Farewell to Sears, (not 'A' related.....)

[George Miller]

I Quit going to sears and K mart when you had to stand in a long line to pay for your items. Now wall Mart is about the same, plus they have the isles packed with stuf. then when people come two abreast going the wrong way, there is no place to go. Also there auto motive is pretty much gone. So mot much for me there ant more.

[40 Deluxe]

Originally Posted by Chuck Dempsey

This pic and article are on the CNN Money website today if anyone cares to read it. Caption to pic says 1940 but we know it is closer to 1930...

Sears did more than change the way America shopped. It changed America.

In its heyday, it was more than just the largest U.S. employer or the country's retailer. It actually reshaped the nation, transforming the average citizen's lifestyle.

Of course, the company is struggling now. Sears Holdings (SHLD), the company that owns both Sears and Kmart, warned investors late Tuesday that it can no longer promise it will remain in business. It is not in bankruptcy, but it has posted losses of $10.4 billion since 2010, and debt has soared while the value of its stock has tumbled.......

Eddie Lampert, Sears CEO, is deliberately running Sears into the ground so he can claim the real estate Sears owns. He has his own fortune so when Sears needs cash he loans it while taking the buildings and land as collateral. When Sears folds, he is sitting pretty!

[Marvin/TN]

Guess I better round up my screw drivers and get them replaced.

I did that a couple of years ago.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Originally Posted by HoarseWhisperer

Oh, no! Where will I buy my next Motor Buggy?

Glenn is that your wife in that buggy?

I guess now is the time they really should be taxing the stuff we buy online now just like if you walked into a store and bought it. Some states do most don't, or if you buy out of state you pay no taxes. It is impossible for a store to compete against free S&H and no tax, and the customer sitting home in front of a computer selecting from the world's inventory.

The taxes have to come from somewhere, so that means property taxes, gasoline taxes, state income taxes, etc, and etc., go up to cover the difference. Even for those who don't buy on-line and still shop the old fashioned way only now those folks are not only paying retail tax but their other taxes are going up too.

That is killing off Sears, JC Penney, Gordman's, and many others.

[CarlG]

For longer than I can remember, Sears batteries,tires and tools were always the only ones to buy. Tires went away a while back, I quit buying their tools when they started sourcing them overseas.

I have quit buying their batteries due to the fact that they just didn't last like they use to. My Model A has the 3rd Diehard battery in it since I have owned it (7 years) and it will need to be replaced when I can start driving it this season. That is now the last "Diehard" in my fleet. Just had to replace the Diehard in my Explorer yesterday.

[DougVieyra]

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I enjoyed seeing the 1928 Blind Back Ford Model A parked in front. I think it may be my car. I recognize it by the accessory addition of the Standard Safety Corp. Luggage Rack and trunk on the rear of the car. And the "Hooray For Hoover" decal on the lower right side of the front window.

I also recognized the SEARS MOTOR BUGGY posted by HoarseWhisperer. It was a car just like that that I turned in as 'Down Payment' when I bought my first "new car" - a 1928 Chevrolet. I would have bought a Ford but the dealerships were "Out of Stock" - "Coming Soon" !

[31 Model A]

Originally Posted by CarlG

For longer than I can remember, Sears batteries,tires and tools were always the only ones to buy. Tires went away a while back, I quit buying their tools when they started sourcing them overseas.

I have quit buying their batteries due to the fact that they just didn't last like they use to. My Model A has the 3rd Diehard battery in it since I have owned it (7 years) and it will need to be replaced when I can start driving it this season. That is now the last "Diehard" in my fleet. Just had to replace the Diehard in my Explorer yesterday.

From Die Hard to Die hard every year!!! I remember when they first came out with those batteries, seems everyone wanted on....based on great sale pitches. Gould was a nationwide battery for many years and even they sold off the battery part back in 83. Maybe they still exist but they don't advertise their product anymore. Interstate had al lot to do with the demise of Gould. I use to sell Gould in TN and KY and Interstate was my only competition.

