Executives at Sears, a historic department store chain, have exited Washington state after permanently closing the store at Southcenter Mall on December 15. This location, a staple of the shopping center for over three decades, marks the final Sears outlet in the state.
Final Days of a Landmark Store
In the weeks leading up to the closure, the store held discount sales, drawing crowds of shoppers eager to snag deals and bid farewell to the once-thriving retail giant. Sears, founded in 1892, has seen its national presence diminish dramatically in recent years. Today, only eight locations remain in the United States, with stores in California, Florida, Massachusetts, and Texas.
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Nostalgia and Mourning
The closure has left customers and former employees reflecting on their cherished memories.
- Barbie Talamante, a former Sears employee, shared her sentiments with KUOW-FM, calling the store “a landmark” and recalling the trust customers placed in Sears for everything from appliances to home furnishings.
- Another shopper reminisced about Sears as the “original Amazon,” though younger generations might not grasp its significance.
- Many lamented the loss of a place where they once purchased appliances, tools, and clothing, describing Sears as an integral part of their lives.
From Bankruptcy to Survival
Sears has been in decline since filing for bankruptcy in 2018, when the company operated 700 stores and employed over 60,000 workers. Executives initially closed 142 locations as part of a restructuring plan. Although Sears emerged from bankruptcy in 2022, the retailer’s portfolio had been drastically reduced, leaving it with only 24 stores by October of that year.
The Southcenter Mall store’s closure is part of a continued downsizing strategy.
Concerns for the Future
The fate of Sears has sparked concerns about other major retailers. Macy’s, for instance, recently announced a series of closures, with 65 stores set to shutter by the end of January. This is part of a three-year plan, initiated in February 2020, to close 150 stores in total.
As shoppers mourn the loss of Sears, its decline serves as a stark reminder of the changing retail landscape, where once-dominant icons are struggling to adapt to modern consumer habits.
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