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in-person retail fades away (goodbye, sears)
The Sears store in my local mall has been torn down. It’s been vacant for four years.
In the last few weeks the store was open I went up there almost every day to photograph the way a former retail giant looked as it died. At first I was worried that employees might challenge me and/or ask me to leave. But as it turns out, employees who only have that job for another paycheck or two don’t really care all that much.
And so, here are a couple of versions about what the death of Sears looked like.
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 12.26.2018 and 1.3.2019
The end of Sears: shoes
Sears was nearly gone for good and not much merchandise was left over. But, somehow, even at 80% off these shoes hadn’t sold. A retail mystery, I suppose.
Sears (the last days)
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 1.3.2019
The end of Sears: clothes
Our local Sears store closed at the beginning of 2019; during the last few weeks it was open, I went there often to photograph the ever-diminishing inventory. At first, I made the Patient Spouse go with me to provide cover, in case the employees weren’t too keen on wandering photographers. What I learned from that was that if your job at Sears is disappearing in a matter of days, you really don’t care one bit if wandering photographers are on the premises. So, the Patient Spouse got to stay home while I wandered.
Sears (the last days)
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 12.26.2018
Indeed
Yes, I think we can all tell that there’s been a clearance.
the last days of Sears
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 12.26.2018
An out-of-body experience
As the Sears store got closer to being permanently closed, the store fixtures began to be moved over to the sides of the building, where they were available for sale. I don’t know what the resale market is for used mannequins, but the photographic opportunities were obvious.
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 12.26.2018 and 1.3.2019
One Day | One Image 