Sears Countdown at T-minus 5 Stores

[rp2813]

Attached is front page news in this morning's paper. I'm not providing a link to the full story because it's probably behind a pay wall and won't likely be picked up by an on-line news feed.

The last remaining Sears store in California is on the verge of closing. Nationally it is among only five operational Sears stores left. This has me wondering "what if" Jeff Bezos had thought about an Amazon brick and mortar presence sooner. I'm not saying Bezos could stand to expand his monopolistic empire any further, and I'm definitely not saying that Sears had the ability to envision the Amazon model and buy him out all of those years ago, but maybe an opportunity was missed to preserve what was once the world's largest retailer if a viable model could have been worked out.

 

[jr2712]

I'm very overwhelmed by the fact that nobody has the will to save a big icon of the American culture. In many ways Sears molded the way of life of America for several decades. To me Sears is like Chevy, GE, Coca Cola, McDs... Apple pie.

 

[ea56]

I agree Ralph! Why didn’t Sear realize that online shopping was the thing of the future and get into it like Walmart has? After all, Sears and Roebuck with their mail order catalogs in the late 1800’s was the model that online shopping has been fashioned after. What a wasted opportunity. Ya gotta move with the times or be left behind.

Eddie

 

[jr2712]

I agree Ralph! Why didn’t Sear realize that online shopping was the thing of the future and get into it like Walmart has? After all, Sears and Roebuck with their mail order catalogs in the late 1800’s was the model that online shopping has been fashioned after. What a wasted opportunity. Ya gotta move with the times or be left behind.

Eddie

Sad but very true

 

[circlew]

Evidently Sears is doing well in Mexico.

 

[qsd-dan]

Arrogance and "financial engineering" (cost cutting to appease shareholders) were the big killers. Both Eddie Lampert and Jack Welch destroyed their empires and employees through greed.

I think Sears could have easily remained fiscally well even without jumping on the bandwagon of internet sales early on if they remained customer oriented and adhered to the stricter morals of their past.

Seem like businesses today run purely on the "Fuck you, give me your money" attitude these days. It didn't use to be like this.

 

[rp2813]

Very well stated, Dan.

As for Mexico, I think Woolworth's still exists as well as Sears, but it's been 16 years since I've been down there. I also recall a supermarket chain in Puerto Vallarta that carried Safeway's house brands but can't recall its name. That was almost 25 years ago.

 

[jr2712]

If I'm not wrong, Sears Mexico is property of Palacio de Hierro or Sanborns. They bought the rights of the brand. Maybe they have better administration policies that achieved better results.

Here in Venezuela Sears sold they operation to Cisneros Group (The owner for that moment of the rights for Pepsi, Burger King, Pizza Hut in Venezuela, and lately founders of Direct TV Vzla and owners of Venevision) in 1984 due to the 1983 Bolivar devaluation. They changed the name to Maxy's and the chain stay strong until the beginning of Chavez's government

 

[phillymatt53]

A true story....

Well folks, if Sears is going to be totally gone from earth, I think my already valuable 1937 Hammond Postal Telegraph wall clock will be going up in value.

When the Philly main Sears store was demolished/imploded in 1994, hoards of people picked through the rubble for souvenirs.
Jeez, you might think they imploded a famous church!
I was at the shop working, and watched the building come down on tv, but our counter man went to the event.
He brought back a "Postal Telegraph" wall clock made by Hammond (which eventually became Hammond Organ Company).
These clocks were in all the Sears stores - offices since the 1930's, big, heavy steel 21 inch clocks, with several bulbs back-lighting the clock face.
They were classy art-deco pieces for sure.

Well!... my counter guy brought me one - a miracle that it survived the implosion, he said it was laying among the debris of bricks, concrete, broken wood, etc.
It had some minor scuffs and scratches, but the glass clock dial miraculously was not damaged.
I tore it down, cleaned and re-painted the case, cleaned and lubed the brass gears, and converted the lighting to LEDs.

It hung in my shop from 1995 until we closed in 2016, then I brought it home.
Now, it's hanging above my basement workbench, still keeping perfect time.
I've seen past ebay offerings of this clock at between $1000 to $3000+ - but I believe since THIS one came from the historic Sears Philadelphia building, so that it's got a special value, surviving the blast.
Plus, the story has it that Hammond clock co. was on the verge of bankruptcy, and saved by Sears purchasing thousands of these clocks for all their stores across the country. - Imagine that!

here it is above my workbench...

 

[phillymatt53]

Arrogance and "financial engineering" (cost cutting to appease shareholders) were the big killers. Both Eddie Lampert and Jack Welch destroyed their empires and employees through greed.

I think Sears could have easily remained fiscally well even without jumping on the bandwagon of internet sales early on if they remained customer oriented and adhered to the stricter morals of their past.

Seem like businesses today run purely on the "Fuck you, give me your money" attitude these days. It didn't use to be like this.

Oh my!
I didn't know potty-mouth foul language wouldn't be censored on here.
But that's ok, I frequently speak truck driver filthy mouth too.
But you know, you're right about the greed and stuff!

 

[vacerator]

Isn't one in Miami, or maybe it's a Kmart.

 

[phillymatt53]

If I'm not wrong, Sears Mexico is property of Palacio de Hierro or Sanborns. They bought the rights of the brand. Maybe they have better administration policies that achieved better results.

Here in Venezuela Sears sold they operation to Cisneros Group (The owner for that moment of the rights for Pepsi, Burger King, Pizza Hut in Venezuela, and lately founders of Direct TV Vzla and owners of Venevision) in 1984 due to the 1983 Bolivar devaluation. They changed the name to Maxy's and the chain stay strong until the beginning of Chavez's government

You have to wonder why they do this kind of thing.
Consolidating multiple names into a huge corporation.
To me, it seems like shifty operations, sneaky ways to bypass laws and gain control.

 

[phillymatt53]

Isn't one in Miami, or maybe it's a Kmart.

Kmart is long gone here in Philly.
I miss shopping there.
Radio Shack too.... gone.