PEABODY– The Sears at the Northshore Mall will close by the fall.
The Peabody store was among the 72 stores slated to close in the coming months. In all, the company plans to shutter 15 Kmarts and 48 Sears branches by September, according to a statement released with the list of closures. Some auto centers may close sooner than that.
Liquidation sales at most locations could begin as early as June 14.
North Shore Sears fans will have to head to the Saugus outpost at the Square One Mall, which was not on the list of doomed storefronts. Sears in Springfield is the only other Massachusetts location slated to close.
Shoppers at the Peabody store had mixed feelings about the news. Sears has been a staple in the Northshore Mall, but with its closing shoppers are left to look elsewhere for their goods.
“That’d be sad. There are no Sears around here, this is the only one around here,” said Kathy Edwards of Marblehead. “This is a mainstay here. I’m very sad it’s closing.”
While Edwards is surprised by the closing, Lynn resident Katherina Nam said she saw it coming.
“I already know. I work for guest services in Burlington,” she said.
A shopper who wanted to remain anonymous said, “I don’t want it to close. They have good merchandise for a good price.”
The company said it would provide some support to the workers affected by the changes.
“Eligible associates impacted by these store closures will receive severance and will have the opportunity to apply for open positions at area Kmart or Sears stores,” the company wrote in a statement announcing the closures.
The beleaguered retailer, which operates Kmart and Sears stores, said it has identified about 100 stores that are no longer turning a profit, and the majority of those locations will be shuttered soon.
After this round of closures, the company will have about 800 stores, down from about 1,000 at the end of last year and far below the 2012 peak of 4,000 stores.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
