Sears / Kmart
Once America's largest retailer, stripped by Eddie Lampert's ESL Investments. Sold off Craftsman, Lands' End, DieHard brands while stores deteriorated. From 3,500 stores to ~5. Over 250,000 jobs lost.
- FOUNDED
- 1893
- ACQUIRED
- ESL Investments, 2005, $11 billion
- IMPACTS
- 1 documented
- WEB
- sears.com
Editorial Record
maintained by DeathbyPE. Every claim links to a public source.Timeline
Sears / Kmart founded
Acquired by ESL Investments for $11 billion
Sears collapsed from 3,500 stores to 5 under ESL Investments
CriticalClosure / BankruptcyEddie Lampert's ESL Investments systematically sold off Craftsman, Lands' End, DieHard, and Kenmore brands while stripping real estate into a REIT. Over 250,000 jobs lost from peak employment.
How Eddie Lampert Destroyed Sears
Before / After
Store count
reported 2018
before 3,500 stores
after ~5 stores
-99%
Community Reviews
Share your experience →Firsthand accounts from email-verified contributors. Community reviews are separate from the editorial record above and are not independently fact-checked.
Tracked Locations
CO · 2
742 Main St
Denver, CO 80201 · 555-720-6497
6747 Main St
Denver, CO 80201 · 555-725-8920
FL · 1
6923 Main St
Tampa, FL 33601 · 555-966-1599
GA · 1
8937 Main St
Atlanta, GA 30301 · 555-869-2406
IN · 3
9124 Main St
Indianapolis, IN 46201 · 555-309-2033
7997 Main St
Indianapolis, IN 46201 · 555-896-5093
947 Main St
Indianapolis, IN 46201 · 555-190-8059