Maine Sears stores avoid latest cuts
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
Several Maine Sears stores, including the Aroostook Centre Mall’s, have avoided the latest round of changes announced Feb. 23 by Sears Holdings Corporation.
In a release last week, officials announced Sears Holdings has reached a $270 million deal to sell 11 Sears store to General Growth Properties.
The transaction is expected to close in the next 45 to 60 days, subject to customary closing conditions.
Each of the Sears stores is part of an existing General Growth property, stated the release. The transaction includes leased and owned stores in nine states from Illinois to Hawaii — but none are in Maine.
The stores on the list will continue to operate as Sears locations into 2013, with final closing dates to be determined and announced later this year.
Sears officials announced in December 2011 that up to 120 Sears and Kmart stores would be closed as a form of restructuring, due in part to the current economy. In late December, a list of 81 store closures was released — none of which were in Maine.
