American comedian Ron White frequently tells a story about how his van was damaged in a comedic way by the technicians at a Sears Automotive Center in Savannah, GA. This week, that Sears Automotive Center is being torn down. While the shopping mall that former Sears location is a part of is otherwise doing well, the Sears has been closed for years. The department store end-cap building and the car service center in its out-parcel property are being demolished to make way for the development of a new apartment complex.
A link to Ron preforming the story for a live audience.
This was a huge deal for consumers. Suddenly you had a powerhouse of home appliance sales and service, covering just about everything. When I was a kid, every time any appliance broke, I knew we’d head to Sears parts counter, look at the service manuals on microfiche (before the internet) and be able to get exactly what was needed and how to replace it.
It was so much more convenient than today where no one carries parts anymore, so even repairmen walk in, order the part, and have to be scheduled to come back.