17 July 2013 (16:43 UTC-07 Tango)/09 Ramadan 1434/26 Tir 1391/10 Ji-Wie (6th month) 4711
In Maine, the Sears in Presque Isle closing down by October. The manager of the store and Sears Holdings argued over how many people will lose their jobs. The corporate office says only 58 people work there, but the upset manager said 80 people are currently employed! The owner of a Fort Kent Sears Hometown store confirmed that 80 people are working at the Presque Isle Sears. According to local news media reports, there was no prior warning given to the store manager about the closing.
A Sears in Gautier, Mississippi, to close in October. The shopping mall where the Sears is located, is being redeveloped into an open air mall, Walmart will be the primary tenant.
In Canada, the owner of a Sears Hometown store is leading a class action lawsuit against Sears Canada and Sears Holdings. The lawsuit is for $100 million CAD, and alleges that Sears is ripping off the operators of Sears Hometown stores: “…Sears is making substantial profits from each and every Hometown store….We are tired of disappointing our customers because we lack the resources to serve them properly. We are tired of facing the public without a smile, because we know there is no paycheck at the end of the week. We are tired of being fed scraps for the benefit of a U.S. hedge fund billionaire!”-Jim Kay
According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Sears chairman Eddie Lampert is using a fake name online, to argue with Sears employees about his policies. The article suggests that Lampert is purposely destroying Sears, as evidenced by his instigation of internal fighting: “He left critical comments on other people’s posts, according to more than 20 former employees; he even got into arguments with store associates.”-Mina Kimes
In Kentucky, after 30 years of business the Sears in the Fayette Mall, in Lexington, to close by the end of 2013. The store space was sold to the mall owners, CBL & Associates. 114 people will be out-o-work by Xmas & the Gregorian new year!
The South Park Mall Sears to shut down by October in Moline, Illinois. Also, dozens of Sears employees in Chicago went on strike for predictable work hours and better pay: “Right now, we’re on survival mode. It’s not enough for basic necessities.”-Judith Luna
The Kmart on Hendersonville Road in South Ashville, North Carolina, will close down by November. The lease was not renewed, but it might be the property owners fault. Pulliam Properties was the one who did not renew the lease. The retail property developer says he has purposely allowed store fronts to become vacant on his property on Hendersonville Road, because he has big plans for a new shopping center.
And in Pennsylvania, another property developer is to blame for the closing of a Kmart in Bethlehem Township. AKAL Associates bought out the lease in a power grab: “We went after the lease because we wanted to control the space.”-James Balliet, listing agent representing property owners
Also in Pennsylvania, the Kmart in the Mark Plaza shopping center in Edwardsville is suing the property owner for at least $10 million USD. The Kmart opened shop in 1974, and the lease stated the property owner would be responsible for storm drainage, the plaza has been flooded at least four times since then. Kmart is now the only store left in the plaza, all the others left mainly because of repeated flood damage. Attorneys for Kmart claim they’ve discovered the property owners never conducted surveys evaluating the possibility of floods, and never attempted to improve the property after each flood.
Kmart has settled with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs over charges that the store was selling expired baby formula and non-prescription medications: “Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs today announced a settlement with Kmart in which the retail giant will pay $302,500, donate $25,000 worth of infant formula to charity, pay for continued unannounced state inspections, and implement meaningful remedial measures to inspect its merchandise, after 19 Kmart stores in New Jersey were found to have sold or offered for sale expired infant formula and non-prescription medications.”-Division of Consumer Affairs
In Australia, Kmart is the first retailer to agree to publicize the addresses of its suppliers: “…it will be possible for independent groups to visit factory sites and verify wages and conditions for workers. We look forward to visiting Kmart’s website very soon and being able to download this information. Oxfam has spent nearly two decades investigating the global clothing industry, and our research shows that very low wages, long hours of overtime and unsafe workplaces are the norm. We call on other Australian retailers to follow Kmart’s lead….”-Oxfam Australia
Here’s the updated list of U.S. Sears/Kmart store closings since the end of 2011:
Arizona: Scottsdale Sears/Great Indoors, Chandler Sears/Great Indoors.
Alabama: Gadsden Kmart (50 jobs lost), Mobile Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Auburn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Anniston Kmart (no word yet on how many jobs lost).
California: El Monte Sears (at least 40 jobs lost. Damien Arrula, El Monte’s economic development director, said the store manager had lied about what was going on: “The general manager of the store had just indicated to me that they were remodeling.”), two San Diego Sears (at least 80 jobs lost), Pleasant Hill Kmart (more than 50 jobs lost), Torrance Kmart, Fairfield Kmart (63 jobs lost).
