Sears Stores

Sears, Roebuck and Co., commonly known as Sears, is an American chain of department stores and online retailer founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck. Initially established as a mail-order catalog company, Sears expanded into brick-and-mortar retail, opening its first store in Chicago in 1925.

By the 1980s, it had become the largest retailer in the United States.

Over the years, Sears has offered a diverse range of products and services, including home merchandise, apparel, and automotive products.

The company is renowned for its proprietary brands such as Kenmore (appliances), Craftsman (tools), and DieHard (batteries), which have been among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S.

In 2005, Sears merged with Kmart, forming Sears Holdings Corporation. However, the company faced significant challenges in the following years, including declining sales and increased competition from big-box retailers and e-commerce platforms.

In 2018, Sears filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, leading to the closure of numerous stores.

By December 2024, only eight Sears stores remained operational, located across several states.

Company Ownership

Despite these challenges, Sears continues to operate its online platform, offering a wide variety of products including appliances, tools, clothing, and mattresses.

The company is currently owned by Transformco, a privately held company formed in 2019 to acquire some of the assets of Sears Holdings Corporation.

Locations

As of August 2025, Sears operates a store in El Paso, Texas.

Previous locations include:

• Burbank, California
• Union Gap, Washington (reopened in December 2023)