The Price Sears Store is not closing. It is not even part of the same company that announced the closure of the Price K Mart and several larger Sears stores across the country.
“Last week a guy drove his truck up and walked into my store and asked me point blank when we were closing,” said Rich Jones , the owner of the Sears Hometown Store in Price. “I told him we weren’t.”
The Sears store on Carbon Avenue between Main Street and First North is not affiliated with Sears Holding Company. It belongs to Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, a separate company and the only thing they share at all are some brand names and to the distribution chain for products. The two were once affiliated, but they separated in 2012.
“Our store only uses the Sears name under license. The news that Sears Holding is closing some of its outlets has nothing to do with our store or Sears Hometown.”
Jones said he’s not sure how the Price K Mart closure will affect the Sears business. In the last few years K Mart has been selling some products that the Hometown Store sells. Things such as Craftsman tools and some Kenmore appliances are sold at K Mart, along with some other items.
“I have roots in this community even though I was raised in Arizona,” he said. “My mother was an Oviatt and was from here. We moved here and bought this business because we love this community and we want to stay here.”
There are 800 Hometown Stores in the United States, a number of them operating in Utah, including in Ephraim, Heber, and Tooele. The local store employs four people besides Jones and his family.
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