Sears is gone

[abunaitoo]

The last Sears store on island closed.
They still have an outlet, but sell only appliances.
Even the parts store closed down.
I miss Sears. Grew up with them.
Almost always found something to buy when I went.
We've bought lots of appliances from them over the years.
As a kid we would look forward to the Christmas catalog.
When older I would look forward to the new tool catalog.
I remember in it's prime in the 60's and 70's, they carried everything.
I knew many people who worked in Sears.
Brings back many good memories.
Very sad.

[Bazoo]

I member 25 years ago, I'd go up and spend my allowance on tools. Twenty bucks would get you a new saber saw or a socket set or a host of other sundries.

[Winger Ed.]

They were in a position to be Wal-Mart and Amazon combined as markets changed----- but they refused to.

[FergusonTO35]

I worked there in the 90's and writing was on the wall. They did it to themselves, no sympathy here. It always amazed me how many employees there were total sycophants for the company and it's imbecile management. Glad I got out when I did. That being said, yes, I do wax nostalgic about what they used to be. I have a bunch of my grandfather's tools from Sears.

[Shawlerbrook]

Yes, those that don’t adapt to change go the way of the dinosaurs.

[Woodbridge 30-30]

I agree, I grew up buying tools at Sears also. It bothered me to see how bad the quality became for the last 10 years or so before they finally went under. Maybe if the Craftsman brand could have spun off, before the failing department store took it down with it, it could have made a go of it. I won't be caught dead with a product with the Craftsman name on it that comes from Lowe's or the like.

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[Randy Bohannon]

I quit using Sears about 17years ago, I had just moved to Wyoming and bought a house that had the laundry in the basement my old washer was about to quit and didn’t want to wrestle two into the basement . Got on line and shopped Sears had a great deal on what I wanted and bought it, Sears is 35 miles away on line says they’ll deliver out to 50 miles, scheduled delivery all goes good. Lady from the Sears store calls and is making sure I’m happy and tells me in the future come to the store and we’ll give you a better deal than online.
New refrigerator less than a year later,go to the Sears store find what I want and wala $75.00 delivery charge,no thanks waited a few weeks and ordered it online same guys that brought the washer. I ask them who gets the $75.00 they said it wasn’t them they get paid by the hour. The Craftsman tools are ChiComm and not what they used to be don’t need to be cheated by either.

[d4xycrq]

Sears owned retail for decades. And died. Walmart learning any lessons?

My least favorite thing about Sears was locations. Usually an anchor store in a mall. I’d rather flick my eyes out than go to a mall.

Ray

[Handloader109]

I remember way back in the early 60s going to the Sears store. Was downtown Jackson, two whole floors AND a basement (where the good stuff was) We bought a lot of appliances and tools and clothes from them. I myself purchased a lot for a good while, yes their mall store.... About the time it failed, sears was going into the nosedive to the end. I had a co worker who bought a Sears mini store back about 2002 or 3. He and his wife ran it until he retired and sold it in 2015 or so. He sold a lot of appliances and parts through that place.
Yes, they along with a Lot of other stores just didnt get the potential of the internet until it killed them.. As always, Change or die.

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[Mk42gunner]

Sears was dying long before the internet came into being. My first real job, i.e. with automatic withholdings, was with Sears as an appliance repairman after high school in 1982.

It was a "full line" store that closed within six months of me hiring on. It stayed as a catalog store for a few years, the appliance repair got contracted out. Auto mainly tires batteries and exhaust got dropped cold.

Robert

[Petrol & Powder]

Sears is a classic example of mismanagement from the very top. They climbed to the top of the field with catalogs and mail order. They transitioned to retail with local stores and a huge catalog system. They branched out into selling goods from other suppliers and did well. But they did NOT adapt to changing markets.
They dumped their expensive printed catalog in the early 1990's, which was a smart idea; but they totally failed to embrace the then new internet world. This was a huge mistake because they had the infrastructure in place with a huge distribution system but they failed to utilize it.
They located the bulk of their stores in super expensive malls with some of the highest rent per square foot. Then when malls began dying off, they didn't get out in time.
Sears had some of the highest overhead of any retail in America.
It's a bit sad to see Sears die but business is brutal and you either adapt or die.

[CastingFool]

I loved getting their tool catalogs in the mail. I actually saved a few of them for reference material. Bought a whole bunch of hand tools when on sale, so I hardly ever had to buy a tool when I needed it. I took care of my tools, i still have and use screwdrivers i bought my senior yr of high school, but i also have three other sets besides the original one,

[John Wayne]

I went to Sears with my Dad starting in the 60's. I was a very loyal customer. The quality of merchandise dropped off in the late 90's. When I bought the best car battery charger they had and took it out of the box to assemble the wheels it was missing the 6-12 volt switch. I quit going. My friends had similar stories.

[762sultan]

I was a vendor who made deliveries to a local Wal mart and a local K mart, which was part of Sears. They were the most difficult account I had to service. They were bullies and demanded the same service that Wal mart received... no matter what. I told them when they sold the same $ amount they would get the same service. Manager was really upset when I told comparing K marts business to Wal marts was like comparing apples to oranges. I wonder what some of the clowns that worked there are doing now.

[BMW Rider]

Long live JC Higgins. I've still got a few boxes of ammo with JC Penny price tags on them and remember looking at the mil-surp rifles in Woolworths...

[Gtrubicon]

When I was a kid, everything came from sears, our town had a catalog store. In the early 90’s right out of high school, they gave me a credit card because I’d had a checking account since I was 16. I purchased the biggest tool set my credit would allow, I think it was $300. I made a living with them for a couple years, since then I have always looked to sears for a purchase. I am sad they are no longer, I have great disdain for Amazon and company’s like them that killed the local sears in all of our towns. As a young man I didn’t realize how much a credit rating would help me throughout life, Sears helped me get started with credit, I did and still take my credit very seriously. I still have each and every one of those tools, but they live in a snap on box now!

