Sears: Soon to be Found Only in History Books

The Sears store in Concord, CA (SFGate)

When we moved to the Bay Area in the mid-70's there was a Sears, Roebuck & Co. store in or near every town. I've bought Kenmore washers, dryers, and refrigerators from Sears in Fremont, Daly City, and San Mateo. I've had cars repaired at the Sears in Palo Alto and San Mateo. The Sears catalog we got in the mail was as thick as a phonebook and far more colorful. 50 years later Sears will soon have only one store in California:

With the impending closures of the company’s Whittier and Burbank outposts in Southern California, the massive location in Concord’s Sunvalley Shopping Center will likely be the sole survivor in the state.

Sears is now but a shadow of its former self. Perhaps best known for its mail-order catalog, auto centers, vast quantities of tools and appliances and portrait studios that pumped out millions of cheesy family photos over the decades, the 139-year-old chain that once boasted about 3,500 stores is slated to only have six in the entire country, according to the Mercury News.

Like Pan Am, Blockbuster, Woolworth, and Radio Shack, Sears once dominated its markets and was an important part of the business landscape. Soon it will exist only in our memories.