Trying To Find A Sears Store Near Pittsburgh Proves Difficult

PITTSBURGH, PA — If you're in Pittsburgh and you have a nostalgic hankering to shop at a full-service Sears store, hop in the car and make the nearly 5-hour, 300-mile drive to Willow Grove near Philadelphia. Do it quickly, too, because it's the last such Sears in Pennsylvania - and it's closing.

The store announced a going out of business sale last week, further signaling the impending death knell for what once was the largest retailer in the United States.

The Sears website lists three other stores in the state, but the website is inaccurate. Stores in Media and Harrisburg no longer are open, while an outlet-like Sears in Camp Hill just sells mattresses and appliances.

Several smaller Hometown Sears stores exist, but most are locally owned and operated and are Sears stores in name only.

As recently as 2017, Sears had five locations in Western Pennsylvania: Ross Park Mall, South Hills Village, Robinson Town Center, Westmoreland Mall and Washington Crown Center. But as the retailer faced ongoing financial difficulties and stiff competition from Amazon and Walmart, the stores shuttered.

With the Willow Grove store now closing, Patch attempted to determine what Sears location soon will be the closest for southwestern Pennsylvania shoppers to patronize.

Perhaps just over the border to the east in Ohio?

No. The website doesn't list any Sears stores in that state.

Perhaps just down I-79 to the south in West Virginia?

No. Apparently there are no Sears stores left there either, according to the website.

Patch's hopes were raised when the site listed a store at the Westland Mall in Westland, MI. But a call placed to the store was disappointing, as a prerecorded message said both the store and its auto center now are closed.

Patch was about to give up, but made one last search into New Jersey and - eureka! - found a Sears that seemed to meet the criteria for still existing. It was listed on the website, it was listed on the a mall website and it had an operational phone number.

The nearest Sears store to Pittsburgh soon will be at Newport Centre In Jersey City, NJ. Getting there will require a 370-mile trip that Google estimates will take just under six hours to complete - one way, of course.

Patch attempts to speak to an actual store employee at that Sears location proved unsuccessful.

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