28 more Kmart stores to close as Sears struggles to stay afloat


Sears said Thursday that it is closing 28 more Kmart stores as the retail industry's turbulence shows no signs of letting up, Fortune reports. "That will bring the number of Sears and Kmarts stores closed this year to 358," MLive writes.
Sears is fighting fiercely to stay afloat, announcing earlier this year its plans to sell Kenmore appliances on Amazon and cashing in on assets like Land's End, Craftsman, and hundreds of brick-and-mortar stores, Fortune writes. Sales fell more than 13 percent at Sears and more than 9 percent at Kmart in the quarter that ended in July, declines that outpaced rivals Macy's and J.C. Penney.
"We are making progress on the strategic priorities we outlined earlier this year and remain focused on returning our company to profitability," said Sears CEO Eddie Lampert. "The comprehensive restructuring of our operations is delivering cost efficiencies and helping drive improvements to our operating performance."
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Including locations shuttered by Sears, more than 6,000 brick-and-mortar retail stores have closed this year, Business Insider reports.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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