this point.
marshd1000 wrote: May 13th, 2021, 12:39 pm It is a shame to see Sears/Kmart go away in such a manner. It is a shame that Kroger didn't buy the two, get rid of the Kmart banner and go with Sears Grand and put the old Fred Meyer management in charge of it.
There was rumors in 2006 that Sears would buy Safeway. I can only imagine what Fast Eddie would have done to Safeway...
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Re: Is 2021 finally the end for Sears/Kmart?

Post by storewanderer »

Small C&S delivery got to the South Lake Tahoe Kmart sometime last week. Paper products and laundry detergent got sort of restocked, along with a good bit of candy and some random HBA items (this area still looks pretty rough).

Amazing how they keep going..........

Noticed a few new temporary toilets in the parking lot, one fairly close to Kmart, the other two closer to Raleys. Did not see any evidence of any remodeling or projects taking place at either store and I looked quite closely in Raleys...
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