Repurposing Sears and other retail sites
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4WD
$50 site donor 2024
Former Walmart is indoor lumber yard …
The small Sears Outlet by my job closed a few years ago, and is now a Chinese restaurant. The Sears at the local mall used to occupy two levels, now it is only one level. The first level is now a bowling alley (Round 1 Bowling). Sears occupies the second level, but I think it is only tools, large appliances, mattress, lawn and garden and such.
Still waiting to see what the old local K-Mart, and Toys R Us buildings will become.
Still waiting to see what the old local K-Mart, and Toys R Us buildings will become.
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Most abandoned retail stores here turn into indoor flea markets.
Most abandoned retail sites are abandoned because the local market won't support the retail it once did.
Within ten miles of us, we have a dying mall, a few dying strip centers as well as a few indoor and outdoor malls that are thriving.
We also have, a bit farther away, a mall from the early nineties that never quite made it but holds on to this day.
Retail still thrives given the right market and the right catchment area.
Online buying sounds great, but one really needs to try clothing and shoes for fit before buying and then there are always the porch pirates, an easy crime not easily deterred, since the average thief already knows that you have a camera and will be careful that that camera never sees a face or a license plate or they simply don't care knowing that the cops have more serious matters among their priorities.
Within ten miles of us, we have a dying mall, a few dying strip centers as well as a few indoor and outdoor malls that are thriving.
We also have, a bit farther away, a mall from the early nineties that never quite made it but holds on to this day.
Retail still thrives given the right market and the right catchment area.
Online buying sounds great, but one really needs to try clothing and shoes for fit before buying and then there are always the porch pirates, an easy crime not easily deterred, since the average thief already knows that you have a camera and will be careful that that camera never sees a face or a license plate or they simply don't care knowing that the cops have more serious matters among their priorities.
Here, when Walmart came in, they rejuvenated the malls, since they were almost all centred in malls. Then, they decided to leave the malls, and that started killing them off. Of course, by then, Walmart had made things like Zellers up here a no go, along with Eaton's, and those anchor stores left their malls, too. That didn't help. We do have a lot of empty malls. Now, they're doing the reverse. Parking lots of the larger stores are being subdivided and built up, with little stores popping up in the parking lot. So, instead of an indoor mall at which to shop, you have an outdoor mall, a real treasure in a Saskatchewan February.
Originally Posted by Garak
Here, when Walmart came in, they rejuvenated the malls, since they were almost all centred in malls. Then, they decided to leave the malls, and that started killing them off. Of course, by then, Walmart had made things like Zellers up here a no go, along with Eaton's, and those anchor stores left their malls, too. That didn't help. We do have a lot of empty malls. Now, they're doing the reverse. Parking lots of the larger stores are being subdivided and built up, with little stores popping up in the parking lot. So, instead of an indoor mall at which to shop, you have an outdoor mall, a real treasure in a Saskatchewan February.
All I can say is thank God SEARS moved out of this area. SHELL Chemical has increased the amount of stores, restaurants, vo tech schools, and supply stores like PRAXXAIR and even a new AGWAY. 3 friends work at the SHELL Cracker plant going up near me and they use Rurl King for tons of supplies etc
Here, when Walmart came in, they rejuvenated the malls, since they were almost all centred in malls. Then, they decided to leave the malls, and that started killing them off. Of course, by then, Walmart had made things like Zellers up here a no go, along with Eaton's, and those anchor stores left their malls, too. That didn't help. We do have a lot of empty malls. Now, they're doing the reverse. Parking lots of the larger stores are being subdivided and built up, with little stores popping up in the parking lot. So, instead of an indoor mall at which to shop, you have an outdoor mall, a real treasure in a Saskatchewan February.
All I can say is thank God SEARS moved out of this area. SHELL Chemical has increased the amount of stores, restaurants, vo tech schools, and supply stores like PRAXXAIR and even a new AGWAY. 3 friends work at the SHELL Cracker plant going up near me and they use Rurl King for tons of supplies etc
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Malls are terrible idue to lack of any natural sun light as they lack windows in the retail spaces.
I think they should simply convert to self storage that is climate controlled.maybe for boats too.
I think they should simply convert to self storage that is climate controlled.maybe for boats too.
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Originally Posted by 4WD
Anyone seen Costco do that … the two I shop were built from the ground up …
No and that's really what I was getting at with "rumors". Anyone that has seen a Costco building vs a Sears building would be ignorant - or just full of wishful thinking - that it would ever come to fruition. Costcos, Sam's Clubs, BJs and so on are basically retail stores inside large warehouses.
Anyone seen Costco do that … the two I shop were built from the ground up …
No and that's really what I was getting at with "rumors". Anyone that has seen a Costco building vs a Sears building would be ignorant - or just full of wishful thinking - that it would ever come to fruition. Costcos, Sam's Clubs, BJs and so on are basically retail stores inside large warehouses.
Originally Posted by 53' Stude
All I can say is thank God SEARS moved out of this area.
We've had a mixed bag with Sears over the years here. When Eaton's left the downtown mall, the Bay took over, so that wasn't so bad for the mall. Sears was dying such a slow, lingering death, I'm sure they weren't getting a lot of traffic at the end in the first place. You couldn't even find anything in there. The outlet/discount store might have been missed by some, but I always hated that place as a kid, and never entered it as an adult. There were Sears warehouses here that did provide a lot of jobs. However, Sears shot themselves in the foot. As others have pointed out here on BITOG in the past, Sears was positioned to be what Amazon is. It's not like they had no experience getting product out to remote areas and shipping in general. They just didn't move quickly or flexibly enough from mail and telephone orders to online.
