News - Sears' Last Stand: Only Five Stores Remain

Sears, a name once synonymous with American retail, is now on the verge of extinction with only five full-line department stores remaining in the U.S. This represents a dramatic decline from its peak in 2005 when the company operated over 3,400 Sears and Kmart locations combined. The few remaining stores of this once-iconic retailer are scattered across four states as the business deals with the aftermath of years of financial difficulties and a major bankruptcy filing in 2018. Currently, Florida hosts two of the last Sears stores, one situated at the bustling Palm Beach Gardens Mall, and the other within Orlando's Florida Mall. California lays claim to another at Whittwood Town Center in Whittier. Meanwhile, Massachusetts features a lone Sears at South Shore Plaza in Braintree. Texas completes the sparse list with a site at Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso. The precipitous decline of Sears is a narrative of missed opportunities and challenges with adapting to the evolving retail landscape. While no official closure plans for these remaining stores have been announced, prevailing thought among retail analysts casts doubt on their long-term viability amidst fierce market competition and sharply declining foot traffic. Sears' financial troubles culminated in its 2018 bankruptcy, after which ESL Investments acquired its assets and later transferred them under the Transformco brand to manage remaining property and redevelopment. Despite the physical retreat, the digital space still carries the Sears name, though much of its online inventory comes from third-party sellers. This shift exemplifies the broader movement in retail from physical storefronts to e-commerce. Reflecting on Sears' storied history, Mike Rose, Editor for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, shared nostalgia over the retailer's decline, emphasizing its past significance in providing quality household goods — a cultural touchstone now reduced to a handful of remaining locations. Since its beginnings in 1893 as a mail-order business, Sears was a pioneer in creating the modern shopping mall experience. However, as it stands today, its last five stores are quiet witnesses to the bygone era of American retail greatness.