[namsag]

I thought Sears was the coolest place in the world when I was a kid, man you could get anything there. My first suit when I was a kid was from a Sears catalogue I'm pretty sure. I used to wear out the Wish Book every holiday season and later on the tool catalogues.

I had a friend who also bought the biggest tool set he could talk them out of, on credit, his live-in girlfriend at the time was against it but he did it anyway. The first thing he did was get home and dump out all the tools on the living room floor, and roll around in them laughing maniacally. He wasn't with the girl very much longer.

It's a shame, but Sears drove themselves into the ground.

[dannyd]

Sears started to go in March 1988: We closed the stores early to reprice everything and that was the beginning of the end. Best part time job I ever had: Division 9 Tools.

[Butzbach]

How would I ever explain to my Dad that K-Mart, Sears, and Oldsmobile no longer exist?

[Gtrubicon]

Namsag, that’s funny!

[gbrown]

But they did NOT adapt to changing markets.
They dumped their expensive printed catalog in the early 1990's, which wa
; but they totally failed to embrace the then new internet world. This was a huge mistake because they had the infrastructure in place with a huge distribution system but they failed to utilize it.
They[/QUOTE]

Agreed. What got me about Sears, is how they started, like the original internet, but they didn't adapt. Left me scratching my head.

[gbrown]

BTW, I remember the catalog, out in the outhouse of my maternal grandfather's farm! LOL.

[Winger Ed.]

BTW, I remember the catalog, out in the outhouse of my maternal grandfather's farm! LOL.

Usually, that was the old one with its pages 'softened up' from being turned read so many times.
The newest one normally stayed pretty close to the dining room table.

[marlin39a]

When you see a Marlin 39A, made year’s ago, with 4 holes drilled and tapped on the left side of the barrel, that was a firearm made by Marlin for Sears. Tough to find those scope mounts today. I’ve got some Sears branded ammo in the collection also. Ted Williams brand brings back the good old days.

[richhodg66]

I don't think there is a big Sears left around here, Topeka, Manhattan and Salina's have all closed. We still have one of the little home town stores here that sells appliances and lawn mowers and such, but that's about it.

The old Motgomery Wards building in town here is a Good Will now. Hate to see retailing going this way.

[Jedman]

Sears has been gone from my area for a long time. Back in the late 60’s my older sister worked for Sears and got a 10 % discount which I bought a 22 rifle and a shotgun and lots of ammo . Later I bought a lot of auto parts and tires from them and tools. Sears , Montgomery Wards, K mart all died slowly.

Jedman

[gbrown]

When my brother was 18, he bought an automatic 22 from Sears. Later on, I found out it was made by High Standard. Its dead on at 50 yards. I've taken plenty of squirrels with it. I inherited it, sad to say. I also own several "J. C. Higgins" branded guns. Marlin or High Standard produced. People used to turn up their nose at J.C.Higgins til they found out they were actually quality guns.

[BudRow]

We always bought Kenmore appliances and they would last forever unlike today's stuff.

[Scrounge]

We always bought Kenmore appliances and they would last forever unlike today's stuff.

And they were made by Whirlpool. Used to do appliance service for Sears in our small county with my Dad.

[Gray Fox]

I was a young soldier with a family with two small boys in Germany in the early 70s. The Wish Book was where most of us bought almost everything for Christmas. Sears seemed to have a very good relationship with the Army Postal Office (APO) and if we ordered early enough there were no problems with Santa ever being late.

Here in the Hotlanta area KMart stores were finally closed because the employees were proven to literally steal more than the stores sold. It either went out of the warehouse area or out front over the counter and never rung up. Even with the anti-theft systems the cashiers could disable them for their "friends". Very sad, but true. GF

[bangerjim]

sears used to sell MAJOR wood and metal working tools. I have owned several 50/60's era Craftsman metal lathes, thickness planers, shapers, joiners, routers,and wood lathes. Most were made by Atlas or other companies and labeled for Craftsman. Parts were only a phone call away to the real makers! Then they went to only carp hand tools and small power tools. Then to ChiCom-made stuff. And finally the way of the dodo. Craftsman brand is now at Lowe's exclusively it appears....all ChiCom.

My sons grew up going to Sears with us almost every weekend for parts and this and that and toys. Wife bought tons of stuff there. Big Metro-Mall in Michigan. Same with MonkeyWard's and JCPenney. All morphed into stinking Amazon.

Sad. A shopping life-style that will never return........."touch and feel before you buy".

[Winger Ed.]

[QUOTE=bangerjim;5108827] Craftsman brand is now at Lowe's exclusively it appears....all ChiCom.

Either Ace or True Value hardware stores have them too.

I also found out they won't warranty the old school Craftsman tools, only their new ones-----
but only if they have that EXACT! part number in stock to swap ya out with.

If ya have a old 3/8ths ratchet and it breaks,,,, you're out of luck.
The new ones have a different part number.

[atr]

it is unfortunate that they disappeared.
I grew up with the Sears catalogue. Mom and Dad bought appliances and tools from them. America has changed and not always for the better. When I go to the thrift stores looking for old tools to recondition and use I hope to find something with a Sears brand on it.

[bangerjim]

[QUOTE=bangerjim;5108827] Craftsman brand is now at Lowe's exclusively it appears....all ChiCom.

Either Ace or True Value hardware stores have them too.

I also found out they won't warranty the old school Craftsman tools, only their new ones-----
but only if they have that EXACT! part number in stock to swap ya out with.

If ya have a old 3/8ths ratchet and it breaks,,,, you're out of luck.
The new ones have a different part number.

Did not know about the hardware stores. Never venture in them. Only Homely Despot and Lowe's because they are less than 2 miles from my house and have darned near everything I ever need.

[Conditor22]

I heard that Sears was bought out by a rich investor to be used as a tax write off.

