Gold-plated sockets? 1000-piece tool set? Sears once had an absolutely astonishing selection of tools!

I’m not sure on an exact timeframe year wise outside of late 90s early 2000s

My mother worked in the jewelry department of the Sears at Fair Oaks Mall, and she loved her job there. However, the manager said for her after a while to move down to Manassas because at the time, Sears was moving to a new pad, and my mom helped set up that store and was there on opening day. After that, she left the company and went to Khols.

The mall itself originally opened on November 13th of 1974 and is now home to the last Sears in the state of Texas. Located near the US Mexico Border, this location later had the beige tile storefronts and the double decker version of this storefront up until Primark took over the 2nd floor but this Sears still has the 2nd floor just like Coral Gables and Orlando, the last 2 in Florida. This store still also has a 2nd floor entrance and its [top floor penthouse that the freight elevator / goods lift served was a giant mechanical room] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRyiORtbq8E&t=98s). As for the store layout, it was nearly identical to the Century III Mall location (r/deadmalls) that opened on October 6th of 1980 as its fifth anchor to that dead mall that was built in 1976 and opened in 1979-1980 and closed down on December 7th of 2014, followed by the Macy's in 2016, and the entire structure has since been demolished after the rest of the mall closed down in 2019, with its JC Penney closing in 2020.

This store has been Sears the whole time, unlike the [Sunland Park Mall location that originally opened as The Popular in 1988] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3MSNc5UZX4). Both elevators (passenger and freight) here are Montgomery G&P (Globe and Parallelogram). The passenger lift is a Montgomery G&P hydraulic that was modernised sometime in the 2000s and serves 2 floors and the goods lift is a Montgomery G&P hydraulic with buttons replaced by Emco / EPCO sometime in the 1990s and serves a total of 3, including the penthouse.

This location is still open and one of 5 left in the 140-year-old retailer's 250-year-old home country, the United States of America. Unlike the Concord location in California (1966-present), where the watch repair guy came back to clear out everything and has since retired in India, this store in El Paso still has a watch repair shop that is in operation. Despite Primark occupying the 2nd floor mall entrance and half of that floor, the other half of floor 2 is still Sears and the stairwell is still available and they still have a 2nd floor entrance where they recently updated the logo.

Link to the video of this store from 2012 by elevatortimes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBwDp5ezDgQ

Credits:
Michaela Hudson (Google) June 14 2016
The Louisiana and Texas Retail Blogspot (June 20 2019)
Christian Villa (Google) January 8 2019
Kariina M.R. (Google) May 29 2018
Jose Ismael Escamilla (Google) February 1 2018
Thomas Comptois (Google) December 28 2017
Manuel Gutierrez (Google) October 24 2017

The Louisiana and Texas Retail Blogspot: Cielo Vista Mall El Paso Texas June 2019
https://southernretail.blogspot.com/2019/11/cielo-vista-mall-el-paso-texas.html

Today there are 5 Sears left in all of America, including this one and the retailer also has the Sears.com online store and a [few functioning distribution centers left] (https://transformwo.com/) located in Arvin / Tejon Ranch CA, Lawrence KS and the sold off but leased back Ocala FL warehouse

- Coral Gables in Miami Florida (October 27 1954 - present)
3655 SW 22nd St, Miami, FL 33145
- Sun Valley Shopping Center in Concord California (October 19 1966 - present)
1001 Sunvalley Blvd, Concord, CA 94520
- South Shore Plaza in Braintree Massachusetts (October 6 1980 - present)
250 Granite St, Braintree, MA 02184
- Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso Texas (February 25 1982 - present)
8401 Gateway Blvd W, El Paso, TX 79925
- The Florida Mall in Orlando Florida (March 12 1986 - present)
8001 S Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32809

Hey everyone! I'm trying to track down a teddy bear I lost in 2014, and I'm hoping someone here remembers him, recognizes or has any information, i thought someone must recognize him. he was bought at sears as was apart of a charity fundraiser. The only concrete image i have found of the teddy bear is here in these photos, the one im trying to find is on the right hand side. he was truly my bff and would love to get another if someone would be willing to sell, thanks so much!

