This is interesting.
Sears, which announced recently that its store in Rochester's Apache Mall will close at the end of the year, is hosting a public meeting Wednesday looking for people to step up to open a new Sears store here in the Med City.
However, this is a different version of Sears than the big department store currently in business here.
Ads in the Post-Bulletin are pitching franchises for a Hometown Store. The way I understand it, this concept has a much smaller footprint. It mainly carries Craftmen tools, appliances, lawn gear electronics and fitness stuff… sort of man's store.
Austin, Albert Lea and Winona all have Sears stores like this.
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Of course, the company owns the big department stores. This feels like a franchise kind of relationship with a local owner.
The open house to discuss this is slated for Wednesday afternoon in south Rochester. Ads in the paper today and Tuesday break down more details.
So Rochester could still have a Sears next year, but it'll be one without its softer side.