It started by sears giving all it older workers a "golden handshake" ie. letting them go in favor of lower-paid new employees and went downhill from there.

first, the K-Mart (sears owned) stores disappeared (still available online)

now the sears brick and mortar stores are fading.

[MaryB]

And they were made by Whirlpool. Used to do appliance service for Sears in our small county with my Dad.

Yes BUT they were made to Sears spec... usually all top end parts versus run of the mill Whirlpool.

[MaryB]

Sears started in a small town a mile north of the town I was born and lived in until I was 10. The local Sears store was old fashioned, creaky wood floors, 3 levels with a lot of dusty old stuff in the nooks and crannies... I was playing with electronics by age 7 and needed hand tools so I haunted the nooks and crannies finding old tools that were marked way down or were given to me free because the owner liked to see kids get into repairing things. If we were willing to go in the basement and dig it form under a pile of junk we usually got it free... we often set aside good stuff from those piles to be moved to the second floor and sold for 75% off.

[Burnt Fingers]

Sears, Monkey Wards, K-Mart, J.C. Penney's, and Western Auto.

All failed to adapt to a changing market.

Very few retail outlets make it to 100 years.

Somewhere out there is the store that will drive a stake through the heart of Walmart.

[fcvan]

Boy, we sure ordered a lot from Sears, it didn't hurt that my Aunt worked at the catalog store. Years later I moved to Bakersfield, CA and they had a big store in the mall, and bought my first house a few months later. I needed a washing machine so my wife and I went to pick one up intending to pay cash. The sales person told me I would get a price break if I took out a credit card so I did. Then I walked downstairs and paid it off. I didn't need a dryer as I hung lines in the garage. By the time I finished hanging the laundry the first line loaded was already dry.

A couple years later, I moved to Tehachapi, CA and lived briefly in a duplex while my new house was being built. I needed a dryer as I had no lines to hang clothes on. Charged it, walked downstairs and paid it off. I was in the habit of paying cash and so the next 2 cars were paid in cash, mostly. I would buy in December leaving what was my expected tax return, and then pay it off in the spring. I was young and building my credit history, eventually banks loved me. By the time I was 30, I had 2 1/2 acres with a 3 bedroom house, and the deed in the safe. It started with that Sears card when I was 20. I miss Sears

My folks taught me to handle my money, raise my own food, and live within my means. My credit rating started with that Sears card that I never carried a balance longer than it took to walk downstairs. Now, I don't even have a single credit card and haven't in 15 years.

[Ickisrulz]

Sears, Monkey Wards, K-Mart, J.C. Penney's, and Western Auto.

All failed to adapt to a changing market.

Very few retail outlets make it to 100 years.

Somewhere out there is the store that will drive a stake through the heart of Walmart.

And Amazon.

[eveready]

I bought my first firearm from Sears , I think it was 1958. It's a 22 rifle that I still have and intend to shoot pretty steadily this summer. I can't shoot high power any longer due to arthritis in my right shoulder.

[abunaitoo]

Our Sears was two floors.
Top all men, women, children, records, small appliances, shoes.
Down was tools, sporting, toys, large appliances, automotive, garden, shacks.
I got my first bicycle there.
After we built it up to a stingray with parts from there.
Got my first tool set from them.
Almost all our clothes.
I remember the huge toy, tool, auto, sporting departments.
Remember pool tables, lathes, mills, table saws, drill presses, boats, lawnmowers.
Got my Scouting uniform there.
So many good memories. Good times.
Feel sorry for this generation, that will never experience a place like that.
Probably why their mad at everything and everyone.
So sad.

[kerplode]

I LOVED Sears. They had EVERYING. And that Christmas catalog...Man, that was the basis of all my holiday wish lists growing up.

Sucks, but times change. RIP, Sears!

[atr]

I still have two J.C. Higgins Rifles: my first rifle a single shot .22 and a 30-06 FN Mauser...both stamped J.C. Higgins and I still shoot both!

[JWFilips]

Back In my Time; Sears was the go to store! Buy a "craftsman tool" and you never had to worry if it broke! Just bring it back to the store and they replaced It ....no sales receipts needed & No questions asked! Then one day that happened and you took it back and it was replaced with an inferior tool! Then go ahead some years and You got the third degree on "when did you buy it and where was the sales receipt" Then the tools were changed to Sears brand tools ( pieces of crap) Sort of like the recent history of our country ...don't you think?

[Winger Ed.]

store and they replaced It ....no sales receipts needed & No questions asked!

Years ago, I bent a 1/2" drive breaker bar before I found out Chrysler used left hand threaded lug nuts on the driver's side.

I went to buy more Sear's stuff, and was going to test the system on trading it in.
This really nice lady that ran the tool dept, took it and started back to their warehouse.
I asked her if she needed to know how it got bent.

She said, "People that bend 1/2" breaker bars,,,,,, we don't bother them with a lot of questions".

[john.k]

I read that Sears was purposely run into the ground for corporate reasons...ie....to make money ......The CEO was being sued by some of the stockholders for conflict of interest.......incidentally the name of the CEO most of you will be familiar with.

[Garyshome]

I quit buying there when they shafted me on a credit card charge 20+years ago. Guess they should have treated their customers a little better.:violin:

[tankgunner59]

I was raised with my parents shopping at Sears, so much so that in adulthood I did my tool shopping at Sears. We have a Kenmore fridge that is about 15 years old and going strong. I have a total of about $2500 worth of Craftsman tools in my basement. I like their tools and stand by them. Our local Sears closed about 5 years ago, so I know how you feel.

[David2011]

Almost all of my mechanic type tools and most of my woodworking tools are old Craftsman. I started buying at Sears in 1972 so I have that fondness and history as well. Fortunately the hand tool manufacturing has been brought back to the US in several new facilities. Let’s just hope that the quality returns as well.

I’ve read that some independent Craftsman retailers are only honoring the lifetime warranty if the tool was purchased from them. That doesn’t help the value of the brand.