At least one warehouse of Sears is being demolished here, and the outlet store is repurposed, at least temporarily.
All I can say is thank God SEARS moved out of this area.
We've had a mixed bag with Sears over the years here. When Eaton's left the downtown mall, the Bay took over, so that wasn't so bad for the mall. Sears was dying such a slow, lingering death, I'm sure they weren't getting a lot of traffic at the end in the first place. You couldn't even find anything in there. The outlet/discount store might have been missed by some, but I always hated that place as a kid, and never entered it as an adult. There were Sears warehouses here that did provide a lot of jobs. However, Sears shot themselves in the foot. As others have pointed out here on BITOG in the past, Sears was positioned to be what Amazon is. It's not like they had no experience getting product out to remote areas and shipping in general. They just didn't move quickly or flexibly enough from mail and telephone orders to online.
At least one warehouse of Sears is being demolished here, and the outlet store is repurposed, at least temporarily.
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I actually miss Sears. There were a few things there that I always liked. The Die Hard Gold batteries lasted 7+ years like clockwork in my 300ZX.
Two Kmarts back home in Florida are now Publix and Rural King after being empty shells for awhile.
Sears here in Killeen just closed, it's an empty shell in the mall now, it also had an auto center. From what I've heard, a new mall might be happening and this one will close.
Kmart here is now a Conns Home Plus/Crunch Fitness/Dollar Tree/lumber liquidators (was a big kmart lol)
Circuit City is now a Specs Liquors
Gander Mountain is now usually a seasonal Spirit Halloween spot.
Toys R Us was a bootleg halloween store last year.
Apparently there was also an Albertsons, which is now Golds Gym as well as a WinnDixie which is how an Asian Supermarket.
Sears here in Killeen just closed, it's an empty shell in the mall now, it also had an auto center. From what I've heard, a new mall might be happening and this one will close.
Kmart here is now a Conns Home Plus/Crunch Fitness/Dollar Tree/lumber liquidators (was a big kmart lol)
Circuit City is now a Specs Liquors
Gander Mountain is now usually a seasonal Spirit Halloween spot.
Toys R Us was a bootleg halloween store last year.
Apparently there was also an Albertsons, which is now Golds Gym as well as a WinnDixie which is how an Asian Supermarket.
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dnewton3
Staff member
Not sure of the long term plans of the Sears near us; it's part of a larger mall owned by Simon Properties.
However, in the short term, it's been on loan to our local EMS entities for joint operations training; active shooter and the like.
Seems odd to be running around in the dimly lit old Sears, taking Simunition shots at the "bad guys" where I used to buy my Keds and jeans ...
However, in the short term, it's been on loan to our local EMS entities for joint operations training; active shooter and the like.
Seems odd to be running around in the dimly lit old Sears, taking Simunition shots at the "bad guys" where I used to buy my Keds and jeans ...
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4WD
$50 site donor 2024
That would be strange … had to look, did not know Keds was still in business … look like some good boat shoes …
Originally Posted by madRiver
I think they should simply convert to self storage that is climate controlled.maybe for boats too.
Self storage seems to be a favorite use for large empty retail space around here. You can't throw a rock here without hitting an old mall/big box store turned into self storage. A lot of local governments here don't like them because they don't provide many jobs and don't really draw people in, but it's better than these places being vacant.
Right now an old mall here (Century Plaza) has become a huge staging area for new Mercedes cars to be shipped wherever.
I think they should simply convert to self storage that is climate controlled.maybe for boats too.
Self storage seems to be a favorite use for large empty retail space around here. You can't throw a rock here without hitting an old mall/big box store turned into self storage. A lot of local governments here don't like them because they don't provide many jobs and don't really draw people in, but it's better than these places being vacant.
Right now an old mall here (Century Plaza) has become a huge staging area for new Mercedes cars to be shipped wherever.
Malls will always be around, but for me I'd rather shop online and have no stress.
Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
The Die Hard Gold batteries lasted 7+ years like clockwork in my 300ZX.
They were pretty big here, too, but my dad usually got AC Delcos.
The Die Hard Gold batteries lasted 7+ years like clockwork in my 300ZX.
They were pretty big here, too, but my dad usually got AC Delcos.
2 K-Marts here, 1 closed around 2001 or so and is still vacant. The local hospital (Mercy Health) bought it and it will be some sort of medical facility. The other K-Mart closed 3 years ago and is now a Planet Fitness. Sears store in the local mall closed earlier this year and is still vacant, I think. Haven't been in the mall in several years now. This mall was built in 1996. That particular area was supposedly the "hottest" retail development area in the country at the time.
Around here we bulldozed the entire mall along with Sears, Macy's, food courts, etc. All of them except 1 or 2 PREMIUM malls that sell high fashions and expensive stuffs. The trend is fewer malls, more exotic and luxury stores, that wealthy people and tourists want to go. You can't afford anything less.
The lesser local malls are torn down and turn into mixed use properties, usually about 2/3 mid rise apartments with ground floor retail (that's also empty, so they try to use excuses to turn them into offices), and 1/3 class A offices.
Mall is dead, you can't sell at a higher price in the mall and charge a premium, while maintaining the expensive parking, air conditioning, and security. At least outdoor malls would let you open bars till 2am and eliminate the AC cost, but it only works in warm climates.
The lesser local malls are torn down and turn into mixed use properties, usually about 2/3 mid rise apartments with ground floor retail (that's also empty, so they try to use excuses to turn them into offices), and 1/3 class A offices.
Mall is dead, you can't sell at a higher price in the mall and charge a premium, while maintaining the expensive parking, air conditioning, and security. At least outdoor malls would let you open bars till 2am and eliminate the AC cost, but it only works in warm climates.
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