Good stuff as always Dan. Used to live in MD and have actually been to some of the abandoned malls you've been to (Owings Mills, Security Square, The Hilltop Hotel) and it is fascinating to see what these places look like after people forget about them. Hope to see more abandoned stuff in the future, I support you 100%
This looks like a Kmart that closed early in my area. Everything that could be salvaged was packed up, and sent to another store everything else was trashed.
It's sad to see such an American institution die like this, especially when Sears used to be the largest company in the country. A hundred years ago, they had everything you could ever want; from thimbles to a house. Now, they are gone.....
@Jay Santos If you really want to go all in; 1. Get a clipboard 2. Get a nice shirt and a tie 3. Get a hardhat 4. Get a bright vest and wear it OVER your shirt and tie 5. Get in Character. If people ask your name, say: "I'm *FAKE NAME* , I'm an inspector from the *INSERT THREE-FIVE RANDOM LETTERS HERE AND PRETEND IT'S AN ACRONYM* and I'm just inspecting the building" Smile, nod, and walk away. I used to be able to do some serious exploration using this method. That's because I was convinced of who I was supposed to be and this allowed me to do a ton of post-recession Kmart tours. If you are fully convinced of who you are; if you don't fuck it up and go "Uh, um, I'm, uh, so and so from the, uh, A... uh...B, uh...C..." and just deliver your line comfortably, you'll find that you can explore tons of shit and people will kind of instinctively go "well, they've got a clipboard and a hard hat on, so they're probably supposed to be here." Clipboards and whatnot always sell it. Hook a GoPro on the rim of your helmet and you can actually film your journey. No one will bat an eye.
My grandparents we're obsessed with Sears forever. During the 80's and 90's all the grandchildren got a $100 gift certificate every Christmas to Sears. We basically thought it was the coolest place ever. It was a chance to get whatever we wanted and I'll always cherish those memories of searching the store for ways to waste the money. The current news about Sears would for sure make them sad.
I’m gonna say that 2018 will be end of Sears, if they close up suddenly during a liquidation, that’s a bad sign. I have a feeling Sears will just announce a closure of all Sears stores at some point and that’ll be it.
Same here. They just announced they're closing 100 additional stores on top of like 250 from late last year. Sears is going under and it's going to take Kmart with it.
Abigail Carroll - Yup, I don’t think they have very long. It was a while ago the CEO of Sears put some money into Sears just to keep up day to day operations, but that’s just a maintenance dose to keep the company afloat. I have a feeling that sometime soon by the next annual report earnings for Sears if they don’t formally announce the closure and liquidation of Sears and it’s assets, if not as I said just suddenly close up all their stores at once without warning. Which I could see that, leaving their employees out in the cold.
Yes, Sears is near bankruptcy and Kmart maybe it's first victim - meaning they may have to close all remaining Kmarts. I can't see Sears Holding surviving to 2019. www.businessinsider.com/sears-kmart-bankruptcy-talk-resurfaces-as-year-ends-2017-12
I’ll always have fond memories of going back to school shopping at Sears. My nana used to work in menswear when i was young and I’d go to visit her there. Thanks for the video! Quality as always
Sears is worse off then you think. My family just had someone come replace a filter on our fridge that we bought Sears . So we were waiting for the guy to show up. Weird thing is the guy showed up in a dish t.v. van an uniform. My mother said "sorry but we have cable." And he said "oh know" and flipped his badge over "I also work for Sears" how bad is business if you need to send a guy from a television provider to fix your appliances!
Its a Dish thing. They also have a lot of there tech's do warranty work for Samsung TV's, ovens and ranges. No different then Amazon using Uber to deliver there packages.
I still have a Sears and Kmart near me. The Kmart seems to be thriving more than the Sears at the mall, though it's interesting to see how much Kmart has hiked up their prices. You can definitely tell they are having some issues. Also I wish they took the Sears sign down so you could keep it 😂 somehow lug it home.
Kmart is hands down better than Wal-Mart. I totally agree with that! I'm in my mid-20s and I remember going to a Super K-Mart as a kid and really enjoying it. Though they closed the Super Kmart near me down first. All that's left is the Kmart that's closest to me and it's ridiculously pricey, but I actually still enjoy it. Finding that sign though, omg that's amazing!!! Haha. What a gem, especially since they unfortunately will be gone sooner than later.
Lee jeans at Walmart $25:00 the price at sears $44:00 this is s what happens when your to greedy to lower your prices to stay competitive with your competition 👽✌
Then again, the same Lee jeans you buy at Law-tram are made in China.. Crappy workmanship and don't last as long as one's you'd buy from Sears.. Imo. And why bother competing with them anyways? Sears has been over priced for years, especially on their tools..
It's all about how much you can buy, which in turn is how much you can afford to keep in storage and inevitably take a loss on. That is the biggest cost to these stores - too much inventory. It's a balancing act. But when you have buying power like Walmart does you can get things for cheaper than Sears, make $1 on each transaction and keep the ball rolling. That's what people don't get. Walmart isn't all that different from Amazon. There isn't a huge profit made on every transaction. They make money off the volume of transactions. And they get that basic concept from the American approach to trade. Overall the US comes out ahead because of volume but in a case by case basis the US runs deficits with even our direct neighbors like Canada who's economy is like 80% dependant on US companies doing business there. So that really trickles down and hurts the American worker despite it being great for the economy. Trump fed into that. And we know free trade is largley a wash. You can buy the widget for $1 from China instead of $5 made domestically but that job is gone. So you have to create new jobs and new industries.
This is weird for me to watch because i currently work at a sears and all our signing is the same as this, and the merchandise we have is all the same, really trippy to see
Sorry that your job could be taken without zero warning from we just watched they just closed the store with the merch everywhere..usually when it goes to 70% to 90% off you know the end is very near.
Well all the stores in our area closed except the one i work at, and we do pretty well with sales, so we will be getting all those customers from around the area....we'll see lol
I'm amazed you did not get busted. It was like you had invisible powers. Much gratitude for taking such risks to bring us some classic Dan Bell content.
I thought I read somewhere that when a liquidation sale starts, the merchandise and store fixtures at that point actually belong to a liquidation broker, not the original store chain anymore. But I'm no expert. I went into a local Sears last month when I was Christmas shopping. I didn't spend much time in there. It was not a liquidation sale, just business as usual. But the selection was poor, prices not that great, and didn't seem well organized. But the main thing I remembered is that it had the ambience of a hospital. Not sure exactly how else to describe it. Just seemed lifeless and sterile the way it was decorated, arranged and generally presented. No wonder they're going out of business.
4:56 that tape is just what is wrapped around pallets that come in on trucks. They just used it to keep people off the mattresses because they were too lazy to use actual caution tape lol
I'm pretty sure the tape that was being used to section off the store was just packing tape. They put that on packages so that the buyer will report shipping damage or tampering.
Dan, the way you were walking around among the store staff made me think of a scene from the 1979 "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" in which Angela (?) Cartwright says to Donald Sutherland, "I've been walking around among them for hours".---Here in my town the Sears has been gone for quite a while, more recently K-Mart about a block away has closed and now on the other side of town the other K-Mart/Big K is to close in the springtime. Target seems to be going strong.
Family dollar and Dollar General are big players in the retail game. They are like mini walmarts and much closer to neighborhoods and people. There are still people that like to buy things now and go home with it. Amazon will never monopolize retail.
The Sears down here started shutting down years ago, not quite sure when the last one shut down since I very rarely visit any of the malls in my area anymore. There is still a K-Mart in my area that's still seems to be hanging in there, it's kind of depressing to visit since there's always that feeling that it could be shut down at a moments notice.
just went to the one in my town yesterday and it was 70-80% off and today there is 2 days left. Cosmetics are down to 2 counters (could be down to 1 now). still a fair amount of clothing and shoes and not a whole lot besides that. was able to grab 3- 10 packs of highlighters and 2 pairs of pants for $35 dollars.
would be interesting when you shoot a store closing to also see what's in the dumpster. It wouldn't be the first time a retailer sends everything left over to landfill because it wasn't worth it relocating or selling it.
There is something weird going on with retail. I live in Dublin Ireland and a few years ago we opened a massive Forever 21, a European flag ship store (biggest in Europe). It's only been here 3 years I believe yet back in late October it was announced in the news that staff were told that it's closing in January (any day now). Everyone was shocked as it generates a huge amount of money and was always jammed with customers. It's absolutely bizarre. How is Forever 21 doing in the USA?
2 of the last 3 Big Kmarts have announced their final days here in the Kanawha Valley in WV. We've got one left after this month, and it's showing signs of slipping
I wonder if people were getting too rowdy ? I worked Walmart during a liquidation ( for a move) and people got so viscous with us and each other that we booted everyone out and locked the doors.
Dan Bell, I used to work at Sears holdings in New Brunswick, New Jersey. I was hired as security taking down shop lifters. What a fun job that was. The things people try to do are hilarious. Then after busting a manager stealing something. I was promoted to that managers job. (A little bit awkward). But still succeeded in my job. That was 2004. The store was just recovering from the Kmart buyout. We were doing good. Our store making profits. Then came Amazon and stocks took a nose dive and never recovered. Anyway its sad seeing the store of my youth(Kenmore products in every home) go out. Many memories here.
From the way things were roped off in there, it makes me think they might have found mold or something in there. At the same time, I thought I heard recently that one of these companies was increasing the number of locations closing this year, too, so that might have something to do with it as well.
Hey Dan! I've been watching you for almost 2 years now! Love your stuff so much and I'm so excited for 2018 and your plans for your channel and shows :) you truly paint Baltimore as the most interesting place! Can't wait to see what else you make for us :)
Neat footage. I agree with you Dan, something is odd about the way this store was closed down. Would be interesting to know what the circumstances were that led them to shut down early. There was still a lot of stuff in there and odd that it was so spread out still. We lost our Sears just a few months ago. Our Kmart is still hanging on though.
Very strange situation indeed. I've gotta say, the Sears at my local mall, Rivertown Crossings, in Grandville, MI is still hanging on. No signs of it closing anytime soon.
Very strange Dan...just saw on my local news show that the Sears at one of our popular malls in portland, OR, and they announced they are closing too!! I will see what the mess is like myself too. Very sad they just can't keep up with the modern customer.
Up here in Northern Canada same thing happened. They still have lots of inventory and all of a sudden Monday they closed all the stores permanently. As a kid who grew up at Sears and on Sears Catalogs and have been a loyal customer for over 25 yrs. this is really sad to me. Also where on earth am i going to get filters for my kenmore vacs and parts for my sewing machines? Thanks for the video. I initially heard the american stores were staying open. I just don't understand this because the stores in our area were always doing really well and very busy.
Our Sears is in a basically “dead mall” only things really there is DSHS, Work Source (unemployment), the veterans thing. auto title transfer... a movie theater and a tiny non-affiliated sporting goods/gun safe business. The Kmart is “near” but in an awkward kind of way Walmart. The Kmart although “near” Walmart it’s out of the way. With the closings of Sears, Kmart plus one of our hometown grocery stores being bullied out by Walmart the closed stores hung on as long as possible. Very few “mom & pop” businesses left in our county.
I wonder if my local Sears will go down this same road . In 2016 they reduced their store size by half and sold the other space to another store ( it's in a mall ) .
Usually when a store closes earlier in the liquidation process is because it would be cheaper to get out sooner either because the lease it up or because they have other locations near by they can move inventory to.
Hi Dan I just love all your videos.I am always looking forward to the next one.I have been a subscriber for a couple of years now and am seeing what RU-vid is doing to everyone.I don't understand it it makes no since.Whatever is going on there.They are ruining RU-vid I used to love them but now they are messing with people's lively hoods and that makes me so mad.People need to eat and pay bills but they don't seem to care.Hang in there maybe it will get better.No matter I will follow you and always be a fan.You are a kind man with a good heart and my prayers are going out for you.Thank you for such great videos
I still have one in my mall. It's always empty but when they have sales especially around school time it's packed and looks ransacked. But for most of the time it's neat and empty and always warm for some reason. I do go there from time to time to walk around and ill find something every once in a while.
The sears in my 100k person town is screwed too. It sucked anyways. Ace hardware stores are picking up the craftsman tools so no big loss. I scored a couple of nice torque wrenches for half off. Everything else was garbage.
If you want my opinion, Sears Holdings will end with the decade. They would end sooner if there weren't so many Kmarts and Sears stores to begin with. They're going to nickel and dime their way out of existence until one big final liquidation sale in 2020. Someone will probably buy the iconic Sears name, and what they do with it, who knows.