[abunaitoo]

Just hope this country doesn't go the way of Sears.

[Mal Paso]

Craftsman tools is owned by Stanley now. I have a recent set of Craftsman, made in USA, combination wrenches. Good fit and finish.

[Petrol & Powder]

Sears, Monkey Wards, K-Mart, J.C. Penney's, and Western Auto.

All failed to adapt to a changing market.

Very few retail outlets make it to 100 years.

Somewhere out there is the store that will drive a stake through the heart of Walmart.

Agreed, very few retailers will survive more than a few generations. Markets change and giant organizations change slowly. It's a double edged sword; Too big and change becomes difficult and cumbersome, too small and you will not survive economic downturns.

I believe that Sears could have survived longer if they had better corporate management. They were bleeding money for decades.
They were smart to dump their catalog when they did (they were losing huge amounts of money) but they were too slow to pivot to the internet.
Sears became highly dependent on their brick & mortar stores and those stores were expensive to operate. Many Sears stores were barely making a profit and those stores were subsidizing the stores that were losing money. It was a snowball effect that became exponentially larger as the debt took them over. Corporate management had their head up another part of their anatomy. They didn't want to look like they were failing but they were failing big. They were losing money and everyone knew it. They couldn't attract investors to cover their ever increasing debt and they refused to stop the bleeding.

Sears had a ginormous infrastructure. Distribution centers, distribution network, corporate structure, relationships with suppliers, assets they could sell or utilize. If they had stopped the bleeding by closing the non-profitable stores and embraced the internet earlier - Sears could have been the Amazon of today.
They refused to adapt.

[Ickisrulz]

Craftsman tools is owned by Stanley now. I have a recent set of Craftsman, made in USA, combination wrenches. Good fit and finish.

It must be old new stock because Craftsman wrenches are not currently made in the US.

[FLINTNFIRE]

Sears closed store here years ago , then they opened a sears hometown store , tiny thing with go in look at small selection of appliances and such and order , Ace closed a couple years ago , Ace had screws bolts fasteners and things in all sizes , less and less selection on where to shop .

[country gent]

The trans continental rail road and all its spurs made Sears and Montgomery wards rise possible. Western farmers ranchers and people would order from the catalog and it was delivered by rail.One of their main sources of supplies. Originally they were mail order only. Their main catalogs covered almost everything needed. I can remember the catalog store in Napoleon Ohio, and Mom waiting for the notification that the order was in to be picked up. Mom ordered a lot of things from clothes to canning supplies. Dad ordered a lot for the farm and shop. There are a few Sears houses in Toledo still. Yep Sears sold Houses ready to be assembled Even had a baked on finish on the siding.

They had the best prices on most things if you could wait the 3-4 weeks for delivery. Mail in order processing then receiving it at the catalog store mail notification and pick up. I believe the store fronts are what did them in.

Cabellas and Bass Pro also started out as mail order only businesses way back when. Another was JC Whitney ( how many remember their car parts catalogs). They stayed mail order house and are still going.

[Eddie Southgate]

I dumped Sears after I wore out my last pair of Roebuck overalls and tried to buy a few more pairs . The folks at sears said they dropped Roebucks because the name was considered to be " Not Politically Correct " . How the hell is naming a clothing line after a man who may or may not have been black considered racist ? Maybe the Chicks and Lady A can shop there but not Eddie .

[shooterg]

Love the older Made in USA Craftsman stuff, started buying tools from 'em 60 years ago so have a couple ! Sad when they stuck "Craftsman" on China made tools. First rifle was a JC Higgins .22 (actually a Marlin 80) with a 4x Ted Williams scope ! Still a great squirrel gun. Still have a box of .22 shorts in a Sears box !
I had heard that the Craftsman name was bought and a plant being built in TX to make tools here ?
Still pick 'em up at yard sales/flea markets so have plenty of USA made spares although at my age I doubt I can break any !
30 year old Kenmore dryer in the basement still in use.
Just one of the many things that point out this ain't the country I grew up in.

[Scrounge]

The trans continental rail road and all its spurs made Sears and Montgomery wards rise possible. Western farmers ranchers and people would order from the catalog and it was delivered by rail.One of their main sources of supplies. Originally they were mail order only. Their main catalogs covered almost everything needed. I can remember the catalog store in Napoleon Ohio, and Mom waiting for the notification that the order was in to be picked up. Mom ordered a lot of things from clothes to canning supplies. Dad ordered a lot for the farm and shop. There are a few Sears houses in Toledo still. Yep Sears sold Houses ready to be assembled Even had a baked on finish on the siding.

They had the best prices on most things if you could wait the 3-4 weeks for delivery. Mail in order processing then receiving it at the catalog store mail notification and pick up. I believe the store fronts are what did them in.

Cabellas and Bass Pro also started out as mail order only businesses way back when. Another was JC Whitney ( how many remember their car parts catalogs). They stayed mail order house and are still going.

The original pickup trucks were made from kits sold by Sears to convert a Model T to a farm vehicle. How the mighty are fallen!

[Scrounge]

Almost all of my mechanic type tools and most of my woodworking tools are old Craftsman. I started buying at Sears in 1972 so I have that fondness and history as well. Fortunately the hand tool manufacturing has been brought back to the US in several new facilities. Let’s just hope that the quality returns as well.

I’ve read that some independent Craftsman retailers are only honoring the lifetime warranty if the tool was purchased from them. That doesn’t help the value of the brand.

That is precisely the reason I no longer buy Craftsman unless it is old stock.

[Petrol & Powder]

...............
Just one of the many things that point out this ain't the country I grew up in.

Change isn't always good but it isn't always bad either.

We don't have Polio or smallpox anymore. Not many Americans die of cholera, yellow fever or malaria. Most people that live far from a city or town can drive there instead of walking or riding a horse. We can travel coast to coast in 5 hours. We can travel to other continents in less than a day. You can send an e-mail, of significant length and with images and videos attached - around the world in seconds, for pennies. We have cell phones that allow instantaneous communication, to an unbelievably large portion of the world. Most of us have access to electricity and clean water.

