Sears Hometown & Outlet Stores expands Kansas City retail and distribution center

Sears Outlet Stores, a subsidiary of Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, has leased the former Sears location on E Front Street, expanding Outlet Store operations and services, while offering an economic boost with mass job creation.



Originally leased by Sears Holdings Corporation, the facility included warehousing, distribution, repair service and a Sears Outlet retail location. Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores took over the lease of the 354,000-sq.-ft. property earlier this year. As Sears Holdings Corporation wound down its operations in this massive location, situated on railroad tracks, Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores saw the opportunity to expand and began repurposing and renovating the facilities in spring 2014. The company expects to have the project complete and operations fine-tuned by early fall this year.



"We've processed product and remained open to the public during the repurposing process, as we continue to renovate and expand the facility previously occupied by Sears Holdings," said Peter Nero, VP of real estate for Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores. "We have been a presence in this community since 1968, and we're looking forward to the continued warm welcome from our neighbors here and the opportunity we have to employ so many new local workers to give this building new life."



The size of this location allowed Sears Outlet Stores the ability to develop a new central distribution center for the South-Central region. The new repair and distribution center is expected to create nearly 160 new jobs to be filled by Kansas City locals.



Sears Outlet Stores has also invested in updating and remodeling both its retail location and the building's exterior. The retail space in this location has expanded more than 50%, increasing the selection of home appliances, lawn and garden equipment, tools, sporting goods and household goods available to the public. The retail store, which now boasts more than 27,000 sq. ft. of retail selling space, has also expanded its assortment of merchandise, bringing in new categories such as apparel and furniture. The Sears Outlet Store located at 3632 E Front Street in Kansas City, Mo., is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays.



As of May 3, Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores and its dealers and franchisees operated 1,250 stores across all 50 states as well as in Puerto Rico and Bermuda.