More Sears, Kmart Closings, Including Illinois Store

Another Illinois Kmart location is on the chopping block, along with 44 other Kmart stores nationwide and 18 Sears locations. In a news release, Hoffman Estates-based Sears, which owns Kmart, said employees were notified of the closings on Thursday, and the locations will close by late January 2018.

“It’s important to note that these stores will remain open to serve members during the holiday season," Sears said in a press release. "Eligible associates impacted by these store closures will receive severance and will have the opportunity to apply for open positions at area Kmart or Sears stores. Customers can use the store locator function on our web sites to find the location of their nearest Kmart and Sears stores."

Liquidation sales will begin as early as Nov. 9, according to Sears.

The latest round of store closings includes one Illinois Kmart location at 1006 N. Keller Drive in Effingham. The last round, announced in late August, included 28 Kmart stores and two Illinois locations in Oak Lawn and Elmhurst.

In June, the retailer announced 20 more Sears closings that left the City of Chicago with just one remaining store.

And last week, Sears announced it would no longer sell Whirlpool appliances, severing a business relationship that had lasted more than a century.

With competition from online retail giant Amazon.com and other retailers like Home Depot, Sears has been taken a huge hit in sales. In the U.S., consumers buy most of their small appliances from Walmart, according to market research firm TraQline. Amazon comes in second, with Sears coming in fourth behind Target.

Image via Patch file