Yes, the business environment changes. It will ALWAYS change. Retail looks MUCH different than it did even 30 years ago and 30 years from now it will look different than today.

Walk around in any old city or town, especially on the east coast, and look at the history. Most towns had stables to shelter and feed your horse. Big cities had dozens of stables. Those building have been repurposed, probably many times over. Any railroad or port city will have a warehouse district. Goods are now handled in shipping containers and those old warehouses are apartments, storage facilities or some new industry.

Sears was the anchor store in many shopping malls across America. Malls are DEAD. Those buildings and the land they sit on will morph into something else.
Life goes on. Business evolves.

[bangerjim]

As the song lyrics say:

"Video killed the radio star. We can't rewind, we've gone too far"

Now it is updated to:

"Amazon killed your local Sears store. We can't go back, like it was before."


Sad. A perfect example of the ChiComs gradually killing off our way of life. Started long long ago.

[Petrol & Powder]

You can't blame this one on the ChiComs.

Sears blew it all by themselves.

They had extremely loyal customers, a huge market share, diverse suppliers with a long history and lots of assets.
Nope, Sears is responsible for their own demise.

[Winger Ed.]

Every industry evolves and changes.
Self serve gas, and lower maintenance requirements on cars did away with the 'service station', and 'grease monkey' that worked there.

The 'super market' did away with the local gas station with a grocery store and meat market inside.
Although the concept has partially come back with the modern convenience store.

Malls with all their specialty stores have more or less come and gone when Walmart & Target came on the scene.
When big sporting goods stores came along, the local gun store that didn't have a gunsmith died.

And it goes on...

[merlin101]

While I have many Craftsmen tools and a few Sears guns my favorite Sears memory is of taking a shortcut thru the store to the movie theater down the street. Every time we walked in the back door and went past the candy and nut section, ah the smells were intoxicating! The very first date I had with my future wife (high school sweethearts) we walked thru there, now the store is office space.

[MarkW]

Here's a pretty good explanation of the whole Sears/Kmart fiasco:

https://www.babson.edu/academics/executive-education/babson-insight/strategy-and-innovation/sears-and-kmart-a-sad-sad-story/

[444ttd]

sears hasn't been my choice for about 25 years or so ago. they were good, esp when it came to hand tools. but sears changed it, no more over the counter warranty. so i go to husky and snap on tools. i still have the sears hand tools, but when they are done, it goes into the trash bin.

[Petrol & Powder]

Here's a pretty good explanation of the whole Sears/Kmart fiasco:

https://www.babson.edu/academics/executive-education/babson-insight/strategy-and-innovation/sears-and-kmart-a-sad-sad-story/

Sears was dying LONG before 2005 but that story picks up the tale in the middle of the mess.

[FergusonTO35]

Somewhere out there is the store that will drive a stake through the heart of Walmart.

And it can't come soon enough!

[Mal Paso]

It must be old new stock because Craftsman wrenches are not currently made in the US.

This would have been less than 4 years ago. I got them at Orchard Supply after Lowes bought them. Craftsman took up the whole side of an isle and was the usual Craftsman collection. They had the 18mm combination I needed for $15 or a 20 something piece USA set 6-24mm long handle high polish and ignition wrenches to bring up the numbers on sale for $55. I put the new set in the utility truck and the old wrenches in the Subaru so it would have to be after the fire.

[jonp]

Little known fact about Sears. Since they had the corner anchor in many malls you could enter the Sears and then enter the mall by passing through. All the mall entrances had "No Weapons or Firearms" signs at the entrances but not Sears. Sears management in one of the few good decisions they made steadfastly refused to put them up as a remembrance of their history when they were once one of the largest sporting goods and firearm dealers in the USA. You could still put on a CCW, enter the Sears and then enter the mall all legal.

By the end of 2022 they will be down to about 2 Dozen locations nationwide. The once fallback of liquidating prime real estate went bust with the destruction of the malls and combined with the increasing online buying was a double whammy they couldn't figure out how to get out of. I did call the 800 number for the new Craftsman when I broke a Made In USA socket. Gave the lady the number off the socket and a few weeks later a free one arrived in the mail so the lifetime still is in force.

Sears, JC Penny, Montgomery Wards, Woolworths. All could not figure out how to adapt to changing times and are gone along with an era where you could order anything from tools to a car through the catalog and have it delivered.

I had heard that the Craftsman name was bought and a plant being built in TX to make tools here ?

Some are assembled in SC. I think there are plans to get them up and running throughout the country but quite a number are "Assembled here from Globally sourced materials". Still, they are creating jobs and trying to get stuff made here. Sears never made their own tools. All were made by someone else to their specs. I have a set of box end wrenches, the large set up to 1 1/2in, that are great quality. I managed to bend the 1 1/4in one and have no idea what I was reefing on to bend that thing. Still, although the tool is bent a little there isn't a mark on it

https://www.craftsman.com/support/where-its-made

[jonp]

[QUOTE=bangerjim;5108827] Craftsman brand is now at Lowe's exclusively it appears....all ChiCom.

Either Ace or True Value hardware stores have them too.

I also found out they won't warranty the old school Craftsman tools, only their new ones-----
but only if they have that EXACT! part number in stock to swap ya out with.

If ya have a old 3/8ths ratchet and it breaks,,,, you're out of luck.
The new ones have a different part number.

I don't think that's true. Lowes or Ace won't swap them but you can still call the 800 number and get a new one no questions. Just give the part number off the broken one and a new one will arrive in the mail. I did it after going to Lowes with a broken socket and the person there told me to call the 800 number online.

Ace or True Value had Craftsmans in stock long before Lowes. The local one carries a full line of hand tools.