Colorado: Broomfield Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Glenwood Springs Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lone Tree Sears/Great Indoors, Longmont Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Pueblos’ South Side Kmart (52 jobs lost), Denver Kmart (number of jobs lost have not been made public at this time, but could be at least 40).
Georgia: Macon Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Buford Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Douglasville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Atlanta Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Columbus Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jonesboro Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Cartersville Kmart (74 jobs lost).
Guam: Sears Hometown Store.
Florida: Fernandina Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Callaway Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Orange City Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Deland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Stuart Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), West Palm Beach Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Port St. Lucie Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Crystal River Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), New Smyrna Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint Augustine Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Pompano Beach Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Jacksonville Kmart on 5751 Beach Boulevard (71 jobs lost), second Kmart in Jacksonville on 4645 Blanding Boulevard (83 jobs lost), Ocoee Sears (102 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on Airport Boulevard closed in 2011, Pensacola Kmart on Mobile Highway closed in February 2013 (69 jobs lost), Pensacola Kmart on East 9 Mile Road will close in May (73 jobs lost), Hialeah Kmart (67 jobs lost), Bonita Springs Kmart (67 jobs lost), Mount Dora Kmart (100 jobs lost), Lake Mary Kmart.
Hawaii: Honolulu Sears (owned by GGP, 372 jobs lost!!!), Kauai Sears (41 jobs lost), Iwilei-Honolulu Kmart for lease (no confirmation of store closing).
One corner of the half vacant Chubbuck, Idaho, Sears. No official closing announcement was made.
Idaho: Lewiston Sears (at least 60 jobs lost). No official announcement, but it’s painfully obvious the Chubbuck Sears going’ down. Or, maybe it’s preps for Shop within a Shop, or one of those domestic spy data storage centers?
Indiana: Anderson Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Saint John Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Indianapolis Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Sears (49 jobs lost).
Illinois: Alton Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Melrose Park Sears parts and repair center (50 jobs lost), Zion Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Lawn Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), McHenry Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Peru Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lombard Sears/Great Indoors (at least 40 jobs lost), Fairview Heights Kmart (81 jobs lost), Freeport Kmart (45 jobs lost), Pontiac Kmart (more than 47 jobs lost), Homer Glen Kmart (82 jobs lost), Streator Kmart (45 jobs lost), Lombard Kmart (70 jobs lost), Naperville Kmart (98 jobs lost), Calumet Sears (164 jobs lost), two Sears stores in Grand Crossing area of Chicago (247 jobs lost!), Mount Vernon Sears (68 jobs lost), recently revealed Moline Sears (at least 60 jobs lost). 58 Chicago area stores up for lease or sale. By the way, Illinois elected officials gave Sears Holdings/Hoffman Estates a $150 million USD tax break to keep their headquarters in the state. The tax break was not tied to any promise not to close stores.
Iowa: Cedar Rapids Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Davenport Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Burlington Kmart (50 jobs lost), Coralville Sears (94 jobs lost, this is a store sold to GGP earlier in the year).
Kansas: Lawrence Sears (at least 40 jobs lost).
Kentucky: Middlesboro Sears (in September 2012 the Sears store re-opened under independent ownership, official grand re-opening scheduled for November), Winchester Kmart (back in May, Rankin Paynter bought out what was left of the inventory and gave it to charity), Hazard Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), recently revealed Lexington Sears (114 jobs lost!).
Maine: Lewiston Sears (60 to 70 jobs lost), recently revealed Presque Isle Sears (80 jobs lost).
Maryland: Ellicott Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Gaithersburg Sears/Great Indoors.
Michigan: Novi Sears/Great Indoors, Brighton Sears Grand/Essentials, Harper Woods Sears Full line, Monroe Sears Full line, Adrian Sears Full line, Washington Township Kmart, Chesterfield Kmart, Woodhaven Kmart, Flint Kmart (46 jobs lost), Gaylord Kmart (48 jobs lost).
Minnesota: Willmar Kmart, Duluth Kmart, New Hope Kmart, White Bear Lake Kmart, Bemidji Kmart, GGP owned Sears Auto Center in the Apache Mall closed (10 jobs lost).
Mississippi: Jackson Sears Full line, McComb Sears Full line, Columbus Sears Full line, recently revealed Gautier Sears (71 jobs lost).
Missouri: Lee’s Summit Sears Grand/Essentials, Saint Louis Sears Full line, High Ridge Kmart (59 jobs lost).
Montana: Missoula Kmart (50 jobs lost).
