Sears has been part of America since 1893, with landmarks dotting its history on several occasions. After all, they had the first-ever mail-order catalogs to sell prefab houses, published an annual Christmas catalog that kids dog-eared every year when making their wishlists, and were one of the first true department stores to sell everything from clothes, linens, and home appliances to quality power tools.



Outside one of Sears' new "Home and Life" stores.
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Now, the retail giant is reinventing itself yet again — this time with smaller stores that concentrate on home goods, services, and appliances. While traditional Sears stores are typically about 150,000 square feet in size, these new stores =only average between 10,000 and 15,000. The biggest omissions from the new shops are apparel, electronics, home furnishings, and toys, in keeping with the company’s new focus on home, heart, and, as their latest slogan states, “Making Moments Matter.”


The pilot “Home and Life” stores opened on Memorial Day weekend in 2019 in Anchorage, Alaska, Lafayette, Louisiana, and Overland Park, Kansas. Based on the current success of those locations, the company is already considering expanding to major cities all across the nation.



Improved and Expanded



Inside one of Sears' new "Home and Life" stores.


Although the stores may be smaller in size, the Home and Life product lines and services have undoubtedly built upon the company’s already-impressive inventory. Everything from bedding to home appliances and repair services is bigger and better, largely owing to the fact that the stores were designed based on sales and feedback from Sears Appliances & Mattresses stores, which themselves were introduced in 2017 in select cities across Colorado, Texas, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania.



Home and Life Focus


In hopes of making the shopping experience as enjoyable as possible, Sears Home and Life stores have been jam-packed with convenient features. For starters, each Home and Life store features Kenmore and other best-selling appliance brands laid out in scenarios that reflect common laundry room and kitchen layouts to help customers visualize how the items will fit into their homes. On-site experts in these areas offer free advice and decorating tips.



Inside one of Sears' new "Home and Life" stores.


The new stores are stocked with all the most popular small kitchen appliances from trusted brands, including a full line of home cleaning tools and eco-friendly cleaning products. You’ll also be able to snag high-end mattresses from respected names including Simmons, Beautyrest, Stearns & Foster, Serta, Tempur-Pedic®, and Sealy here, as well as a diverse collection of smart home products that are compatible with Google+ and Alexa devices.



Super Service Options



Inside one of Sears' new "Home and Life" stores.


Many people believe true customer service is a dying concept, but Sears seems determined to change that opinion with the service options offered by their new Home and Life stores.


Online Shopping, Both In-Store and at Home


By joining the store’s “Shop Your Way” program, customers gain access to the in-store “Search Bar” kiosk, where they can request products and services from the comfort of a computer. On-site experts stand by the kiosk to answer your burning questions and offer advice.


Customers can also shop at home online at sears.com and pick their purchases up for free at the nearest store, where they’ll be given a reserved parking space and have everything loaded in five minutes or fewer, a Sears guarantee.


Repairs, Replacements, and More



Inside one of Sears' new "Home and Life" stores.


Sears Home Services has always been a big hit with shoppers. They offer a full line of replacement parts and accessories for appliances, as well as experienced repair personnel. Patrons can elect to have one of these experts install any roofing, flooring, windows, countertops, or kitchen cabinets purchased at a Home and Life store.