[Ickisrulz]

All could not figure out how to adapt to changing times and are gone along with an era where you could order anything from tools to a car through the catalog and have it delivered.

That era of ordering anything from a catalog and having it delivered is still here and becoming (became?) the preferred way of shopping. The only difference is that the catalog is online. Yes, you can order a new car online and have it delivered to your home.

[jonp]

That era of ordering anything from a catalog and having it delivered is still here and becoming (became?) the preferred way of shopping. The only difference is that the catalog is online. Yes, you can order a new car online and have it delivered to your home.

But you can't buy a home and it's not Made In USA. Your right, though.

[Ickisrulz]

This would have been less than 4 years ago. I got them at Orchard Supply after Lowes bought them. Craftsman took up the whole side of an isle and was the usual Craftsman collection. They had the 18mm combination I needed for $15 or a 20 something piece USA set 6-24mm long handle high polish and ignition wrenches to bring up the numbers on sale for $55. I put the new set in the utility truck and the old wrenches in the Subaru so it would have to be after the fire.

Standard Craftsman wrenches have been made overseas since 2010. I read that the Craftsman industrial wrench line is made here in the US. Of course the wrenches are all made by contract manufacturers and rebranded.

[blackthorn]

No more Sears in BC. The one here closed a few years ago. Prior to that service deteriorated badly. I can recall going to the store in Burnaby on the coast and looking at firearms. That all changed, also I bought many sets of tires from the automotive department, until one day I sat from 9:30 Am to 4;30 Pm waiting to get a set of 4 snow tires mounted as I had been promised would happen. When I noticed workers getting ready to go home I asked what was going on and was told I had to come back Monday as they had run out of time. Told the service manager that was not acceptable and he asked me what I expected him to do, so I told him I expected him to put on a set of coveralls and see that I got what I had been promised. No go, so told him to stick the tires where the sun don't shine, left and went to Firestone for my tires. Never went back to their automotive section for anything ever again. Toward the end, if you could even find a clerk, they were to busy talking to each other to provide service. Yep---Sears did themselves in!

[Stephen Cohen]

Yes, those that don’t adapt to change go the way of the dinosaurs.

Exactly what I told my first wife. Alas poor Rondasaurus. Regards Stephen

[Winger Ed.]

Their auto dept. repair shop here was famous for ripping you off.

If you went in for a front end alignment---- you also needed brakes, shocks, and a front suspension rebuild.
They'd take all that stuff apart to show you too.
But if you didn't buy the rebuild, they didn't put your car back together either, because it was 'un safe'.

You had to pay up, or have it towed out.

After they got sued and lost a few times, they figured out the error of their ways on that though.

[David2011]

It must be old new stock because Craftsman wrenches are not currently made in the US.

Craftsman tools are currently manufactured in 14 states in the US with factories opening “soon” in Virginia and Texas.

[Ed K]

Times change. What's a lifetime warranty? Maybe you can get a Craftsman tool replaced... Maybe you can get your Dillon press repaired... Times change.

[Ickisrulz]

Craftsman tools are currently manufactured in 14 states in the US with factories opening “soon” in Virginia and Texas.

Not the wrenches. It doesn't look like any had tools at all if you look at their info:

https://www.craftsman.com/support/where-its-made

[David2011]

That era of ordering anything from a catalog and having it delivered is still here and becoming (became?) the preferred way of shopping. The only difference is that the catalog is online. Yes, you can order a new car online and have it delivered to your home.

Full circle from the original Sears business plan.

I thought it would be great to be able to buy locally when I moved back to a major metro area after living in an isolated area for several years. Even if Amazon is a few bucks higher than the local price it’s still usually less expensive than driving 80-90 miles round trip and probably a stop at a restaurant. Unless I can get what I want at a nearby home improvement store or Tractor Supply I find myself ordering most of my hobby related products.

[Gregorious]

I worked there in the 90's and writing was on the wall. They did it to themselves, no sympathy here. It always amazed me how many employees there were total sycophants for the company and it's imbecile management. Glad I got out when I did. That being said, yes, I do wax nostalgic about what they used to be. I have a bunch of my grandfather's tools from Sears.

Same experience with them. Worked 5 years during college. Made me hate working with the public and all holidays, especially Xmas.

[abunaitoo]

We have almost nothing left here.
wallymart, target, macys, sam's, costco, best buy, home depot, lowel's, ace hardware, city mill, and that's about it for everyday stores.
Still some small stores hanging on, but I'm sure this chinese virus will kill them off, if they haven't gone under already.
Good thing is many tourist type shops going under.
We really have not much of a choice anymore.
amazon is doing a booming business here.
They even opened a small hub, and are planing to build a distribution center at the airport.
I also miss Radio Shack.

[VariableRecall]

I have a somewhat interesting perspective of Sears towards the end of its life. When I was in Elementary School in the 2000's I remember my local mall being quite popular in the few times I was there. Something I didn't realize until years later that Sears even back then was struggling. A great deal of the space felt open and slightly deteriorating. I remember that our Craftsman lawn mower was always an ornery creature whose handles started coming apart within a year or two of its purchase. My dad's old Craftsman tools were sturdy and reliable, but the newer stuff seemed to drop in quality a great deal. Over time, my parents found other places to shop instead that would give them better deals and better quality. Sears never really gave ME a good reason to go to it, other than nostalgia that I really couldn't fathom through experience. All I remembered from it was wide-open white linoleum, big shelves, and middling quality goods and services.

In retrospect, Harbor Freight, despite their nasty reputation, have been a big winner in all this. You KNOW it's Chicom trash, but you really can't beat the price when you need a tool or item desperately and you're likely to use it once or twice a year. For anything else to bridge your tool-gap, there's other stores just for that sort of thing.

From my perspective, I think that Sears' demise was well on its way long before I was born. All i have as evidence of their good old days are some quality tools and some entries in the history books.

Now I just hope that Costco sticks around, cause I LOVE that hotdog and soda combo.

