Only 1 of 2 Regina Sears to close; 3 others in Sask. to shut doors
Four Sears stores in Saskatchewan will close as part of the company's national restructuring, Sears announced Thursday.
Sears Canada said it is seeking court protection from its creditors while it restructures.
The company will close 20 full-line locations, plus 15 Sears Home stores, 10 Sears Outlet stores and 14 Sears Hometown locations.
They include the Sears department stores in Regina, Moose Jaw and Prince Albert, and the Sears Hometown Store franchise in Melville.
This affects 27 full-time and 50 part-time jobs in Regina; 15 full-time and 38 part-time jobs in Moose Jaw; and 11 full-time and 38 part-time jobs in Prince Albert. The company has not yet confirmed the number of jobs affected in Melville.
Only one of two stores in Regina — the one inside Cornwall Centre — is slated to close, according to the company. The Sears Home Store on Quance Street will remain open.
Shoppers react
Shoppers at the Town 'n' Country Mall in Moose Jaw said they weren't surprised their Sears would be closing, but were concerned about what that means for the future of the mall. The Zellers store at the mall shut down four years ago and that retail space is still empty.
The company says the timing of the store closings has not yet been finalized but they are not expected to occur for a few months.
All other Sears Canada stores and the Sears website continues to be open for business, the company says.
Saskatoon's Sears location at Midtown Plaza is not on the list of store closures. Terry Napper, general manager of the Midtown Plaza mall, says there's been no indication Sears is planning to leave that location.
"At this point it's business as usual," he said.
