2 MA Sears Stores Closing

Sears is closing two locations in Massachusetts as its Bay State presence continues to dwindle. Locations in Peabody and Springfield will close in early September, the company announced Thursday afternoon.

The closings come as the company shutters more than 70 stores nationwide. Thursday's announcement follows the announced closing of more than 100 stores earlier this year. Sears stores in the Burlington Mall and Berkshire Mall already announced they would close this year.

The Peabody closing isn't a complete surprise, as a developer has already filed plans with the city to build a three-story health club on the site now occupied by the department store.

There are only 13 Sears stores locations - not including appliance outlets or auto centers - left in Massachusetts:

• Auburn
• Braintree
• Brockton
• Cambridge
• Hanover
• Holyoke
• Hyannis
• Leominster
• Marlborough
• Natick
• North Attleboro
• North Dartmouth
• Saugus

"As part of our ongoing efforts to streamline the Company's operations and focus on our Best Stores, we have identified approximately 100 non-profitable stores, 72 of which will begin store closing sales in the near future," the Illinois-based company said in a statement. "We continue to evaluate our network of stores, which are a critical component in our transformation, and will make further adjustments as needed and as warranted."

Sears Holdings, the company that owns Sears and Kmart, said it identified about 100 Sears stores that weren't making money. Thursday's announcement spelled the end for 72 of them; it was unclear what is to become of the remaining.

Overall, Sears is losing about 8 percent of its remaining stores, according to USA Today.

Photo of Saugus Sears location by Mike Carraggi, Patch

Dave Copeland contributed to this report