My first nice wrench set was Craftsman professional, early 90's. Great tools, use them almost every day. I lost a wrench, dumb move, and cant find a replacement. Sure, I can buy a twice as thick, clunky Craftsman professional but its a POS. Their rebranded toolboxes suck, pick the cheap model and scale it down. I cant stand the place. Was there earlier this year and I their couldnt have been 10 people in the entire store. Really weird feeling, like it was closed and I shouldnt be there. Rows of empty low quality stuff.

Sears Canada went under ~2 years ago. Good riddance. Even their going out of business prices were more then anyone else's regular prices.

I had the same experience last year in my local Sears. Felt like the store was already closed. Lots of empty shelves, poorly organized, and no employees. Surprisingly it's still open for business today but the parking lot on that side of the mall is lightly used.

This mall is anchored by the following shops

- JCPenney (2 floors)
- Macy's (3 floors)
- Nordstrom (3 floors)
- Sears (2 floors)
- Target (3 floors)

The Target is a new-comber and is also a grocery store. JCPenny and Sears are not going to be around much longer IMO. The Macy's and Nordstrom are always busy. Lots of restaurants have moved in along with some bars and a bowling alley.

Harbor Freight is Craftsman but at half the price, and they don’t try to hide the fact that everything is made in China. Good riddance.

When growing up an adjustable wrench was made by Cresent and grew up calling it a Cresent wrench. Few years ago I was given a very nice 200pcs Cresent tool set. Every single tool in the set had the name Cresent on it except for the one adjustable wrench. No name at all.

Like many I grew up with Sears they were the go to store for anything . But as competition grew the items Sears sold no longer were exclusive there were more choices by similar retailers . Then the internet hit along with smaller boutique type stores and in the blink of an eye Sears lost their identity . Most stores were in " the mall " which had also lost its appeal so Sears was stuck with the footprint of their mall stores . Add to that poor management vision on what to do to turn things around . Sears is now heading to where Montgomery Wards and many others have gone .

If they make it out of Chapter 11 they will just be a shell of what they once were . It is sad but just a perfect example of resting on your laurels and not re-inventing yourself and staying relevant . It takes REAL leadership in ANY industry to reach and maintain excellence .

No - I believe this is it. What ever iconic / unique branding associated with them, has already been sold off. Prolly the dumbest- eat move initially was to sell their credit card division.

my grandfather worked for Sears for 30 years in Moline, IL. Made a good life for himself, my grandmother and mother. The Sears catalog was one of the great things to arrive in the mail. And the Christmas catalog with its toys, was special. Have a pocket watch that Sears made or sold for the railroad conductors somewhere. Not good to see this sort of innovative company, in the day, die

Sears was never an esteemed place for me. Once when I was just starting out working in the trades I heard their work boots were great. I didn't know much about boots so I went in a bought some. Worst most uncomfortable boots ever and I think they were made overseas even back then. If not, maybe Mexico although I always figured Mexico could make good leather goods. But that's is beside the point.

Their other workwear was only average. Pennys was at least as good. I don't remember if Sears carried Levi's but I don't think so. Back then, Levi's were the toughest jeans going. Sears just didn't fit the CA lifestyle, like an alien amongst the retail establishment.

Then there was the time that I didn't get a statement from their credit dept and they immediately put me into collections. I had sent a change of address in with the previous bill. All done at that point forever with Sears. (I use to buy their Die Hard batteries.)

Yep cause now you had something to wipe with.

Back in the 60's I thought Sears was a stodgy store....their prices high and plain jane merchandise.

They had long service life quality tools, work wear, batteries, shocks and appliances...

I am still using my 10/1996 Kenmore washing machine...

I don't think their thinking ever advanced beyond the late 40's or early 50's.

For a company that started as a mail order catalog it seems strange that they would be done in by essentially a mail order (internet) business model.

When I was a kid, we used to order a crate of live baby chickens (chicks) in a box.

You had to be near the phone when they arrived. Clerk didn't want to listen to them and couldn't feed 'em...

We used to use Sears Spectrum motor oil how many of you here remember that ? It was in round quart cans that you punctured with an oil spout .......... remember oil spouts ? :D

Sure do...but these would work just as well...
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...r-jpg.3478454/

I'm not a finance guy, but I think we are all missing the financial point. The guy who owns the place doesn't care if the chain goes down the tubes. That's why there has been no innovation or attempt to keep up with the times. The value has been in the brands that have been sold off, the properties/real estate, and the names/information from customer lists that have been sold to third parties. The parts are worth more than the whole. Lampert's taken a car (albeit a formerly running one), and parted it out.

Another interesting note is Sears target customer in the 50's to early 70's was the middle class. Which according to most have vanished........

Yes but the spout gave you a fighting chance of getting the oil INTO the valve cover vs. ONTO :D Some of us are showing our age ;)

And with the spout, you could just insert it into the valve cover and walk away... let it drain on it's own. Without spilling.

Fixed it for you. In my world, they always slobbered a little, but it was better than the church key method.....

I don't think we missed it at all.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/1009955-eddie-lampert-wins.html