Sears closes final store in Washington, now operates in just four states

Sears has closed its last store in Washington, leaving only eight locations in California, Florida, Massachusetts, and Texas. The Tukwila store, which had been in operation for 30 years, shut its doors on December 15. The company, once the largest retailer in the U.S., has seen a significant decline since filing for bankruptcy in 2018. It had over 4,000 stores in 2012, but many have closed due to competition from discount retailers and online shopping. Sears is now owned by Transformco, which has struggled to maintain the brand. Despite reopening two stores in 2023, customer feedback has been largely negative, with reports of empty shelves and poor conditions.