Sears in White Oak has been included on the latest list of 10 stores to be closed by parent company Transformco, Forbes reported over the weekend.
The store opened in 1966 “and stands as a symbol of the company’s suburban initiatives,” the magazine reported. “It was a time when Sears carried practically everything. It didn’t need to attach itself to an enclosed shopping mall.”
Sears White Oak closed its lower sales level shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“In the past few years, closed-off floors and stopped escalators have served as the perfect ‘impending closing barometer’ at Sears,” the report said.
Transformco, which also operates Kmart stores, filed for bankruptcy in 2018 and has been closing outlets of both brands. With the latest closings, just 36 Sears stores will be left of what was once the country’s largest retailer.
Forbes expects the latest round of closings to begin this week.
Photo: Google Street View July 2017