The Auburn Mall Sears and The Mall at Whitney Field Sears in Leominster will be closed by February of next year as Sears, now owned by Illinois holding company Transformco, sheds over 40% of its Sears and Kmart locations around the country.
The planned closure of 96 stores will leave 182 Sears and Kmart locations throughout the country. The state losing the most stores is California with 29 combined closures, while Puerto Rico will have eight stores closed. The closure impacts four locations in Massachusetts with two Kmart stores in Acton and Billerica set to be closed in addition to the Auburn and Leominster Sears.
Going out of business sales at these stores are expected to begin on Dec. 2.
According to a release from Transformco, which purchased all the assets of Sears Holdings Corp. in February, the move is part of a streamlining process in the face of a difficult retail environment and other challenges.
