Sears Closing 70+ More Stores: What NC Stores Will Remain?

CHARLOTTE, NC — Sears is closing at least 72 more locations across the country, the beleaguered retailer said on Thursday. The announcement follows a decision made earlier this year to shutter more than 100 stores. The list of closures will be made public some time Thursday, the company said.

Patch will have the full list of Sears closings when they are announced.

There are only 14 Sears stores locations - not including appliance outlets, HomeTown stores or auto centers - left in North Carolina:

• Burlington, NC
• Concord, NC
• Durham, NC — two locations
• Fayetteville, NC
• Goldsboro, NC
• Greensboro, NC
• Greenville, NC
• Hickory, NC
• Jacksonville, NC
• Pineville, NC
• Raleigh, NC — two locations
• Winston Salem, NC

"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 reported a net loss of $424 million during the first quarter of 2018. During the first quarter last year, Sears saw earnings of $245 million, due in part to a $492 million gain related to the sale of the Craftsman brand.

"In a challenging quarter, we continued to focus on our strategic transformation, identifying additional opportunities to streamline operations and adjust inventory and operating expenses while staying focused on our Best Members, Best Categories and Best Stores," Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Holdings Edward S. Lampert said in a statement.

Check back with Patch for a list of store closings.

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

Shannon Antinori contributed to this report

Photo: Signs advertise the closing of a Sears store on May 3, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. The store, which opened in 1938, is the city's last remaining Sears store. Sears opened its first retail store in Chicago in 1925. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)