Like Pan-Am. But it has absolutely nothing to due with the old airline. Come to think of it like the other defunct companies too. RCA, Zenith, Motorola that are now just names slapped on to Chinese made goods.
Remember learning about the days of catalog sales & Wells Fargo Wagon of the olden days? It slowly progressed to malls and huge stores. We are now essentially back to catalogs, only they are of the "digital" variety. Eventually, the world will come right back to all these types of stores. It may just take 100 years, lol.
My mom and I went to a liquidation sale at Sears this weekend and while we bought some clothes for sale, the experience was not excellent. There was a mile long line at the checkout counter (and there were literally only TWO cashiers who were checking people out). I paid with my debit card and even though I said "no cash back", for some odd reason, the computer read that I wanted cash back and the lady gave me change. It wasn't a pleasant expedience at all and made me realize why Sears has been in such a decline considering that the last time I've been there was 15 years ago.
Pipes bursted, for sure. I work for SHC. Recently, there was a directive to not heat any areas that customers are not in. As a result, several stores have had pipes burst & destroy a lot of merchandise.
They don’t want anyone there to touch whatever has been counted and roped off as they can still return them to the manufacturer for a refund and they will return all that they can. The remainder of things is usually sold to job lot stores like Big Lots (they don’t sell clothes are ours anymore though) Job Lot etc.
I loved Sears old catalogs as a kid. Clothes farm animals etc. we ordered baby chicks from them on the farm as I remember. They were the first Amazon. Some where they lost it. A shame.
The 20-70% number is ubiquitous as that is usually the markup for Asian imports. It's a massive markup that these companies have been living off of and shows how poorly you have to do to run a company into the ground after the Chinese manufacturing revolution. It's only when they get to 90% that they take a loss because that would still be cheaper than the freight cost.
My Sears, the Sears in Hicksville N.Y. is almost at this point, will be closed by April they said. Went there today, they are already taking down some of the shelves. So sad the best and most famous Sears on Long Island is getting closed and knocked down to remake the area. That Sears was around in the 1950's. So fucking sad it's not even funny. My favorite go to store for so much. Heads up Dan if you want to get some footage of it, you should go very soon. I would really be grateful if you could do a video of that Sear's. It has a special place in a lot of people hearts. Thanks man.
In my area we've had two Sears locations close in the last two years. It's so odd walking in and seeing almost nothing. Thanks for the great content Dan.
They opened a sears near me last year.... And there's so many getting shut down I was confused and I still am. Especially cause we had one years back and it got shut down years before this new one was build
When this happens, it's usually because some other store came in and bought it all; OR, the chain has another store close by and sells a lot of the types of merchandise left. Usually though someone bought it "ALL".
Hi Dan, another great and very interesting video!! I bet it WAS surreal.... probably you had a flippy-floppy stomach the whole time you were in there..... I saw some gorgeous earrings left on the display-- can't believe they didn't sell, hahaha. Can't wait to see what you come up with next!!
The stop if carton tampered with return to carrier tape... it's probably some rolls of tape they had laying around in the back room and they just used it up to rope off sections. No more significant than the caution tape.
The Dirty Rooms series he mentioned I believe on his facebook that they will be on Amazon Prime due to the adapcolypse and whatnot. The series is on Amazon Prime so if you have it or want to see the series just go on there. I miss the series on here as well BUT they're not gone just moved.
Our Sears Department Store here in the Southwestern portion of Utah finally closed their doors last year, I remember when I first moved here, it was a huge addition to the retail business, here......Goodbye Sears, it looks like you are going to the wayside of the likes of Montgomery Wards and Sprouss-Reitz.
Does make you wonder what they will do with that stuff. Will it go to another store or a Big Lots? There is so much left and it makes me wonder why they didn't finish as well.
Two of our Kmart s closed .Our Sears is still open but there never seems to be more than 5 cars in the parking lot. I wonder how they’re keeping the doors open.
The Kmart near me is always pretty empty. I don't know what the future holds for it but it's probably not good. There was a Sears inside it but they closed up shop last summer. So I'm thinking the Kmart near me is not going to be around much longer. 😕
