Sears buys Lands' End

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After months of analyzing its department store and corporate operations, Sears, Roebuck and Co. is making big changes.|ret||ret||tab|

The company announced a $1.9 billion acquisition of Lands' End Inc. May 13 that will make the catalog and online retailer a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears. |ret||ret||tab|

Some Sears department stores will carry Lands' End clothing by fall, but a complete product rollout is not expected until fall 2003, said Sears spokesperson Linda Blakley.|ret||ret||tab|

Sears also recently announced it is eliminating the carpet, custom drapery and cosmetic departments within its 870 stores, Blakley said, because the departments weren't profitable. |ret||ret||tab|

These store alterations come seven months into the company's 18-month layoff period in which 4,900 salaried positions, or 22 percent of its full-time staff, were cut. |ret||ret||tab|

"We've been taking a look at ways to make the stores more relevant so we connect better with our customers," Blakley said. Within that, she said, positions were analyzed, resulting in the elimination of many and changes in function of others.|ret||ret||tab|

Locally, the carpet and custom drapery departments were eliminated in March, said Clyde Dunning, operations manager of the Battlefield Mall store. He said cosmetics will close out this month, but Sears will continue to carry fragrances.|ret||ret||tab|

Dunning's store also is relocating its cash registers to the main aisles for easier access. They are now called "cash wraps," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

"That allows us to expand in these other departments," Dunning said of the alterations.|ret||ret||tab|

The biggest expansion will occur in the shoe department and will double its size. Men's and women's clothing departments also are expanding.|ret||ret||tab|

A new Sears label clothing line, named Covington, will be available this fall in the men's, women's and children's departments. |ret||ret||tab|

New products available this summer, he said, will include closet accessories and picture frames. |ret||ret||tab|

"Everything's just kind of shifting around," Dunning said, noting that construction will begin in July and everything should be done by fall.|ret||ret||tab|

While the national layoffs were minimal locally, Dunning said his store is actually in a hiring process to accommodate changes.|ret||ret||tab|

It already employs 230 people, 40 percent of whom are full time, and is looking for 40 additional floor associates, he said.|ret||ret||tab|

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