Honestly, walking into a Sears in 2026 feels like a fever dream. You expect the smell of popcorn and the hum of a busy Craftsman tool section, but instead, you get... quiet. Just a lot of quiet. If you’re looking for Sears locations still open, you’ve probably realized that finding a straight answer is surprisingly hard.
The internet is littered with old blog posts and outdated maps that claim there are dozens left. They’re wrong.
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Basically, the "Sears" of your childhood—the one with the massive Christmas Wish Book and the rugged DieHard batteries—is down to a handful of survivors. We’re talking a number you can count on one hand if you're looking at the U.S. mainland. It’s a weird, slow-motion disappearing act. While Transformco (the company that bought the remains of Sears) stays pretty quiet about its plans, the reality on the ground is that only five full-line department stores are holding the line.
Sears Locations Still Open: The Final Five
If you want to visit a full-line Sears today, you better be ready for a road trip. These aren't the mini-stores or the appliance outlets; these are the big, traditional mall anchors that managed to survive the 2018 bankruptcy and the massive sell-off that followed.
- Braintree, Massachusetts: Located at the South Shore Plaza. It’s arguably one of the most stable-looking locations left, serving the Boston suburbs.
- Concord, California: You’ll find this one in the Sunvalley Mall. California used to be a Sears stronghold, but this is the last full-line bastion in the north of the state.
- El Paso, Texas: The Cielo Vista Mall location is still kicking. It’s a bit of a local legend at this point for simply refusing to close.
- Orlando, Florida: Sitting in the Florida Mall, this store has been the subject of closure rumors for years.
- San Juan, Puerto Rico: The Plaza Las Américas store is a bit of an outlier. Sears is actually still quite popular in Puerto Rico compared to the mainland, though its future is always a topic of conversation in retail circles.
There was a location in Miami (Coral Gables) that people keep searching for, but that site is basically slated to become a massive apartment complex. If you drive by, don't expect to buy a lawnmower.
Why Are These Still Standing?
It’s kinda fascinating. You have to wonder why these five? Most retail experts, like Mark Cohen, a former Sears executive who now teaches at Columbia Business School, point to real estate. Transformco isn't really a "retailer" anymore in the traditional sense. They are a real estate company.
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They keep certain stores open because the leases are incredibly favorable, or because it's more profitable to run a skeletal retail operation than it is to break a contract with a mall owner like Simon Property Group. In many of these malls, Sears is a "zombie" anchor. They occupy the space, but the inventory is thin, and you might see entire floors roped off. It’s a strategy focused on "asset monetization" rather than selling shirts or wrenches.
What Happened to the "Hometown" Stores?
This is where people get confused. You might see a small "Sears" sign in a rural town and think, "Hey, they’re still everywhere!"
Those are usually Sears Hometown Stores. Or they were.
Back in 2022 and 2023, the Hometown store network went through its own massive bankruptcy and liquidation. Most of those were independently owned franchises. Today, almost all of them are gone. If you see one open, it’s a rare bird. Most of what’s left of the Sears brand name is actually found in Sears Home Services.
That’s the part of the business that still comes to your house to fix your fridge. It’s separate from the department stores, and it’s actually the most "alive" part of the company. They still do millions of service calls a year, even if the building where you bought the fridge originally has been turned into a pickleball court or a Spirit Halloween.
The Shopping Experience in 2026
If you actually visit one of the Sears locations still open, manage your expectations.
The "liminal space" vibe is real. You’ll walk through aisles of Kenmore appliances that look great, but then you’ll hit a patch of the store that is just... empty. It’s not uncommon to see racks of clothing from three seasons ago or registers that haven't been touched in weeks.
- The Apparel: It's mostly basic stuff now. No more high-end collaborations.
- The Tools: Craftsman is now owned by Stanley Black & Decker, so while you can still find the tools at Sears, you’ll also see them at Lowe’s and Amazon, which killed the "exclusive" reason to visit.
- The Staff: The people working there are often incredibly loyal but stretched thin. You might have one person covering three departments.
Is Sears Coming Back?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Sorta, but not how you think. Transformco has occasionally experimented with "reopening" stores, like they did in Burbank a while back, but these are usually short-term plays. The company’s focus is on their Shop Your Way rewards program and their online presence.
They want to be a digital platform, not a place where you go to buy Sunday clothes. The physical stores are essentially placeholders. Every few months, a new rumor pops up that the final five will close by Christmas. While they've survived into 2026, the clock is ticking. Retail analysts generally agree that the brand’s physical footprint is in its "final twilight" phase.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Shoppers
If you’re a die-hard fan or just looking for a bit of nostalgia, here’s how to handle the current Sears landscape:
- Check Before You Drive: Always call the store directly. Don't rely on Google Maps or the main Sears website, which sometimes lags behind on recent closures.
- Warranty Concerns: If you have a Kenmore appliance or a Sears protection agreement, don't panic. The Sears Home Services division is still a functioning entity. Your warranty is generally still valid and serviced by their fleet of technicians.
- Shop Your Way Points: If you have a backlog of points, use them. While the program is still active, its utility is highest on the website rather than in-store.
- Nostalgia Hits: If you want a souvenir, go now. These buildings are pieces of American history, and once they close, they usually get gutted or demolished quickly.
The era of the "everything store" that Sears pioneered is over, replaced by the efficiency of Amazon and the scale of Walmart. But for these last five spots, the lights are still on—for now.
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To see the current status of a specific location or to schedule a repair for an existing appliance, you should visit the official Sears Home Services portal, as that remains the most updated and reliable part of the company’s digital infrastructure.