Last time I was in a Sears I spent more than $2000 and that was more than 20 years ago. It was a Craftsman 42", 21 hp twin cyl. riding mower and I still use it all the time.
Note: No tattoos, no face jewelry, no Kool Aid hair, no pajamas, no flipflops, no cell phones, just mom and kids being respectful and participating together as a family.
One of the Sears stores in Kansas City had a separate 'Farm and Ranch' store across the street from the main store. As the saying goes: "If we don't have it you don't need it". Oldest brother sold roofing there for a few months and would go out to the customer's house, take measurements and schedule the work. He was on commission and should've stuck around for the upcoming tornado and hail season-his boss told him he would make enough in 3 months to last until the next year.
Sears had a reputation for having the best pension plan among any retailer in the country. It was common knowledge that anyone who had a long career at Sears would be living the life of ease during their retirement. Of course Eddie Lampert-the guy who bought Sears (and K-mart) solely for the value of the real estate their stores sat on-would trash the pension plan and destroy what was a decades long backbone of America.
Current gen: what's a Sears? (hint: 5 left in US as of Sept 2025. Yeah, 5 more than I thought too)
ReplyDeleteNo "buffalos" were sighted.....
ReplyDeleteLast time I was in a Sears I spent more than $2000 and that was more than 20 years ago.
ReplyDeleteIt was a Craftsman 42", 21 hp twin cyl. riding mower and I still use it all the time.
Built them well in those days.
DeleteI bought the same one in '91. Gave it to my neighbor when I moved, he is still using it.
DeletePeople were a lot thinner back then
ReplyDeleteand a lot whiter
DeletePainful to watch. And not because of the styles and haircuts; in a very short time since, we've lost more than we know.
ReplyDeleteNo roving groups of ferals, no obese blue-haired haridans. Glory days.
ReplyDeleteNo Toyotas, Nissans, Kias, Hyundais, Scions, Acuras, etc...
DeleteMainly no orcs.
DeleteUhhhh. I graduated high school in 1977.
ReplyDeleteExcellent choice of background music too. Croce left too soon.
ReplyDeleteJim Croce would be better as President than any since 1977.
DeleteNote: No tattoos, no face jewelry, no Kool Aid hair, no pajamas, no flipflops, no cell phones, just mom and kids being respectful and participating together as a family.
ReplyDeleteLife wasn't simpler then but it sure was better
ReplyDeleteSeeing the cash register... such a little thing but I remember the whole scene now, seeing that! We were kings.
ReplyDeleteTom from East Tennessee
One of the Sears stores in Kansas City had a separate 'Farm and Ranch' store across the street from the main store. As the saying goes: "If we don't have it you don't need it". Oldest brother sold roofing there for a few months and would go out to the customer's house, take measurements and schedule the work. He was on commission and should've stuck around for the upcoming tornado and hail season-his boss told him he would make enough in 3 months to last until the next year.
ReplyDeleteSears had a reputation for having the best pension plan among any retailer in the country. It was common knowledge that anyone who had a long career at Sears would be living the life of ease during their retirement. Of course Eddie Lampert-the guy who bought Sears (and K-mart) solely for the value of the real estate their stores sat on-would trash the pension plan and destroy what was a decades long backbone of America.
ReplyDeleteSo, when did Sears go TU?
ReplyDeleteHeltau