These doors to our Sears Store will be closed by end of year. In 1970, Bob was the back shop Auto Manager that opened the Auto Center. He worked there until 1990.
Bob worked 18 years in automotive, I worked telephone catalog, sign shop, Display dept dressing mannequins, automotive as greeter/dispatcher and last and the least favorite in paint and hardware.
My sears story goes further back, my dad worked as a sewing machine salesman in Sears in Savannah from 1947 to 1953. Sears is where we bought my childrens clothing and our washers/dryers and was the go to store for our lives.
I do feel sad they are closing there doors.
Victims of the internet I think.
The big mall this anchors has lost all but Penny's and Sears and is almost an empty shell
In memory of our Sears Stores, they were a giant in their times.
Below is a house from Sears that was on our news Friday... this is the Link if you want to know more.
28 comments:
That is a sad story for the area. I wonder Why? Is on line shopping so big??
I remember when a new Walmart put all of us 'mom and pop' stores out of business in the mid 80's and now online shopping is hurting even big stores.
Mother would drive 25 miles to Sears in Atlanta to shop for our school clothes back in the 50's and 60's.
Hari Om
yes, the online shopping bonanza has taken its toll - we too have had some old institutions 'go under': British Home Stores is a notable one and somewhat equivalent (tho not really) to your Sears. YAM xx
I haven't been to the mall here in a long time but I'm pretty sure I heard that the Sears store there closed last year maybe. It's sad that all the big name stores from long ago are disappearing. J.C. Penny's is still there but I wonder how long before they too will be closing their doors.
I bought a washer & dryer (kenmore) long long long ago. I haven't been in a sears since, I don't think.
Apparently Sears had no luck in selling that house! haha....anyway, cool story. Looks like things are really changing with Sears and Kmarts closing. So much is changing here in Nashville and around. Growing....way to fast. In reply to your question on my blog. I rent the table all sells are mine. I was required to give something for the auction. I gave my Wizard of Oz stool.
Montgomery Ward was to our area what Sears is to many. (Christmas catalogs----yes!)
Its been long gone and that's when Sears came to town. But . . . they too closed last year. And more recently K-mart closed their doors. I recently heard all of Sears are closing.
But they can't take your memories.
Hello,
It is sad that the department stores like Sears are having to close! We have purchased many items from Sears, many appliances. My son worked a short time in the Auto section of Sears too. You have a great memory of Sears meeting Bob there and end up marrying him. Enjoy your day!
Definitely a victim of the internet. So sad. I remember buying things from sears all the time but honestly haven't been in a Sears store in about 12 years. That house is amazing!
Also, thank you for sharing your story and the history you, Bob and your dad have with Sears.
I'd no idea one could buy a house from Sears!
That closing must be especially bittersweet for y'all. I wonder what they'll do with the fixtures, etc.? Maybe there's something to bid on as a memento?
My son's dad (I can't bring myself to call him my 'ex.') worked as a carpet salesman for Sears. Oh my, the miles we drove around West Texas while he peddled and measured rooms. The only good memory I've got is carpeting the dining and living rooms with discontinued square samples and double-sided tape. Looked like a crazy quilt!
This is so sad for us too. Dave worked at Sears for 29 years and was a manager in many departments.
He was also mgr. for 3 catalogue stores. It was a good job in the Golden Years of the company.
I worked in the Snack Bar at Sears for 5+ years.
My Dad worked as mgr. of Men's Work Clothes for 20+ years.
If we loose our pension from the store we will be up a creek without a paddle. A bit scary for us.
I agree that everything done on line has taken a huge chunk out of the retail business, that and poor management that forgot about people and became money grabbing and not good merchandisers.
Okay I'll stop ranting...I just hate to see a good thing disappear.
It is sad to see these long time stores have to close. All Sears in Canada have been closed for a while already.
It is hard to believe Sears is going. It was the very first store to open at Crabtree Valley Mall in 1971. We will miss it.
Hugs Cecilia
A great story of how you and Bob met while working at Sears. The one near us has closed and I am very sad to see it go. Ever since we first got married we have bought all our appliances from Sears, the last one about a year ago, when our fridge broke down. We were always popping in there for something.
Sandra, it is a VERY sad thing to see happen...even more so now that you revealed what "Sears" has meant to you, Bob and your family. The store up here near us closed a few years ago, although it only sold hardware and appliances. It was sad to see that "one" close, let alone know the name "Sears" will be a thing of the past...:(JP
Isn't that sad! I'm so glad I stopped in today to learn that about you and Bob. We've lost J.C. Penneys and Sears in our town.
I just told Mr C that when we were kids we wouldn't have dreamed that someday there wouldn't be a Penneys or a Sears. He said, or that there would be an Amazon outside of South America. Lol
That is so sad about Sears - I have some good memories of shopping there - especially as a kid. One of my fav and few memories of being with my dad happened before I started school was when just me and my dad would go down to their grill and we get hot dogs and orange soda while my mom took my sis and bro shopping for school clothes.
Growing up, my parents always relied on Kenmore appliances throughout the house. Our Sears closed a few months ago as well as our KMarts.
Our nice mall had a Montgomery Wards which I got some furniture for my first apartment. After it closed, Burlington Coat Factory moved in - it closed several months ago Our Pennys, which is in the same mall - not doing well so I look for it to close eventually. Our Macy's moved out of town.
Oh yes, online shopping plus more active shopping availability in cities less than an hour and half away - BIG TIME PROBLEMS.
I loved hearing your story my friend. I feel sad to lose them. How many of us had our school clothes ordered from Sears...oh and picked out our toys from the Wish catalog. But I never shop at the mall any more...where our Sears is so I guess it's that way with everyone. Thanks for the post and sharing your memories!
There's always some sadness and nostalgia involved in places being changed/ closed/ torn down etc which were somehow important to ourselves. I only know of Sears from some American home makeover TV shows. But it's kind of the same development here, with online shopping growing.
hi sandra, such a sad story about sears and for the area. so hard to believe sears is having to close..
We too loved shopping at Sears. It is upper level management and poor investments that partly led to the Sears down fall. Walmart changed where many opted to shop and Sears did not make the changes to meet that challenge. As for internet, that could have greatly upped catalogue sales but they did not find a way to compete with Amazon, here in Ontario Sears workers who gave their many years of service are now fighting to get some pension that they payed into. Even that was mismanaged and it is heart breaking. We lost three very big department stores here in the last 20 years. Not sure how the current shops will manage as rents are their biggest hurdle now and that has become a global issue.
I love how you tell of your family’s link to the Sears line.
I can completely understand your tears. Sears was a huge part of your life! It was such a good store... we shopped there all the time when I was a kid but I don't think that there's even a Sears near me here....
I can imagine that feels a bit sad, as you spent so many years there, and have so many memories connected to it. Eva
Going bankrupt and out of business. Wow a real icon.
TIP Sears.
I remember hearing about that house before!
A love story was made there - you and Bob.
The Sears in Terre Haute is closing also...the only dept store left in our mall is JC Penneys...and I wonder how long they will be there.
The end of an Era for sure. - Wow to have that house still standing is something.
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