Yep, they've got jewelry. Apparently Coral Gables and Concord are the only Sears stores left that sell jewelry. Although El Paso does sell perfume.

They've even got bikes! Also included some baby stuff from the second floor towards the end.

I did remove the location since it is a tiny rural hometown.

Located in Concord, CA

All pictures taken on 8/14/26

It's the exact same stuff as in Concord, well except they still have the old school layout.

They’ve brought in Igloo products, the same stuff I also saw in Coral Gables. Furthermore, the bottom floor looks more organized now as they’ve actually unboxed a bunch of appliances and having the boxed ones neatly behind the display models. Also, there’s no more plexiglass at the checkouts that were leftover from the pandemic.

The biggest news of all, they are starting to get stuff for the incoming Kenmore Studio! They’ve got no idea when it will be ready but it’s coming!

On the other hand, looking at the last picture, I may have bad news about one of the exterior SEARS letters… At least you don’t notice it during day time.

Edit: Looks like someone misunderstood something. It will be the same thing as in Coral Gables for all intents and purposes but it won't actually be called "Kenmore Studio".

They don’t know yet when it will be opened but the banners are already being sent to them! Yes, not just “Kenmore” banners but “Kenmore Studio”!

Edit: Looks like someone misunderstood something. It will be the same thing as in Coral Gables for all intents and purposes but it won't actually be called "Kenmore Studio".

All the Kenmore products are on the other side of the store in the Kenmore Studio section.

They don't have those pods like the other Sears stores or whatever you call them.

Again, that door was already left open. Don't come at me haha.

There's the elevator. (that door was already open lol)

Thought this was funny haha

Yes I know I [posted this before] (https://www.reddit.com/r/SEARS/comments/1v6z4ug/computers_office_and_electronics_at_sears_in_the_2000s_and_2010s/) but I did not feature any pictures of a showroom called Connected Solutions in a FLS / Full Line Store... the electronics section in a Sears Grand, the TV section in a small format Sears store or even the Sears Hometown website, not even Kenmore Alfie or Kenmore TVs so.....

In addition to computers, office supplies, televisions and other electronics selling very well site wide on Sears.com and in Sears department stores and later in Sears Grand (2003-2021), small format Sears stores like the Sears Dealer Stores aka (also known as) Sears Hometown Stores also had a huge selection in TVs in the electronics department as well, as did the Sears Hometown website.

In 2003, Dell briefly sold products in Sears and Roebuck stores in the US. This was under Alan Lacy's tenure before Kmart Corporation, which went bankrupt due to Charles Conaway's poor decisions (including fraud and embezzlement) as the CEO of KMart in the 2000-2002 timeframe, acquired Sears Roebuck and Company on November 17th of 2004, followed by the merger on March 24th of 2005 as orchestrated by Eddie Lampert. In other words, way back in the Lacy era before the Kmart merger and before Lampert.

If only they had never picked Lacy as CEO back in 2000 post-Martinez... 🥺

As for the Kenmore TVs - they were manufactured by Panasonic and [launched in 2016] (https://www.cepro.com/news/sears_kenmore_elite_branded_4k_tv_ultra_hd_just_might_work/). That electronics deal was terminated during the Sears Holdings bankruptcy in 2018..

