Once of the best and most vivid memories as a child.

"Most department stores are going to go down the drain. Sears was one of the better ones too. The American mall is going by the wayside and unfortunately a lot of Sears were anchor stores. They get locked into expensive leases with no out because to leave they need to build. Also, it's become clear you can't do everything - housewares, appliances, clothing, sporting goods, outdoor, auto, and be good at all of them. The specialty chains took over the individual markets. I liked Sears they were always competitive on prices and delivery. Now just waiting for the sales. Maybe a mattress upgrade. That'll be the highlight of my fall."

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. There's room for brick and mortar stores, just not as many as we've had. The market will need to equilibriate.

Sears did everything. Target/Walmart do everything, except cheaper, and no appliances. Lowes Depot does appliance & tools, but more importantly, they do hardware. Mattresses are done at specialty stores. Just about everything else is done online.

Considering the above: Target/Walmart stay in business because they are cheap enough to compete with the internet. Lowes Depot stays in business because hardware is something that people need immediately and locally. Sears does everything, but a little worse than the competition.


Re: malls. Many are shutting down, while others are growing. I live near the King of Prussia Mall, which is one of the largest in the country, and it is still growing. I used to live directly between two smaller malls. One shut down and a lot of the business moved to the other one (Macy's and Target are anchor stores).

I don't think there's any one reason why Sears is a failed business model. I think its a little of everything.

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-----------------------------Baron Von Speedypants
-----------------------------RunTraining articles here:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...runtraining;#1612485

And the Sears catalog home section too.

Our first home we owned was a Sears home, straight out of the catalog.

The super-malls are viable because they are destination locations. They have restaurants, bars, theaters, kids' spaces, exhibits. People aren't going to a mall with a 90's arcade room and a lone food court. Even some of the super-malls are experiencing rapid turnover. I'm not a shopper guy myself, but it's 1000% more likely that I go into a mall retailer if I'm already at the mall for dinner, than if a mall has no place to go for dinner.

I used to live in KOP and part of the reason why that mall has thrived is, like you said, its a destination, but its also made it difficult for small businesses to compete in the surrounding areas. When we were younger, the mall was the only place nearby with decent restaurants and bars.

......a bit off topic, though.

Yes, I agree that malls are loosing business.

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-----------------------------Baron Von Speedypants
-----------------------------RunTraining articles here:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...runtraining;#1612485

Regarding Target, and:


I just got home from Target, buying the kind of crap they carry: a bathroom scale, and it is closest place near me to find one.

I didn't see any lawnmowers there. I clicked on your link and checked for availability at my nearby store and they had none -- internet order only for lawnmowers.

Besides what they had in terms of lawnmowers is what I guess attractive women would buy -- based on my visit that appears to be much of their clientele (and what distinguishes Target from Walmart). I don't recall seeing any men, attractive or otherwise.

Men shop for lawnmowers at HD or Lowes. I'm much more comfortable at HD and Lowes generally, not that there is anything wrong with Target men, and certainly nothing wrong with Target women. Really.

Nothing to see here, move on.

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It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev

Toys in the Sears catalog..........pshhhh, that was my "cover" for flipping over to the women's lingerie section for some eye candy for an 8 year old.

I didn't lose my point. Specialty chains did take over the market. You don't go to Target to buy good mowers, you don't go to Target to buy brand name clothing, TV's, quality mattresses, power tools, etc. You go to Target to buy necessities, and quite frankly, shit. Big box took over home improvement, Best Buy took over electronics, your kids shop at Limited, Express, Abercrombie, Aero, etc. You dragged me into having to prove how Target is NOT Sears, and the success of a place like Target is completely irrelevant to the failure of Sears. Amazon sells everything. They are one of the biggest factors in Sears' downfall. Target is not Sears. They aren't Sears, Jr. They're a different part of the market.[/quote]
The bold above is the point I was trying to make to you. I guess you define a specialty store different then I do. I don't think Target, Walmart, Macy's, HD, Lowes, as specialty stores. HD sells tools, and appliances, and flooring, and flowers and gardening supplies, Walmart sells tools, Gardening, Pharmacy, Groceries, Paint, Kitchen Supply, Pets, etc..

Uhm no my kids mostly shop at Goodwill for their clothes. I believe Abercrombie is struggling to survive.

Again, I randomly picked target (as an example of a non-specialty store that is doing well) again maybe you define specialty differently, but when they sell $400 lawn mowers and $1000 mattresses, $200 refrigerators, Banana's, and Underwear, I don't call that a specialty store.

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

How will this effect the locally owned Home Town Sears store, they sell basically appliances and lawn/snow equipment and some tools?

I'm done. For the final time, Target and Walmart are not the same market as Sears. Home Depot and Lowe's, for as gargantuan as they are, are specialty stores in the broad sense that they are "home improvement". You don't buy clothes, groceries, diapers at Lowe's. Target and Walmart sell low end products to the low-middle class income demographic. They do not sell products in the same class that Sears did.

*Sigh*

"is that a real poncho?... I mean Is that a Mexican poncho or is that a Sears poncho? Hmmm... No foolin..."

< take your pick >

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Seems to me you guys all need a Mills Fleet Farm the Man's Mall. I can get truck tires, a gun, yard maintenance crap, hardware, bait, clothes and groceries all in one stop. All they need is appliances now.

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Pactimo brand ambassador, ask me about promo codes

Mills Fleet Farm for the win! I love that place - I wish we had them in central Indiana.

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Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador