Sears prepares to open 1st area store in 20 years.(Sears, Roebuck & Co.)

Crain's Detroit Business, September, 1997 by Roush, Matt

Sears, Roebuck & Co. is readying its first new store in metro Detroit in 20 years, a 175,000-square-foot store tacked onto the side of Westland Shopping Center. Sears plans to open the store Oct. 25. Sears wouldn't disclose the cost of the project. But Westland Planning Director Todd Kilroy said earlier estimates peg the cost of the store at $21 million.

Why Westland, and why now? Retail analysts say the store is simply tapping into the booming Plymouth-Canton Township market at the nearest available regional shopping center. "It seems kind of odd to me there wasn't a Sears there in the first place," said Daniel Poole, retail analyst at Detroit brokers First of Michigan Corp. "It's a chance to garner some sales at a mall that's upgraded its image in recent...

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