New Hampshire: Nashau Sears Grand/Essentials, Keene Sears Grand/Essentials, Portsmouth Kmart (30 jobs lost).
North Carolina: High Point Sears, Moorehead Sears, Rocky Mount Sears, Statesville Sears, Durham Kmart (79 jobs lost), Asheville Kmart (53 jobs lost), West Smithfield Kmart (59 jobs lost), Winston-Salem Kmart (69 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (58 jobs lost), recently revealed South Ashville Kmart on Hendersonville Road.
North Dakota: Jamestown Kmart (45 jobs lost).
New Jersey: Lawnside Kmart (about 80 jobs lost).
New Mexico: Las Cruces Kmart (58 jobs lost).
New York: Depew (Lancaster?) Kmart (68 jobs lost).
Ohio: Chagrin Falls Kmart, Springfield Kmart, two Toledo Kmarts, Medina Kmart, Columbus Kmart, Columbus Sears/Great Indoors, Zanesville Sears (67 jobs lost), Trotwood Kmart (71 jobs lost). Also, Van Wert Sears franchise bought out by Kirk Berryman, owner of Computer & Networking Technologies (CNT), who plans on moving the store to a new location.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Sears (98 jobs lost, GGP owned, GGP wants a $2 million sales tax rebate, claiming it’s needed to offset capital investments needed to bring the space up to the standards for potential new tenants).
Oregon: Roseburg Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Tualatin Kmart Center (new property owner from California is tearing everything down for new shopping center, so far no indication the Kmart will be part of the new shopping center), Milwaukie Kmart (61 jobs lost).
Pennsylvania: Upper Darby Sears Full line, Pottstown Sears Full line, Pittsburgh Kmart, Wilkins Sears, Warminster Kmart (85 jobs lost), Shippensburg Kmart (46 jobs lost), Moon Kmart (143 jobs lost), recently revealed Bethlehem Township Kmart (62 jobs lost).
South Carolina: Sumter Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Orangeburg Sears (57 jobs lost), Columbia Kmart on Fort Jackson Boulevard in 2012, Columbia Kmart on Bush River Road in 2009, Columbia Kmart on St Andrews Road (66 jobs lost), Irmo Kmart (no info on how many jobs lost), both Greenville Kmarts (140 jobs lost between the two).
Tennessee: Antioch Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Cleveland Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Oak Ridge Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Hendersonville Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Morristown Sears (about 70 jobs lost), Clinton South Kmart.
Texas: Two Sears parts and repair centers closing in The Woodlands (117 jobs lost), rebuild center in Garland (58 jobs lost), Farmers Branch Sears/Great Indoors, Houston Sears Great/Indoors.
Virginia: Norfolk Sears (at least 40 jobs lost), Midlothian Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Richmond Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Lynchburg Sears (84 jobs lost), Fairfax Kmart (no word on how many jobs lost), Christiansburg Sears (59 jobs lost), Norfolk Kmart on East Little Creek Road (77 jobs lost), Manassas Kmart (71 jobs lost).
Washington: Walla Walla Sears Full line (in August 2012, it was reported that an independent owner of Sears Hometown stores will open a store in Walla Walla), Lacey Kmart (at least 40 jobs lost), Kelso Sears (47 jobs lost), Lakewood Kmart (59 jobs lost), Bellingham Sears (92 jobs lost), Seattle Kmart (85 jobs lost), East Wenatchee Sears (59 jobs lost).
West Virginia: Oak Hill Kmart (59 jobs lost).
Wisconsin: West Baraboo Sears (at least 40 jobs lost, local village officials say the store generated 3% of local tax collections), Rice Lake Kmart (about 71 jobs lost).
On top of that, Sears Holdings sold stores to General Growth Properties (GGP), of which it has been reported that most of those stores will be closed.
Here’s the list of 11 Sears stores now owned by GGP:
Iowa: Coral Ridge Mall (it’s official the Sears is closing, see above), and Mall of the Bluffs
Texas: The Woodlands Mall (this does not involve the two repair centers being closed by Sears)
Florida: West Oaks Mall
Utah: Fashion Place, and Provo Towne Centre (note the evil British empire way of spelling town & center. Due to a favorable lease agreement the GGP owned Provo Sears will continue to stay open under Sears Holdings management)
Oklahoma: Quail Springs Mall (it’s official, the Sears will be closed, see above)
Hawaii: Ala Moana Center (will be closed, see above)
Washington: Bellis Fair Mall (Bellingham store, see above)
Minnesota: Apache Mall (see update above, GGP will close Sears store by 2014)
Illinois: Market Place Shopping Center