Sears

Sears is one of America's most historic retail brands, founded in 1886 as a mail-order catalog company before becoming the country's dominant department store retailer through much of the 20th century. Once the largest retailer in the United States (a title it held for decades before Walmart's ascent), Sears sold everything from appliances and tools to clothing and home goods, and even offered Sears Catalog Homes—kit houses shipped by rail for self-assembly.

Sears filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018, closing the vast majority of its retail locations and dramatically contracting its footprint. A very small number of stores continue to operate under the Sears and Sears Hometown brands, alongside an e-commerce presence at Sears.com that still offers appliances, tools (Craftsman, Kenmore), tires, and hardware. The iconic Craftsman tool brand and Kenmore appliance brand have been sold and are now more widely available through other retailers.

For consumers seeking Sears-legacy products in 2026, Craftsman tools are available at Lowe's, The Home Depot, and direct, while Kenmore appliances sell through various retailers. The remaining Sears e-commerce and stores are a fraction of their historical presence, and product selection and customer service are significantly diminished from the brand's peak era.