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Sears might be going belly up

scotrace

Head Bartender
Staff member
Messages
14,392
Location
Small Town Ohio, USA
Fingerhut seems to be doing the Sears model successfully, to judge by the thick holiday Big Book we got in the mail last week. Looks the same as the old Sears catalogue. Toys, clothes, electronics, games, household goods, etc.
 
Messages
12,009
Location
East of Los Angeles
Three of my friends and my girlfriend had them. Yes, plenty of room.
I once transported six friends in my '61 Beetle with me--two in the front passenger seat, three in the back seat, and one in the "package" area behind the back seat. Despite being a bunch of skinny teenagers it was a little cramped, but we only had to go four or five miles.
 
Messages
10,839
Location
vancouver, canada
In university I was the only car owner in the co-op house I shared. It was a 45 minute drive from campus to our remote beach front cabin. We rented it 9 months of the year for cheap as it had no central heat. Often I would transport the 6 of us home in my 1964 Beetle. Cramped yes, but beat the hell out of sleeping in the library instead of a bed.
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
Tinkering is still alive and well.

This weekend I will be dismantling my '63's carburetor (again) to get to the accelerator pump check balls which is about the only thing I haven't disassembled and cleaned. If the car doesn't run right after that, I am out of ideas.

oldie but goodie_no ids.jpg
 

3fingers

One Too Many
Messages
1,797
Location
Illinois
I managed to run over a sheet metal screw which created the need to stop at the tire shop for a plug and patch. While I was waiting I noticed a commercial for one of the Sears Hometown stores in a town 75 or 100 miles away on the waiting room television. She was very chipper while inviting me to come in and buy or lease anything in the store from furniture and appliances to tools. I'm sure she is waiting for the other shoe to drop since she owns the store. I feel sorry for her.
 
Messages
10,933
Location
My mother's basement
In university I was the only car owner in the co-op house I shared. It was a 45 minute drive from campus to our remote beach front cabin. We rented it 9 months of the year for cheap as it had no central heat. Often I would transport the 6 of us home in my 1964 Beetle. Cramped yes, but beat the hell out of sleeping in the library instead of a bed.

And it was for only 45 minutes. And young people twist and bend every which way.
 
Messages
17,196
Location
New York City
More grist for the Sears Didn't Die Of Natural Causes Theory:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/30/business/sears-share-repurchase/index.html

I have no - none at all - desire to defend Sears / Lampert (I lean strongly the other way), but there is a difference between looking back from 2018 and saying a decision made in 2006, etc., was wrong versus making it at the time. This article strikes me as a bit smug in that regard.

As to buybacks, there is a library full of analysis, white papers, etc., on their value or lack there off as they are still hotly debated on Wall Street today. So, I'll not add my tiny opinion (which, shockingly, I have). But one objective comment is that they are transparent - reported to (and, usually, approved ahead of time by) the company's Board of Directors and disclosed in public documents in, or in nearly, real time. Hence, they are not hidden from the company's Board, regulators, investors or the public.
 

3fingers

One Too Many
Messages
1,797
Location
Illinois
Our local Ace Hardware stores have been selling Craftsman tools for quite a while. Sears sold the tool line off to Stanley some time back with some rights reserved to sell branded tools for a certain number of years after the sale.
 

Peacoat

*
Bartender
Messages
6,449
Location
South of Nashville
The new combination wrenches are slightly shorter (maybe 1/4" to 1/2" depending on the size) than the ones I bought back in the early to mid 70s.
 

sheeplady

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
4,479
Location
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, USA
Fingerhut seems to be doing the Sears model successfully, to judge by the thick holiday Big Book we got in the mail last week. Looks the same as the old Sears catalogue. Toys, clothes, electronics, games, household goods, etc.
We received a toy catalog from Target. Sly, I thought. My daughter was set with what she wants for xmas (doll house and a multi-colored pen). My son, not really. He wanted a little toy tractor from Santa but hadn't picked his gift from "us." He picked something out of the catalog.
 

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