Shoppers worry about fate of local Kmart, Sears
Sears Holding Corp., which also owns Kmart, said on Tuesday that the two major retailers might not be able to stay in business.
Local customers and small businesses are worried that major anchor stores in the Coachella Valley could close up shop.
KESQ and CBS Local 2 reporter Joe Galli reached out to representatives with Sears Holding Company. In an emailed response public relations representatives wrote that they do not plan on closing any of our local locations.
But shoppers and small business owners we talked to said they wouldn’t be surprised if that changed.
Anthony Young of Desert Hot Springs only shops at Kmart for one thing. “Cheap dog food, I get 50 pounds for like $20,” Young said as he loaded the dog food into the trunk of his car.
Sears Holdings Corp. has not turned a profit in several years. In December, the company closed the Kmart store in Indio.
A former employee of the Kmart in Desert Hot Springs said the store there cut its square footage in half a few years ago. Customers we talked to told me they wouldn’t be surprised if this Kmart shut off it’s blue light too.
“I would rather travel to Walmart because their prices are pricey here at Kmart,” said Chakeech Stallworth of Desert Hot Springs.
Cassandra Barcenas is the store manager of the Metro PCS next to Kmart. She said her business would suffer greatly if Kmart went under, especially since her other neighbor, a Riverside County Social Services office, is moving to a new location in June.
“Because of these two businesses, people come in and it keeps the plaza busy,” Barcenas said.
Sears and Kmart aren’t the only stores struggling. Many brick-and-mortar retail establishments are becoming less profitable as more and more people shop online.
The company is doing some major financial restructuring in order to stay afloat. Sears Holdings employs about 140,000 people nationwide.
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