THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 1, 1995 TAG: 9511010485
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEPHANIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
Sears hopes to lure local shoppers by showing off its ``softer side'' - the result of millions of dollars in renovations to its three South Hampton Roads stores.
The overhauls are a part of Sears' pledge to remodel and restock 500 department stores across the nation. The retailer, a subsidiary of Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based Sears Roebuck & Co., plans to spend $4 billion on the five-year project.
By Saturday, the department-store chain says, it will have finished overhauling its stores in Pembroke Mall in Virginia Beach, Greenbrier Mall in Chesapeake and Chesapeake Square Mall.
Linda Blakley, a spokeswoman for Sears, would not say how much money the company is spending in South Hampton Roads. But nationally, Sears could be spending as much as $8 million per store - or more, if needed.
``Our stores have changed dramatically,'' said Roger Millard, a Sears district manager in Raleigh.
At the Sears in Chesapeake Square, for example, the company paid for a new jewelry section, expanded apparel departments and other changes, said Paul Tucker, general manager of the department store. Everything from the lights on the ceiling to the tiles on the floor was upgraded, he said.
The stores in Greenbrier and Pembroke malls will get new cosmetic sections.
``The construction work is complete,'' said Rubin Farless, general manager of the Sears in Greenbrier Mall. ``We're really trying to put the fluff on right now. We're just about there.''
Sears' changes are all about competition. The retailer watched as rival J.C. Penney succeeded in showing its softer side by ridding itself of its hard goods and concentrating on apparel. But the Plano, Texas-based chain's sales dropped when the apparel industry slumped.
Sears doesn't want to make that mistake. The retailer will remove many of its furniture sections to make room for more clothing. But much of the sofas, lamps and dining room sets will be heading for Sears' HomeLife stores.
HomeLife stores are stand-alone furniture stores. So far, there are none in Hampton Roads but two stores have opened in Richmond.
The company has been promoting the campaign by inviting customers to see the new ``softer side of Sears.'' The chain will hold ``grand re-openings'' at its South Hampton Roads stores on Saturday and Sunday. by CNB