Sears' Watchung store began life in Plainfield.
Plainfielders who shop the Sears store on Route 22 in Watchung may have heard rumors that the store is closing. In fact, it is repeated in an item in Advance's Independent weekly, dated yesterday (see here).
The Watchung location, which had its beginnings with the Sears store at West Front Street and Central Avenue in Plainfield, was built as the car-driven expansion of suburban shopping hit its stride in the 1960s. I was told when I moved to Plainfield that the Watchung store was among Sears' most profitable at the time.
But how times have changed. Over the years, Sears somehow lost its luster as shoppers turned away from its 'good-better-best' 3-tiered merchandising strategy to higher-end, specialized stores with flashier merchandise.
(My Kenmore refrigerator and range are still going strong after more than 25 years, though I can't say the same for the dishwasher.)
In recent years, I have hardly ever seen the parking lots full and the back lot that used to lead into the hardware and appliances department is in a pretty sad state.
At any rate, rumors of the Watchung store's demise seem exaggerated -- at least for now.
The editors at the Independent evidently did not do their homework on the Chicago Tribune's business story on Sears store closings (see here).
While the Trib mistakenly refers to a closing in Plainfield, New Jersey, it is actually the SOUTH Plainfield Sears Essentials store that will be closing.
Watchung has been spared.
For now.
- Independent Press: "Is Watchung Sears going to close? Seems likely."
- Chicago Tribune: "Sears to close eight store"
- Courier: "Sears Essentials in South Plainfield to close"
-- Dan Damon [follow]
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7 comments:
I remember when Sears was on Central and Front St. It was mostly all mail order. I also remember when the store opened on 22 in 1965. I can also recall Fabric Land being on the corner of Front and Somerset (then called the Mill End Shop). Sears is a victim of it's own corporate mismanagment - you can't blame this one on Plfd's decline. I 'spose it'll hang around for a while.
one can still get better deals at sear than walmart or target. got a 32 inch screen hd tv for a better price here
One of Sears' biggest mistakes was buying KMart. Result: quality and service are down at both, and both are in trouble. Bigger isn't always better and corporate acquisitions don't always pay off--let the buyer beware!
Sears didnt Buy Kmart... Kmart Bought Sears.
Sears bought out K Mart after it emerged from bankruptcy and created Sears Holding Company
K mart purchased sears after filing chapter 11 the ceo formerly of cvs pharmacys was caught up in some shady deals that led to some more stores closing than originally planned in the restructuring
I remember the mini golf course with the windmill that was located where the Sears store was built at the corner of Terrill Rd. & Rt. 22
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