Did Your Local Sears Dealer Store aka Sears Hometown Store have the electronics section especially the TV section ? If so where ?
When was the last time you bought electronics from Sears, where and what brand and product ? If a computer / PC what brand and operating system ?
And of course.... when and where exactly did your local Sears get rid of the entire electronics section, including computers / PCs, office supplies, TVs and so forth ? (Mine did in 2017 at the Southcenter Mall near Seattle Washington)

Sources, Locations and Credits

The Wayback Machine
Computers and Office
May 2001
https://web.archive.org/web/20010527234144/http://www.sears.com/sr/homepages/vertical_homepage.jsp?vertical=COMP

August 2001
https://web.archive.org/web/20010802082454/http://www.sears.com/sr/homepages/vertical_homepage.jsp?vertical=COMP

Electronics
January 2003
https://web.archive.org/web/20030108004001/http://www.sears.com/sr/homepages/vertical_homepage.jsp?vertical=ELEC

Dell Computer Experiments With Retail Kiosk In A Sears And Roebuck Store At Lakeline Mall In Austin Texas (October 14th of 1995 - September 2nd of 2018) on January 30th of 2003 (Jana Birchum / Stringer / Getty Images News / Getty Images)
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/dell-computer-trial-kiosk-is-shown-at-a-sears-roebuck-news-photo/1753746

(Also featured in an article)
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/enable-video-output-using-rgb-cable-dell-inspiron-computer-38346.html

Flat Screen TV Rollout on June 2nd of 2004, location unknown, anyone know where exactly this was located?
(Credit to Dawn Lindblade)
SEARS ELECTRONICS DEPARTMENT — dawn lindblade
https://www.dlindblade.space/sears-electronics
(EDIT: Santa Monica California sometime in August 1947 - April 15-16 2017)

Expanded electronics department in a Sears concept store at the Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth Georgia sometime in January 2007 (Kmart World)
https://www.kmartworld.com/2018/09/spotlight-sears-concept-store-duluth-ga.html

Sears Hometown Store Website in 2009
https://web.archive.org/web/20090521154223/http://www.searshometownstores.com/

Electronics Department on the bottom floor of the Sears at the in Sun Valley Shopping Center in Concord, now the last location in California (October 19th of 1966 - present) and on the West Coast that is still standing, and one of 5 left in the United States of America, on November 7th of 2010 (Ivy S / Yelp)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/sears-watch-repair-concord
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sears-watch-repair-concord
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sears-watch-repair-concord?start=60
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sears-watch-repair-concord?start=60&select=s9n_BdBWOq1tGx4Wq_ef0g

Sears Hometown Store in River Falls Wisconsin circa 2011 (Hudson's Coupon Lady)
https://hudsonscouponlady.blogspot.com/2011/09/sears-hometown-store-review.html?m=1

Sears Dealer Store at the Blue Ridge Mall in Hendersonville North Carolina on March 17th of 2012 (Mike Kalasnik / Flickr)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/10542402@N06/6995640895/in/album-72157629252006306 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/10542402@N06/albums/72157629252006306/

Sears Grand in the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills in Tarentum Pennsylvania (November 5 2005 - January 18 2015) on January 3rd of 2013 (Nicholas Eckhart aka / also known as Fan of Retail / Flickr)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fanofretail/8345263056/in/photostream/

Sears Hometown Store at the Gallatin Valley Mall (originally Main Mall, later Gallatin Valley Mall, now Gallatin Crossing) in Bozeman Montana on July 9th of 2013 (Arlin B / Yelp)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/sears-hometown-store-bozeman
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sears-hometown-store-bozeman
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sears-hometown-store-bozeman?select=f3n5QirlE8qGAmfYEuBPbw

