Never got bored at Sears!!

Sears is selling Craftsman? I didn't know that.

Since they bought/merged with K-Mart they've been headed down hill. It's sad to see, but I think all department stores are doomed. The internet is killing them and what's worse, kids these days don't understand the value of quality tools. Why pay $25 for a wrench when you can buy one on line for $5 shipped?

It's very sad.
 
Around 1969 I bought my first new motorcycle at Sears. A 175cc as I recall. The salesman was Johnny Capels, who was a local semi-celebrity as a sprint car driver. He was also the chief mechanic for Bobby Unser at the Indy 500.
 
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The Sears in the closest mall has a very good tool selection, probably the best in town. However, I already have at least two of about every tool I'd ever need. I still buy clothing there, probably the best prices. But I don't need many clothes either. Not many customers any time I have been there. Too bad. Back when I was a kid, back in my old home town, they had the best gun and sporting goods department around. They dropped stocking guns sometime in the late 1960s, I think they have gone downhill ever since. Was shopping for a new mattress last Spring, Sears was far too expensive. Ended up buying one at Sam's at less than half the Sears price. I think internet shopping is making life difficult for most of the traditional brick and mortar retailers.
 
I Loved Our Sears and Robuck In The 1960's

It was like a mall. It had toys, clothing, horse saddles, motorcycles, of course tools. And a GREAT candy station that they had the best chocolates and hard candy. And at Christmas they had Christmas trees lit up all around the store.

We'd go there weekly and it was a new adventure each trip. Momma would head to the clothing with my sisters and me and My Dad would head to the tools or motorcycle dept. Then we'd all meet up at the candy stand. We'd all get to pick out our favorite chocolates.

I wasn't interested in the Girly Frilly section when I was 6-8 years old. But i would catch a glimpse of the women manikins in their under roo's! I was more interested in the Motorcycle section. Those Italian Motorcycles were what turned me on!

It was a GREAT way to start off a Saturday!
 
You only pay interest if you don't pay off the balance. We bought our washer from Sears, opened an account, got the bill and paid it. Free delivery and removal of the old washer was included in the sales price.



steamloco76 said:
Sears had Kenmore and Whirlpool appliance on sale which fit the requirements, so I tried to buy them and arrange delivery.
Oh oh- delivery is not included when you buy at the sale price unless you charge the appliances on a Sears credit card. Well, I didn't want a 22.8% interest Sears Card. I asked to speak to the manager, figuring they might not want to lose a $2500 sale.
Nope they wanted me to pay $75 for the stove, $85 for the fridge and $50 for the microwave delivery, PLUS $75 per appliance to haul the old ones away.
Click to expand...
 
The only reason I ever go to a mall is to visit Sears. Luckily the one closest to me still has a Sears and it's a good one too. The dept store is two floors and tools and auto take up the whole first floor area. Clothing and jewelry are on the top floor. I don't care if most of their Craftsman tools are now made in China, they are still great quality. Craftsman tends to last me longer than stuff I buy at Home Depot. Every time I purchase something it racks up points on my Sears Rewards and I end up getting money back.
 
Reading these Threads brought back memories of Sears at Christmas time. Big display in the window with electric trains going around a real Christmas tree and all kinds of lights and decorations. Then there was Santa sitting in the North Pole display with kids lined up waiting with their lists to give to Santa. My younger brother was one of them, but I didn't go because I was probably 8 and knew better.

Then there was that magic machine in the shoe department where you could put your foot in and see the bones in your foot...they were a green color. We used to spend time using it, not only to see feet, but our hands and anything else you could fit into the hole at the bottom. Wonder I am still alive!

Shoe-Fitting Fluoroscope
 
For the first time since my wife had hers Stroke(s) I Ventured to the Mall just this past weekend to exchange a few OLD Craftsman tools that had just plain worn out, 2 of which were Ratchets. a 1/4 drive that was at least 15 years old and a 1/2" drive that that had recently been exchanged for me by my son. I was at the counter the very nice young lady reaches behind the counter and pulls out 2 ratchets with "REFURBISHED" tags on them. I explained to her my problem with these refurbished tools to which she asked if I would like to speak to a manager.. The manager explains that the refurbished ratchets are just as good as NEW . I picked up the 1/2" Drive ratchet pointed out the REFURBISHED sticker on the handle and pointed out the bandages on my knuckles. Without saying a word I got NEW Ratchets.
 
Does anyone else remember that for a few years Sears sold cars? IIRC they were called Allstate's and looked a lot like Studebaker's. hardcase60
 
hardcase60 said:
Does anyone else remember that for a few years Sears sold cars? IIRC they were called Allstate's and looked a lot like Studebaker's.
Click to expand...

They were actually modified/simplified Henry J cars.

allatate-car.jpg
 
In the 60's you would buy clothes ,tools, guns, house appliances, and Sears best paint. My parents were there several times per week. Now the Sears in Toledo are all but gone just one still hanging on.
 
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The Sears house kits had quite a following at one time, and there are those who seek them out today. Apparently all of the components were cut to length and numbered, and assembled about like you do a paint-by-numbers painting. All you had to do was nail everything together in the correct numerical order. The kits were shipped to your location (or near it) on a railroad flatcar. I think it was up to the purchaser to build the foundation and to move everything from the railroad station to the construction site.
 
Awwww the old Sears catalogs....

Memories. I could spend hours flipping thru that catalog.

The stores not so much. I always had my Uncles Western Auto
store to go browse around. He had a gun/ammo section in his
store and i loved it.


Chuck
 
The decline of Sears has been sad to watch. I used to buy a lot at Sears, but not anymore. Most of the merchandise seems to be low quality. When I do go in my local Sears I usually can't find an employee to take my money.

When I was little we used to go to the huge Sears store on Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philly. It wasn't just a store, it was literally a landmark. When they blew it up 20 or so years ago I figured it didn't say anything good about Sears future. I think Sears will soon join all the other stores I grew up with, like Strawbridge & Clothier, Wanamakers, Gimbels, Lit Brothers, Woolworths....it's a depressingly long list.
 
I could entertain myself for hours.....

Just looking at the tools, and when I got tired of that, moved on and found the next treasure trove. You could feel good about being there and buying their stuff, because you knew it was at least 'good' and you could get 'better' if you paid something more. NO JUNK. NO CRAPPY MERCHANDISE. People glad to serve you in every department. And it was QUIET. People say 'These are the good old days' but now shopping is stressful and aggravating so I think that's an exception.
 
Sear's lack of caring has carried over to Costco.com. I recently purchased an expensive gas stove from Costco.com (have to buy through their web site). It included free delivery. Well the horror story of the delivery I will not bore readers with, but later, checking on the "lineage" of the delivery company I discovered that it was the old "Sears Logistics", renamed but still in Illinois. Be warned, they are just as bad as the "new Sears". Dave_n
 
soFlaNative said:
Craftsman tools were the best I could afford, people kept their Kenmore appliances for 20 - 30 years and I think Sear's credit card back in the day was a tough one to acquire.
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I have a Sears refrigerator that I bought from my grandmother to use as my beer keg cooler in the basement. It is at least 50 years old and the only thing I've done to it was replace the door seal and put on another electrical cord. Drilled a hole in the side of it for the beer tap too.

My dad and mom bought me my first gun from Sears for Christmas also. A J.C. Higgins 16 gauge bolt action shotgun.
 
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I heard just a couple days ago that the Craftsman tool line was sold to Harbor Freight. It will probably just be a name change for most of the tools they already carry. All from China.
 
Bought a riding mower from Sears a few years ago. Red, looks like a sports car, fun to ride. Until the motor broke. B&S Entek with a known flaw in the head gasket. Decided to replace the whole thing with the same model, as then the old one was useful parts. I was sitting on the exact model in the show room, not making motor noises but pulling levers and turning the wheel. Clerk said they were out of stock. They could get me another in about 10 days.
My new Poulan riding mower from Home Depot works really well and is actually faster on the straightaways than the Sears was. It was the Home Depot floor model. I sent an email to Sears regarding customer service.
 
My local Sears is more like a ghost town. There are few salespeople, and they still sometimes outnumber the shoppers.
I am in there only to walk from the parking lot into the mall.
I do very little shopping there.
They will all be gone soon enough. Sears has been losing billions of $$$ and there is no way they can survive, along with K Mart.
 
JSR III said:
I got my first job at a Sears catalog store while in high school in the 60's. Was a loyal customer in the 70's buying a radial arm saw, a jointer planner and numerous sanders, routers etc.

I read recently that Sears and subsidiary K Mart are in big trouble and may be OOB very soon. In an effort to stem the tide they are closing 78 stores. Very sad to see an icon like Sears bite the bullet.

Not sure what to do in the outhouse in Maine now that the Sears catalog won't be around. :confused:
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This reminds me of the old joke (?) about the farmer back in the late 1940's who wrote to Sears and ordered a case of toilet paper. Sears wrote back and said that he would have to give the catalog number. He wrote back and said "If I had a catalog, I wouldn't need the toilet paper".

Art
 
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