Willow Grove Sears Spared From Latest Round Of Store Closures

WILLOW GROVE, PA — Sears Holdings will be closing more than 100 stores in the new year, the company announced Thursday. Of the closures, 64 Kmarts will be shuttered, and 39 Sears stores. The stores are expected to close between early March and April and liquidation sales will begin as early as Jan. 12, the company said in a statement.

"We will continue to close some unprofitable stores as we transform our business model so that our physical store footprint and our digital capabilities match the needs and preferences of our members," the company said in its statement.

In Pennsylvania, 10 Kmarts and three Sears stores will close. The Willow Grove Mall location was spared.

Locations include Kmart stores in Bridgeville, Sayre, Enola, Harrisburg, Hazleton Township, Pittston, Hermitage, Philadelphia (Aramingo Avenue), Franklin and Honesdale.

Sears stores in Pittsburgh (Ross Park Mall Drive), Philadelphia (Bustleton Avenue) and Hanover will also close.

A full list of store closures is here.

It's the latest bad news for the company, and for brick-and-mortar stores across the region. Last year, right around the same time, the company announced it would close nine Pennsylvania retail locations.

Many retailers have announced plans to close in 2018, including Bon Ton, J. Crew and Gap.

With reporting from Patch editor Kara Seymour

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel