Yellowknife Sears dealer to shut down at end of month

First KFC, now this:Yellowknife is losing yet another popular chain outlet this time, the family-owned dealer for the American appliance and department store giantSears.

Michelle Lucas, who owns the store with her husband, David, confirmed Sears would be shutting down on July 29. The couplehasrun the Yellowknife branch on Old Airport Road which includes a showroom and the catalogue business since October 2004.

• 'Neglected' Yellowknife KFC to fly the coop, shut down in August
• Yellowknife KFC closure news unleashes flood of fond memories

"The expenses for running the businesswere too high to make a living off of it," Lucas said."The bills were more than what we were earning and it wasn't worth staying around any more."

Lucas says the decision came after a big hike in rent and utilities expenses over the past few years.

Though there are appliances on display inside the Yellowknife Sears, it is better known for its catalogue business. It was a popular pickup location for orders from the renownedSears catalogue.

Sears Canada wants customers to still be able to pick up catalogue orders, however.

The company says it's looking for qualified candidates to starta catalogueagency in the city.These are typically located in existing small businesses, anything from a flower shop to an insurance agency, and featurea small desk where Sears parcels can be picked up.

"We want customers to know that we are committed to the local community in Yellowknife and would like to open a catalogue agency in town," saidAlicia Richler, Sears Canada's director ofcorporate affairs and communications.

"We recognize that we have many loyal customers in Yellowknifewho buy from our catalogues, such as the Christmas Wish Book, or through our website, and rely on a local agent to facilitate these deliveries."

Katie the four-legged mascot

Another fixture of the Yellowknife store isKatie, its wide-eyed four-legged greeter, who has been coming to work with Michelle since she was a six-week-old puppy. She's 11 now and sniffs almost every customer as they walk in the door.

"She thinks she works here too," she says.

Lucas says while there's been a few inquiries, Sears has not found anyone to take over the contract. When the Lucas family closes the store at the end of the month, it won't reopen until the company can find new owners.

"Everything will go on a truck and will be shipped back [south]until someone starts over again," said Lucas.

That means Sears customers will either have to pay for home delivery Lucas saysthey won't home deliver appliances or make the six-hour drive to Hay Riverto pick up orders from their town's dealer.

'They were my outlet'

The news has upset some loyal Sears customers.

Donna MacEachern is 81 and has been catalogue shopping from Sears in the N.W.T. for the past 48 years. She still shops from the catalogue today.

"They were my outlet. I don't have a computer or anything like that, but I pick up the catalogue and I buy and I have never, ever been disappointed," she says.

"To hear that they're closing, I thought, 'Oh my god', I'm gonna be lost."

MacEachern says she's going to miss the store dearly, specifically the Christmas Wish Book. She says it meant a lot to her kids and her granddaughter, Camilla.

"It was basically like a bible, my bible, when I was a child," saidCamilla MacEachern,of the Wish Book.

"I would hog it. I would sleep with it. It was kind of ridiculous actually."

Donna MacEachern stillrefuses to order online, so she thinks she mightjust stop shopping altogether once the storeshuts down.

"I guess this is the time in my life where I don't really need to be buying and buying. I can get by because I've got a closet full of clothes."

'We don't want to close'

There's been lots of changes throughout the 11 years the Lucas' have owned Sears.

In 2008, the store outgrew its old location, also on Old Airport Road.It moved next doorinto its current home,increasing inventory and the number of staff.

In recent years, Lucas says she's noticed a drop in sales with the opening of furniture and appliance competitors. She says this isn't why they decided toclose though.

Once they do close,Lucas says the family isthinking of moving back hometo Alberta.

"It'll be a relief that we're done but I'm sure I'll be shedding a few tears at the end too," she said.

"We would prefer to not close. We don't want to close. I love this business."