[Gewehr-Guy]

To see how far they have fallen, all you have to do is look at one of their old catalogs from the 1940's to 50's. If they didn't have it, you probably didn't need it. It was as close to internet shopping as you could get in the old days. I have a couple catalog reprints from 1897 and 1908, fascinating reading and a good reference for antique goods.

[Winger Ed.]

We had a big mall anchor Sears near us. It was in its death spiral back in the 90s.

One Sunday, our washer conked out. I went to Sears to get another one.
This was a big Sears store in Dallas, with a huge warehouse in it, and a big distribution center was downtown.

I found the one I wanted, the sales person was all happy, and said I could come back and pick it up on Thursday.
I started laughing. The salesman looked at me, and asked, "What's so funny"?
I told him, "Dude. This is Dallas, Texas. Here, you don't have to wait until Thursday for anything".

I left, and bought a new washing machine on the way home.

[1hole]

.... intending to pay cash. The sales person told me I would get a price break if I took out a credit card so I did. Then I walked downstairs and paid it off.

Yeah, it appears that SEARS' college trained management came to realize there was more profit to be made in their "Revolving Charge" accounts than there was in their original price so constant Sales by credit became the norm. And the buying public slowly began to see through the curtain and left them in droves.

In effect, the basic plan was to recoup their inventory investment by selling at cost and the "friendly monthly payments" became their profit center. Then they learned that they could coast on quality and still make lots of money ... but they rode that puppy into the ground and whole thing collapsed around them.

It was K-Mart that bought Sears, not the reverse.

[Scrounge]

To see how far they have fallen, all you have to do is look at one of their old catalogs from the 1940's to 50's. If they didn't have it, you probably didn't need it. It was as close to internet shopping as you could get in the old days. I have a couple catalog reprints from 1897 and 1908, fascinating reading and a good reference for antique goods.

Yep. Need an anvil? A lathe? A fence? You could get it all from Sears. But, as they say, that was then, and this is now. What have you done for me lately? Not very much. Buhbye!

[1hole]

BTW, I remember the catalog, out in the outhouse of my maternal grandfather's farm! LOL.

Yeah, it was great to not waste that big ol' catalog back when it was cheep black and white newsprint paper. Then they went full color and the pretty new clay coated paper was too slick to be good for much of anything but kindling.

[pcolapaddler]

One of the last things that I bought from Sears was a set of jumper cables.

Newly married and on a tight budget. My wife had needed a jump in her car a couple of times. I was working as a boat mechanic at the time and had plenty of experience with crummy cables around the shop.

The local Sears auto center had a pretty good set - heavy guage cable, solid clamps, long enough to reach across a full size car or truck with room to spare. They cost the princely sum of about $35. I still have them some 30+years later.

Some of the craftsman stuff from Lowe's looks like an improvement over years past. They're not snap on, but better than they were.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

[downzero]

I agree, I grew up buying tools at Sears also. It bothered me to see how bad the quality became for the last 10 years or so before they finally went under. Maybe if the Craftsman brand could have spun off, before the failing department store took it down with it, it could have made a go of it. I won't be caught dead with a product with the Craftsman name on it that comes from Lowe's or the like.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

Craftsman was spun off and sold years ago. Unfortunately they were foolish enough to take tool production to China, so the name means nothing now.

[gifbohane]

Anyone remember Montgomery Ward. It died in 1997. Was a giant in appliances and anything else. "Monkey Ward"

[Idaho45guy]

Anyone remember Montgomery Ward. It died in 1997. Was a giant in appliances and anything else. "Monkey Ward"

I'm sitting at a giant wooden desk with a black top from the 1950's that was my mother's manager desk when she worked at Mongomery Ward. She worked there until our local store was forced out of business by a WalMart coming into town. She then worked at WalMart as a department manager for another 15 years. She never made as much at WM as she did at Montgomery Ward, despite retiring from there.

[jim147]

Monkeyward was part of the final nail in the coffin. I can't remember the year but the head of sears and head of whirlpool went golfing. They decided to bring back A&E service.

I'm not saying anything bad about the techs but they were sent out with no truck stock to speak of and you could even tell them what was needed and they wouldn't bring it. They would come look at it and then ship you the part. Then when you got the part you call them to get on the schedule to get the part put on and hope they sent the right part and it is what was wrong.

[Winger Ed.]

Anyone remember Montgomery Ward.

There was a big one close to us.
It closed up early, late 80's maybe.

When all the good stuff had been sold, and they were clearing out everything else at about a 80-90% discount-
My Mom went in, and she was going to come out with something....

To help me out, she got several packages of underwear for me.
They were big enough to fit a 55 gallon barrel.
In the long run, and so they wouldn't go to waste--- I had a 20 year supply of cleaning patches.

[gbrown]

Yeah, Ward's left us about the 90's. Spent some time in that place. Sears left us about 2 or 3 years ago. Loved the original one, near downtown. 3 Levels. Remember going down to the basement level, Sporting Goods, seeing a barrel of WWII German or Italian rifles for a few dollars. Wish I was old enough to buy them back then. I have a knife that I bought back in '65 or so, with the Craftsman logo. Pretty good steel, holds an edge well. Use it as a skinner, works very well. Own several J.C. Higgins 22RF, made by Marlin or High Standard, solid shooters. They had good stuff, just couldn't figure out ecommerce. Sad to me that companies cannot adapt to what today's reality is. We older guys have good memories of what was, the younger generations want it now, and quickly. Some are adapting to that, some are not. It is what it is.

[jim147]

Their appliance part side had no problem doing the online side. Sometimes the prices beat what I could do as a dealer. Why the rest of the store failed was on them.

[rondog]

I remember when Sears was THE place to go for all parts for Willys Jeeps.

[VariableRecall]

Anyone remember Montgomery Ward. It died in 1997. Was a giant in appliances and anything else. "Monkey Ward"

Man, I was still wearing diapers by that point in time!

