Thread regarding Sears layoffs

When I got my first bonus in 1998. It was my first time to receive a performance bonus. I shared with my brothers and sisters, nieces, nephews, and in-laws and they were so happy and they are remembering it to this day.

Worked at Sears in NoVA from 94-01. Good times, met a lot of nice folks. Job sucked though.
I was told when I started how just recently a lot of the old timers there had been basically bought out since they were “making too much”. Appliance salesman went to straight commission. It used to be a place where you could stay and make a career out of it, but that ended even before I got there.
I worked in sporting goods for 3 dollars an hour plus commission. The company would start messing with commission rates based on how an item sold. Let’s say an item catches fire and starts selling like hot cakes, the commission rate would be dropped on it, while a very expensive item that NEVER sells would have its rate increased to “make up” for it. Floor models also had their rates cut. Let’s say delivery messes up something and the customer cancels. Yep, they come back and grab the commission from it. Then the store manager started asking us to wear business attire (ties, exc). Sorry I won’t get dressed up every day when you keep finding ways to cut my pay. Not only that but during my tenure health benefits were cut from part time employees and they made it to where almost everyone outside of management was part time.
As a kid I always had fond memories of the store being a one shop stop (minus groceries), and my lawnmowers and appliances are all from Sears(yes I know they’re made by others). They have all held up very well. RIP Sears.....

Cool story bro.

To the gentlemen who posted of his untimely firing after 25 years of service, thank you for a fantastic read. I am the original poster. Thank you also to the poster of the story of the Polish janitorial professionals, as well as the recent person who chimed in with the cute story about getting catalog merch on the cheap.

Started as a Christmas season hire for the catalog department of Sears in Cutler Ridge Mall back in the late 70s. Working Sunday shifts netted me time and a half, so I was bringing home over $100 bucks a week from my part-time high school gig.

The Sears catalog carried a lot of things you couldn't get in stores. Catalog staff got first dibs on any returned or unclaimed merchandise, since it was cheaper to sell stuff to employees than ship it back to the distribution center. One of my co-workers snagged a bo-m box for $5 cash. I scored a ton of clothes at $1 apiece. Good times.

My favorite Sear's memory is when they actually had a variety of items to buy.

@2zti Police escort? There is more to this story. Police aren't called for a regular escort.

This one:

https://i.redd.it/jj49pcquqzz61.jpg

It was a Wednesday night in 2019 around 8:30pm and I was doing some scheduled system maintenance from home (I worked in Hoffman). I get a call from my manager telling me to stop work, log out of any systems, and that I no longer work for Sears. They went as far as to tell me I was no longer welcome at any a Sears Holdings property without an appointment along with a police or employee escort due to system access and passwords I had. I was kind of flattered. When they called I had the services down for a major POS system but he insisted I stop work now. Within a few seconds my user account was disabled and they disconnected me from the Sears network. I have to wonder how long it took for them to find the passwords for that system and when it came back up. Anyway, I was able to make an appointment to get my stuff (even though I already emptied out 80% of my cube) and was escorted up to my cube for cleanup. I’ll never forget the look of panic on the faces and horror in their voices of those left behind as they asked questions about all these systems I worked on and how I supported them. Much of what I knew was from knowledge gained over 25+ Years of doing the job. All I said was “the documentation was provided to Sears over the last few months, good luck!” They kept asking questions but then my “appointment time” was up and I was asked to leave. They were still trying to ask for information when I was being walked out. It was priceless and something I’ll never forget. I landed a really nice new job in no time since I was already looking but I often wonder how stressed out and unhappy those left at Sears were.

My late dad had an investment portfolio, including Sears stock. He said on his deathbed....don't sell the stock! He was proud he had bought Sears at $16/share.

I sold the whole portfolio to get my sister and her jerk husband off my back and give her half the stock value inheritance. For once I was grateful to have annoying relatives, otherwise I would have received far less than the $68 a share I received.

My mother used to work at the Schaumburg IL store. In the 1970's, the manager arrived one morning and the Polish cleaning crew was found passed out drunk. They had also vomited in the main aisle. Nothing like fine Polish craftsmanship.

She worked in the coats/fur department (yeah, they had firs!). One woman bought a coat on Friday and returned it for a refund on Monday....the coat had theater ticket stubs in the pocket. A good time was had by all, at least by her.

Lastly, my mother would find diapers in the fitting room. Far worse, she found a woman's USED sanitary napkin in there once.

My wife and I would walk through Sears from the parking lot so we could use the restrooms in the much cleaner Marshall Fields store.

My mother used to work at the Schaumburg IL store. In the 1970's, the manager arrived one morning and the Polish cleaning crew was found passed out drunk. They had also vomited in the main aisle. Nothing like fine Polish craftsmanship.

She worked in the coats/fur department (yeah, they had firs!). One woman bought a coat on Friday and returned it for a refund on Monday....the coat had theater ticket stubs in the pocket. A good time was had by all, at least her.

Lastly, my mother would find diapers in the fitting room. Far worse, she found a woman's USED sanitary napkin in there once.

My wife and I would walk through Sears from the parking lot so we could use the restrooms in the much cleaner Marshall Fields store.

My favorite part was all the different women over the years, giving me or-l in secluded office areas.
You’d be surprised how many woman did so. Married and single

Shopping in the Brooklyn Kmart and seeing that they attached a little Sears to it. How cute!

My favorite memory is riding the escalator inside the local Sears store. It was fun.

I worked in the auto center...one of my coworkers was getting married on a Friday (payday) and he came in to get his paycheck. You see, kids, paychecks were actual paper checks, and back in the day you could cash it at the Cash Office in the store.

While he was cashing his check, we took a jack and jacked up the rear wheels of his Chevette (obv. a long time ago!) and pushed it to another part of the parking lot. When he came out, he freaked out, thinking his car got stolen (remember, Chevette...you could leave the keys in one and no one would take it!) We had our laugh and told him where the car was. Most of us were going to the wedding that night; we made some very solid friendships and I still see some people I worked with back then.

I assure you no loss prevention associate would have relations with an ASM. We take an oath that we treat very seriously.

Selling off my Sears stock grants on the day they hit $197.00 a share. These grants were given to management, director level on up as appreciation. I cleared over 30K that day, and resigned 2 weeks later.

My favorite memory was the day our receiving manager came into work into drunk and our ASM was caught having s-x with one the loss prevention associates. After all 3 individuals were fired , they were marched out of the store in front of everyone while we were having our morning stand up before the store opened. Great times !

Confirmed, Chicago Ridge is still open. I just drove through downtown and many businesses have customers flowing in and out.

Favorite memory....walking out the door 8 years ago, to a new and much better paying job.

Chicago Ridge is NOT closed from what I hear. This board is riddled with too many rumors and lies. People said Marshall, MI Hamilton, MT and others were liquidating and those were LIES!