Report: Sears Test-Drives New Store Concept

Cincinnati, Three Sears stores in the Cincinnati area have a new look and mission and just in time for the holidays, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Elements of the approach, called Solutions Centers, may one day be rolled out to the retailer's hundreds of other full-line stores in North America, the report said. Officials plan to track sales trends through all of 2008 before making any judgment.

Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky were chosen for the initiative because the demographics of the region closely match the rest of America, said Norm Buchanan, Sears district VP for store initiatives.

The report said that the company hopes the new approach will resonate with home renovation do-it-yourselfers, who may want a sneak peak at what the rooms will look like before they invest hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.

Design centers in each pod offer computerized imaging to show customers how new cabinets, shelves, flooring and lighting will look. Another hub involves home theater and other electronic choices for home entertainment.