Sears headed for outlet city...

[Steen27]

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/the-exchange/sears-holdings-surges-spinoff-plan-145810788.html?l=1

Planning to spin off some of its operations into a company that will be known as Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc.

So much for anything made in the usa from Sears... they are turning into a thrift store - but they'll do it with retail pricing... lol

 

[pipsters]

You have to give it to Sears. They are one of the only places you can/could STILL buy USA tools from. Not one other retail store can you say that about. I just bought a shovel and rake from Sears, made in the USA. They are horribly managed but at least they tried. Hell even their plastic bags you get at checkout say "Made in USA" on them, not many others do.

I don't hate Sears, in fact I will personally miss them, and them going under will certainly impact FAR more than just the employees working there. There are an American icon, sad to see them go this way.

 

[fourtythree]

Theres a Sears Hometown near here. Honestly, it's what a Sears should be. No clothes, no jewelry, no Kardashian underwear. Just tools, lawn and garden and appliances. The tool selection isn't massive, but they can order anything you want. I'd take this over the JCPenneys clone they've been trying to be for the last couple decades. The employees aren't the mindless counter jockeys you'd find at the mall stores either.

 

[e30bradley]

You have to give it to Sears. They are one of the only places you can/could STILL buy USA tools from. Not one other retail store can you say that about. I just bought a shovel and rake from Sears, made in the USA. They are horribly managed but at least they tried. Hell even their plastic bags you get at checkout say "Made in USA" on them, not many others do.

Home Depot has estwing and channellock.. Those are US made. But thats about it..

 

[NC-Fordguy]

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/the-exchange/sears-holdings-surges-spinoff-plan-145810788.html?l=1

Planning to spin off some of its operations into a company that will be known as Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc.

So much for anything made in the usa from Sears... they are turning into a thrift store - but they'll do it with retail pricing... lol

It's merely business decisions to raise cash. Whether it succeeds or not remains to be seen.

Thrift store??? Is your definition of a thrift store a retail outlet that sells imported goods?? If so, then every retail establishment must be a thrift store. Bought many domestic goods from Home depot, lowes, or ace hardware lately?

 

[allinon72]

Theres a Sears Hometown near here. Honestly, it's what a Sears should be. No clothes, no jewelry, no Kardashian underwear. Just tools, lawn and garden and appliances. The tool selection isn't massive, but they can order anything you want. I'd take this over the JCPenneys clone they've been trying to be for the last couple decades. The employees aren't the mindless counter jockeys you'd find at the mall stores either.

I have a Sears Hometown near me and I think it's awful. Since the concept is new, all their inventory is new, meaning it's mostly chinese junk.

 

[teletekman]

Theres a Sears Hometown near here. Honestly, it's what a Sears should be. No clothes, no jewelry, no Kardashian underwear. Just tools, lawn and garden and appliances. The tool selection isn't massive, but they can order anything you want. I'd take this over the JCPenneys clone they've been trying to be for the last couple decades. The employees aren't the mindless counter jockeys you'd find at the mall stores either.

We have one here in our little neck of the woods but the only problem is it's no bigger than a local 7 Eleven so availability is slim to none. Want a rake, you have 2 style's to choose from. Want a ratchet, sure 3/8 we have it. Want a 1/4", special order, etc....

But yes, if the tool & outdoor garden area would be near the size of the typical Sears clothing section I would make it a weekend hot spot.

 

[fourtythree]

I have a Sears Hometown near me and I think it's awful. Since the concept is new, all their inventory is new, meaning it's mostly chinese junk.

True, but it's only a matter of time until the large Sears stores burn through their US stock.

We have one here in our little neck of the woods but the only problem is it's no bigger than a local 7 Eleven so availability is slim to none. Want a rake, you have 2 style's to choose from. Want a ratchet, sure 3/8 we have it. Want a 1/4", special order, etc....

Thats my only complaint. There isn't a lot of selection. But like I said, they can order anything.

The place actually reminds me of the Sears catalog center we had in town when I was a kid. You go in and make a catalog order and pick it when it came in. There was no in store stock other then various appliance and electronic display models.

Sears has been slowly dying ever since they decided to appeal to the mall crowd. These smaller stores are probably the only option they have if they want to stay afloat.

 

[ckadams00]

I think it is a real bummer that a few of us get to chime in on the last 20 years or so of a great 100year+ brand. I know that "made in the USA" is a tougher row to hoe than most of us have to manage (we get the benefit of bitching about how they should be doing this or that) but I am sad to see them go this route - still feel strongly that "made in the USA" could be a heluva competitor if done right.

 

[Jarhead0408]

X2^^^^^

Think I'll be getting my son Armstrong and Williams ratchets down the road. Got some older Craftsman to pass along to him though.

 

[knotheads]

i seem to remember both names in sears history. they used to have outlet stores to sell the returns and damaged goods and the hometown stores were their surplus furniture and home goods.

 

[mmack66]

Did anyone bother to read the linked article? Just curious, because it seems that most of the posts are reactions to the inaccurate title of the thread.

 

[powertrip]

Did anyone bother to read the linked article? Just curious, because it seems that most of the posts are reactions to the inaccurate title of the thread.

Agreed

 

[capnrob97]

i seem to remember both names in sears history. they used to have outlet stores to sell the returns and damaged goods and the hometown stores were their surplus furniture and home goods.

I have two Sears Outlet's within 10 miles of my house.

 

[sselander]

Anybody go to a Sear hardware store? The one near me was great until they decided to sell appliances. Everybody sells appliances, I could give a **** about them at Sears.. They had to clear a large area in order to display them. They had to move the tractors and mowers to another part of the store. In the process, they reduced the selection of actual hardware since they had to clear a section of the floor for the tractors and mowers. Every time I go to it, they are not busy. Same with the Sears stores in my area. Parking lot is usually empty. They are going downhill fast, nothing new there.
The chairman (Ed Lampert) that runs it lives in a wealthy town close to me.

 

[lowbucktruck]

Quote from Wall Street Journal blog on the spin-off:
"The outlet stores have recorded increasing sales and growing profits since 2009. The business’s comparable store sales were up 8.7% in 2011 compared to 2010.

Meanwhile, sales and earnings at the hometown and hardware stores have dropped, with comparable store sales down 6% in 2011."

http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2012/04/...s-outlet-sales-up-hometown-down/?mod=yahoo_hs