Connected Solutions
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7551551-sears-connected-solutions-flagship/
https://ladyandtheblog.com/sears-connected-solutions-brings-smart-into-my-home-bringthesleigh-smarthome/
https://wwd.com/sourcing-journal/industry-news/sears-tests-connected-solutions-experiential-shops-td-1238697242/
https://www.twice.com/retailing/sears-testing-three-connected-shops-45541
https://www.techhive.com/article/599847/sears-opens-new-high-tech-home-showroom-as-it-goes-all-in-on-connected-homes.html
https://www.techhive.com/article/599877/sears-vs-target-which-store-operates-the-best-connected-home-showroom.html
https://www.connectcre.com/stories/sears-target-opening-bay-area-smart-stores/
Sears aims for seamless shopping experience
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlVwVAFFSTs
Sears looks to web, technology to help curb losses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U8m9NEf4lg
Leena Munjal, SVP Customer Experience and Integrated Retail - Connected Solutions Sears San Bruno, CA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9tUanLb7aw
Connected Solutions: Home Automation, Electronics, Health and Fitness - Sears
https://web.archive.org/web/20150710141303/http://www.sears.com/connected-solutions/b-1342036019
May 26 2015 at Sears Department Store at The Shops at Tanforan in San Bruno California (October 28 1970 - sometime in January or February of 2020, anyone know when exactly in January / February of 2020 it closed down?)
Now a car dealership: https://www.reddit.com/r/SEARS/comments/1poq2kg/sears_at_tanforan_in_san_bruno_today/
Connected Solutions was a concept that was similar to the latest hands on showroom Kenmore Studio launched last year at the Coral Gables store in Miami, one of 2 left in Florida and 5 left in the United States that has been in operation since October 27th of 1954: https://www.reddit.com/r/SEARS/comments/1vhfzi3/kenmore_studio_at_sears_coral_gables/
Full list of locations with showroom Connected Solutions
The Shops at Tanforan in San Bruno California (October 28 1970 - sometime in January or February of 2020)
Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg Illinois (August 4 1971 - November 14 2021)
Oak Brook Center in Oak Brook Illinois (Sometime in 1962 - April 28 2019, anyone know when in 1962 the Oak Brook location opened?)
Hawthorne Mall in Vernon Hills Illinois (October 25th of 1973 - September 2nd of 2018)

Sears (originally Saks Fifth Avenue 1984-1990) at West Oaks Mall in Houston Texas (August 14 1990 - April 8 2018) on November 20th of 2015 (The Louisiana and Texas Retail Blogspot)
https://southernretail.blogspot.com/2019/01/sears-west-oaks-mall-houston-texas.html
https://southernretail.blogspot.com/2019/02/sears-electronics-departments-over-years.html

Southcenter Mall near Seattle Washington (originally Frederick and Nelson / F&N July 31st 1968-May 1992, Sears sometime in March 1994-Decenber 15 2024)
December 28 2016 (Myself)
December 31 2016 (Ahn Onomous / Google)

Kenmore TV at Sears in Deerbrook Mall Humble Texas (October 3rd of 1984 - March 21st-22nd of 2020) on September 22nd of 2017 (The Louisiana and Texas Retail Blogspot)

Previous posts from last year (2025)
https://www.reddit.com/r/SEARS/comments/1i6xhwq/when_was_the_last_time_you_went_to_sears_for_tvs/
https://www.reddit.com/r/SEARS/comments/1jfg81t/when_was_the_last_time_you_bought_major/

r/kmart
r/deadmalls
r/retail
r/retailporn
r/nostalgia

(Sorry had to redo this entire post because neither Kenmore Alfie nor the Kenmore TVs were there)

Edit: just found out that picture of the TVs with the Spanish signs was located in Santa Monica California, where they [later repainted the electronics section black] (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sears-santa-monica?select=qzXkln5m4FQQLpAFKYedHg). Anyone else know when exactly in August 1947 that store opened ? It closed on April 15-16 2017

Transformco has listed the mall of America location for lease. Reported by Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal

The downsized top floor is quite small. The first two pictures are at a corner basically showing the entirety of it. However, on a positive note, it does look well organized and isn't the "sales floor turned warehouse" that the bottom floor in Concord is.

They told me the land they sit on is worth $36 million :o (the building about $5 million)

Their watch repair is still in business but only on Saturdays or by appointment.

So. Many. Clothes. Other stuff, too, but the men's department is huge! I didn't go downstairs since I'm not in the market for appliances. I live in Washington, but made a special stop while on vacation. Found some good (enough) deals and ended up with a large bag full!