Sears' 'grand' plan to win over mass consumer launches in Utah

DSN Retailing Today, Oct 13, 2003 by Laura Heller

Although Post believes it's premature to talk about rolling out the concept, four additional stores are in the works, with the next to open outside Chicago in the suburb of Gurnee in spring 2004. Following that, Sears Grand's will open in Las Vegas; Rancho Cucamonga, Ca., near Los Angeles; and finally Austin, Texas, in 2005.

Each store will be of varying size and layout--each unit will serve as a learning experience and the following store will incorporate each lesson. "We have to determine what the customer values," said Post. "What the customer likes and doesn't like."

This first unit went from initial concept to doors open in approximately 11 months, although the idea of such a store "has been a conversation for some time," Post said. The retailer added "Grand" to the Sears name to differentiate the format from its traditional stores, said Post, although they don't intend for the moniker to be too heavily emphasized.

"We hope our customers won't say they're going down to the Sears Grand," said Post. "We want our customers to think of this store as a Sears store."

Sears also hopes to attract more female shoppers, a quest it has been on for years. With the Grand concept, those efforts are even more on display with the addition of consumables. Said Post, "If we can win her, then we're going to like the answer in this store."