Once a titan of retail, Sears now clings to existence with just a handful of stores. Will this iconic brand even make it to 2026?
Sears, a name synonymous with American retail for generations, is facing an unprecedented crisis. Having once boasted over 3,500 stores – a figure that included Kmart locations after their 2005 merger – the company is now a mere shadow of its former self. The question on everyone's mind: can Sears survive to see Christmas 2026?
Dan Hamilton Rice, director of E. J. Ourso College of Business Behavioral Research Lab and an associate professor of the Herbert Huey McElveen Developing Scholar & Leslie and Dal Miller Professor, puts it bluntly: "With other both brick and mortar and online retailers with better product selection, location advantages and better convenience, Sears just can’t compete anymore."
Today, only five Sears locations remain: one in California, one in Texas, one in Massachusetts, and two in Florida.
But here's where it gets controversial: some experts, like Rice, believe this Black Friday could be Sears' last.
"With so few stores, there’s serious doubt from industry experts and former insiders that they could be profitable anymore," Rice stated.
Founded in 1893 as a mail-order business, according to Britannica, Sears opened its first retail store in Chicago in 1925. It quickly grew to become one of the largest retailers in the country, at one point rivaling giants like Amazon. But after filing for bankruptcy in 2019, the company has been forced to drastically downsize, with several of the remaining stores at risk of closure.
So, what's the future for the remaining Sears stores?
One of the two Florida locations, in Coral Gables, Miami-Dade County, could potentially be transformed into residential and retail space, according to the Miami Herald. The remaining Sears stores are located in malls owned by Simon Property Group, the largest mall operator in the nation, as reported by CNN.
Where can you still find a Sears?
- Braintree, Massachusetts
- Concord, California
- El Paso, Texas
- Orlando, Florida
- Coral Gables, Florida
What led to Sears' downfall?
Several factors contributed to Sears' current predicament.
"The consumer issues all basically boil down to the company not adapting to the changing consumer," Rice explained.
Sears once had popular house brands like Craftsman and Kenmore, but the sale of these brands elsewhere removed a major incentive for customers to visit Sears. The company was also slow to embrace online shopping, falling behind its competitors.
"With less reason to visit and a reduced footprint as stores closed, the company just can’t attract customers with any compelling reason to choose them over other retailers on or offline," Rice concluded.
What are your thoughts? Do you think Sears can make a comeback, or is its fate sealed? Share your opinions in the comments below!
