From Retail Giant to Ghost Town: Sears' Last Stand in Washington State

Washington State Waves Goodbye: Sears Shrinks to Single Store in State

Photo byEvan WiseonUnsplash

Sears, once a titan of American retail, is witnessing the twilight of its empire in Washington State. The Union Gap store, a mere 115 miles from Seattle, will shutter its doors by September's end, leaving just one lonely outpost in the entire state.

This closure is particularly poignant, coming less than a year after the store's brief resurrection. Reopened in November 2023 after a short hiatus, the location's rebirth was short-lived, lasting ten months before succumbing to the retail apocalypse.

Now, the store resembles a retail graveyard, with signs screaming "Everything Must Go!" and discounts slashing prices by up to 75%. It's a far cry from Sears' heyday when it boasted thousands of locations nationwide following its merger with Kmart in the early 2000s.

As the dust settles, only nine Sears stores will remain in the US, with Washington State's sole survivor clinging to life in Tukwila's Westfield Southcenter. This dramatic downsizing paints a stark picture of the changing retail landscape and the struggles of once-mighty department stores to stay relevant in the digital age.

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