[GregLaROCHE]

Yep. Need an anvil? A lathe? A fence? You could get it all from Sears. But, as they say, that was then, and this is now. What have you done for me lately? Not very much. Buhbye!

Among a lot of other things, I once had an outboard motor from Sears, that served me well.

[Pressman]

1959, J C Higgins reloading press, new in it's original box. Maybe gone, but not forgotten.


277489

[MaryB]

Sears stores began to die in the early 70s when they took salesmen off commission. The last time I went in a Sears was in 81 or 82. I was setting up a hardware lab and had a list of handtools we needed. The list was a couple of pages and I had $1,500 in cash to finance the list. On a crutch from surgery, I filled up my available hand with about three items. I approached the desk and explained that I needed a couple of carts of tools, where are the carts? The fat behind the desk threw an empty cardboard box on the floor besides me. I threw my items in the box and left. On the way home I flagged down a MAC truck I showed the driver my list and told him I only had $1,500. We pulled into a church lot and he pulled the items and gave me a generous discount for cash. He loaded my goodies in my car for me.

I have not darkened the doors of a sears since that day.

Pretty much what it got like here. I was replacing my mower so went to the local Sears.Stood looking at the riding mowers for 20 minutes as 2 sales guys stood around texting someone. Finally asked one to come help and he was ultra rude. Store manager caught that and chewed his butt in front of me ten apologized that I had to see that. Gave me a nice discount on the mower I wanted for my troubles. I haven't been back to one since, next mower I buy from the farm store...

[shooterg]

Yep. Need an anvil? A lathe? A fence? You could get it all from Sears. But, as they say, that was then, and this is now. What have you done for me lately? Not very much. Buhbye!

Gramps bought a David Bradley hammer mill and a manure spreader from 'em. Some assembly required. He bought some trapos and A Springfield 15Y .22 for Pops to run a trapline with too ! Sears was one-stop shopping for many years.

[jim147]

I had a sears service center a block from work when I worked in the KC area. I stopped in to buy a mower and they keep saying my card wouldn't go through but I knew better and calling the card company and them telling sears the problem was on their end didn't work.

I said screw you and went to Family Center and bout a new Cub Cadet. Still use it every year.

[Scrounge]

Gramps bought a David Bradley hammer mill and a manure spreader from 'em. Some assembly required. He bought some trapos and A Springfield 15Y .22 for Pops to run a trapline with too ! Sears was one-stop shopping for many years.

By the time I was old enough to be interested in such things, they'd stopped carrying them, REDACTED! As usual, born a day late and a dollar short! ;)

[Scrounge]

I had a sears service center a block from work when I worked in the KC area. I stopped in to buy a mower and they keep saying my card wouldn't go through but I knew better and calling the card company and them telling sears the problem was on their end didn't work.

I said screw you and went to Family Center and bout a new Cub Cadet. Still use it every year.

I was overseas in the early 90's, and sent my wife and kids home on leave to visit her parents. She went to Sears in Fort Smith, and bought a bunch of clothes and toys for the kids. Paid by check, drawn on the contract bank for our APO address in Germany. After she left the store, the manager called the bank, and gave them the account number, but didn't mention that it was for a military APO address. They looked up the account number and said it was a commercial account. Manager ran out into the mall, tracked her down, and grabbed the packages from her. Back into the store, talk to the bank again, turns out they use the same account numbers for commercial accounts in the USA, and the APO addresses. Manager doesn't even apologize. By that time my wife is so PO'd that she demands the check back and tells them to keep their "stuff." Walks out and has not been back in a Sears since. I used to have to sneak into the Sears here to get warranty service on my Craftsman tools.

[abunaitoo]

"Now I just hope that Costco sticks around, cause I LOVE that hotdog and soda combo."
When they stopped selling the polish hotdog, I was heartbroken.
Costco maybe on the way out to.
New guy that took over is somekind of tree hugger.
Changing all kinds of things.
I go there for only a very few things, and only once a month.
Cat litter is a really good deal.
Used to go almost every week.
Other than that I go to Sam's club.
If walmart closed, we'd only have target, and I hate target.

[Thin Man]

Many years back I had a Jeep CJ5 that was my daily transportation. The clutch had an unusual cable that ran from the pedal to the bell housing. One end was threaded which allowed adjustment of the cable length as needed. The only "small enough" tool I had that would get onto that nut in a very tight area came from a Craftsman ignition wrench set. One day that wrench broke. Took the wrench to the local Sears and asked for a replacement. They argued they did not offer single wrenches and tried to sell me another kit. I told them all the others were fine, need just that one size that broke. The salesman went back to the store manager, came back with a check for $1.35 an said they offer either tool replacement or buy back the broken tool. That didn't help me at all but did start my search for another, any other store that would stand behind their products. This became my low cost but well deserved boycott of Sears from then until now.

[flyer1]

Just came across a pair of long johns with a sears tag. Must be 30 or 40 years old.. They still work.

[flint45]

When I was a kid I used to love to go to the Sears Store by our house they had everything and I love the smell of the popcorn when I walked in the door I always ask my dad to get some great deals on tools guns and ammo back in the day.

[VariableRecall]

"Now I just hope that Costco sticks around, cause I LOVE that hotdog and soda combo."
When they stopped selling the polish hotdog, I was heartbroken.
Costco maybe on the way out to.
New guy that took over is somekind of tree hugger.
Changing all kinds of things.
I go there for only a very few things, and only once a month.
Cat litter is a really good deal.
Used to go almost every week.
Other than that I go to Sam's club.
If walmart closed, we'd only have target, and I hate target.

Man, Walmart's certainly going to stick around. Target however, I've got a feeling their days are numbered. The last Target that I've been inside had that "Touch of Death" grunge and lack of care that I'd noticed with Sears when i was young.

Not to mention, That Polish Dog from Costco was my favorite! Really wish that came back too.