Sears used to be the Amazon of retail. They sold everything to everyone, everywhere at great prices.

Their catalog was huge and probably as much real choice as Amazon does now in everything (think 3" thick phone book). I recall it had 4 pages of just BB guns.

Here is a page from their "barn" section - had a friend who actually had one and it was super quality.

http://www.thebarnjournal.org/stories/st....

I really miss the Christmas Edition of their Wish Book.

Have fond memories as a kid paging through it getting my Santa List together. Happened to get ahold of last year's a few months back. Rather disappointing. Sigh.

I just bought a new 26" snow-blower from Sears. I bought my lawn tractor from them and lots of tools as well. I've always figured that I've gotten more features from buying from Sears for less money -- so I would be sorry to see them go out of business.

When I was young, the K-Mart and Sears were the places to go. My Mom would drag me to Sears to get the jeans for school. Less than 10 years ago, I would buy tools and even a toolbox from Sears. The items were good and I still have my Craftsman tools from that time.

However, times have changed. The last time I walked into a K-Mart was in 2003 before those stores were shuttered in Houston, Texas. The last time I was in a Sears was to get a battery replaced in 2006. Sears has really let go over the last few years since the merger with K-Mart.

With the announced closings (I know of two K-Marts and Sears stores in the Atlanta metro area that have closed this year) I think we will see some malls close their doors in 2012. Sears is already in its death throes and it won't be long before Sears and K-Mart join the ranks of Ward's and other stores that were beaten by Target and Wal-Mart.

no point AT ALL buying tools that will have zero warranty after a sears bk. Just ask owners of SK tools. 50/50 at best getting warranty on pre-bk stuff. that's prolly too high.

Hmm. time to track down all the Sears gift cards and empty them asap.

Lampert's hedge fund, ESL Investments, appears to be under pressure:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-05....

The sears in the mall near here is closing.

The future I see for these big box retail stores are FLEA MARKETS - soon people will be so desperate for cash they will bring down their STUFF to try to get any cash they can. A continues public Garage sale. Maybe I get some craftsmen tools used.

Out here in Suffolk County there are already plenty of empty box stores, the rent they want is way out of line especially compared to 10/15 years ago(Thanks cheap money for that). As Karl pointed out Amazon and even Costco online can really outsell anyone. I do not see how commercial property survives, rents will be dropping all over the place. Banks will be eating mortgages for years.