The Smarter Side of Sears

It appears that the folks at Sears finally are serious about shedding their dowdy image as primarily a tool and appliance merchant. And—dare I say it?—it’s about time.

I once heard a former Sears CEO speak at a press conference back in the early 1990s. He was new to the job at the time, and he said the first thing he did upon taking the position was to send his wife to their local Sears store to shop. He asked her to come back with ideas on how the company could capture more female shoppers of apparel, jewelry, shoes and housewares, and he would combine that first-hand feedback with some market-research findings.