Sears Opens Multiple New Stores
In this article (5)
Embattled US department-store icon Sears is about to open three new-format stores.
Rescued from bankruptcy by its former chairman Eddie Lampert last month, the company closed a further 300-odd stores – those on top of the 1700 it has shuttered since April 2007.
It has just 425 remaining now.
But in its new trimmed-down guise, the company plans to open an unspecified number of new shops which will not stock any apparel, focusing instead on categories such as appliances, home services and mattresses.
The first three of the new stores – branded Sears Home & Life – will open on Memorial Day (May 27). They will open in Overland Park, Kansas; Lafayette, Louisiana; and Anchorage, Alaska.
A tenth the size of Sears’ traditional big-box department stores, the new ones will range in footprint from 10,000sqft to 15000sqft (900sqm to 1400sqm).
Sears and Kmart chief brand officer Peter Boutros declined to specify how many of the new-format outlets are planned across the US, but he did confirm sites had been secured.
A core feature of the Sears Home & Life outlets will be the company’s Kenmore brand, arguably the loss-making retailer’s greatest asset. That brand is likely to be extended beyond appliances into categories such as kitchen accessories and even crockery.
Questions & Answers
Q.What is the primary focus of these new Sears stores?
What is the primary focus of these new Sears stores?
The new stores will not stock apparel. They will focus instead on categories like appliances, home services, and mattresses, aiming for a different retail approach in their trimmed-down format.
Q.How do the new Sears Home & Life stores compare in size to traditional Sears department stores?
How do the new Sears Home & Life stores compare in size to traditional Sears department stores?
The new stores, branded Sears Home & Life, are significantly smaller. They will be about a tenth the size of traditional big-box department stores, ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 square feet.
Q.Which specific brand will be a central feature of the new Sears Home & Life outlets?
Which specific brand will be a central feature of the new Sears Home & Life outlets?
The Kenmore brand will be a core feature of these new outlets. It is expected to expand beyond appliances into other categories, such as kitchen accessories and crockery, using its reputation.
Q.When and where will the first three new-format Sears stores open?
When and where will the first three new-format Sears stores open?
The first three Sears Home & Life stores are scheduled to open on Memorial Day, May 27. They will be located in Overland Park, Kansas; Lafayette, Louisiana; and Anchorage, Alaska.
Reader pulse
Sears' new format:
22,154 votes so far