[Jeff/Illinois]

1998 F-150, bought new,,, only on my 2nd Motorcraft battery the first one (original) lasted 13 years.

Local mechanic laughs at the 'Everstart' brand WalMart sells he calls them 'Neverstart'

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

Originally Posted by HoarseWhisperer

Oh, no! Where will I buy my next Motor Buggy?

My buddy has an 09, maybe he'll sell it it to you? Probably not.

[Dick Carne]

Chuck -
I thought that the era picture that you attached in your original posting was interesting - it pictured what I think may have been a leatherback fordor in front of the Sears store. If so, it had colored wheels instead of the customary black that we tend to associate with Model A pictures of that era, and also a rear mounted trunk and spare tire (and locking tire band?). Thanks -
Dick

[tinman080]

All businesses go tits up when financial people take over. GM always did great when car guys were in charge, tits up when the finance guys ran it into the ground. Sears hasn't had product people in many years, Jeez the main weenie there is a hedge fund manager. Wal Mart has been suffering, concentrating on money rather than product will kill them too. There are no durable goods in a WM that are worth a damn. If they hadn't moved into groceries they would have been in real trouble now. Imagine a gigantic dollar store where everything is priced at $3.99 or more. K Mart has been dead for 15 years, Sears was so blind they couldn't smell the corpse when they acquired K Mart.

[old31]

Sears was known for two things. Kenmore and Craftsman. Without those two items Sears becomes another me too reseller without a specialty.

I can not say enough about the Craftsman warranties. Last year a 40 year old vice broke and I got a new one, no questions asked. Last week I had a 30 year old universal break and got a new one for free.

[gilitos]

My tudor is still running the radiator I bought at my local Sears in 1976.

[Chuck Dempsey]

Originally Posted by Dick Carne

Chuck -
I thought that the era picture that you attached in your original posting was interesting - it pictured what I think may have been a leatherback fordor in front of the Sears store. If so, it had colored wheels instead of the customary black that we tend to associate with Model A pictures of that era, and also a rear mounted trunk and spare tire (and locking tire band?). Thanks -
Dick

Yes, you are right. I wonder what color it was - yellow/cream maybe?

[Michael M]

Went to Sears last week with my wife because she was looking for drinking glasses. Had absolutely none. As my wife was looking at other housewares we noticed that they only had one of each item on the shelves. There was lots of empty spaces.

When she did find a small appliance she wanted, we had to carry it through 4 departments to find an open register. Of course we had to join the long line at apparently the only register on the floor.

Oh, but twice we were approached by someone trying to sell us on 'Sears Travel Services.' He said they were just like Travelocity. He even walked along with us, not taking 'no' for an answer.

So, no stock, no choices, poor customer service and hard sell of a service that you would never go to a retail store for. But, it wasn't crowded! I half expected to see tumbleweeds rolling down the aisles!

It was a shame to see firsthand a venerable business in its death throes.

[mshmodela]

Loved going to Sears with my Dad... His thing was "Sears Best" or nothing...

[CarlG]

As a young teen-ager, I use to drool over the Allstate (Vespa) scooters. Had that section of the catalog worn out every time we got a new catalog.

[31 Model A]

Originally Posted by mshmodela

Loved going to Sears with my Dad... His thing was "Sears Best" or nothing...

Same here, seems dad was either in Sears or Western Auto and mom was in MonkeyWards.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe

Eddie Lampert, Sears CEO, is deliberately running Sears into the ground so he can claim the real estate Sears owns. He has his own fortune so when Sears needs cash he loans it while taking the buildings and land as collateral. When Sears folds, he is sitting pretty!

From what I understand, this is not Mr. Lampert's first time in this type of rodeo. He's made a living doing all sorts of shady business deals that wind of leaving the companies under his management six feet under while we skates away with a sack full of cash.

Sad.

[31 Model A]

Originally Posted by Tim Ayers

From what I understand, this is not Mr. Lampert's first time in this type of rodeo. He's made a living doing all sorts of shady business deals that wind of leaving the companies under his management six feet under while we skates away with a sack full of cash.

Sad.

Sad yes, but our 'guvment' lets him get away with it and who ends up paying....we do.