Sears looks to expand, remodel full-line stores

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 1/8/2002 12:00:00 AM

Hoffman Estates, IL — With an eye toward revitalizing its full-line stores, Sears, Roebuck and Co. plans to open 15 new full-line stores as well as remodel 50 locations nationwide by the end of the year. All of the new stores will offer easy-to-shop layouts, with centralized checkouts and simplified signage and fixtures.

"We think customers will like the new look and feel of shopping at Sears," said Alan Lacy, chairman and ceo. "Our stores will be easier to shop and the merchandise more appealing."

Sears plans to create an improved, more convenient shopping experience for its customers while operating with greater efficiency, the company said. The 50 stores slated for remodeling are the first wave in a four-year program during which approximately 600 of Sears' largest stores will be updated to incorporate many features of the new stores. The remodels will begin in the second quarter. Details on which locations they will be are not yet available.

The 15 new store openings include locations in Henderson, NV, in February; Albuquerque, NM, Bel Air, MD, Durham, NC, Glendale, AZ, and Peru, IL, in March; Raleigh, NC, in August; and North Riverside, IL, to be announced.

In addition, seven new stores will be relocations within local markets. Slated for March, relocations include Annapolis, MD; Fort Worth, TX; Hagerstown, MD; Manassas, VA; and Prescott, AZ. The Coon Rapids, MN, relocation will open in August and the Tampa unit in October.