Sears Hometown store open for business
By Christopher Bouchard
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — The people of Caribou no longer have to travel out of town to purchase major appliances and furniture, as the newly opened Sears Hometown store on Sweden Street has plenty to offer.
Staff photo/Christopher Bouchard
Sears Hometown employees Michael Ireland, left, and Jennifer Tardy ring up customer Mary Lewis at the new Caribou store located on 57 Sweden Street.
The store, located on 57 Sweden Street, opened on Jan. 28 and is managed by Dave Bell. When Bell and City Manager Austin Bleess announced the store’s opening in late November of last year, they hoped the store would not only draw in customers, but other potential businesses to the surrounding area.
According to Bell, business is going great so far, and there has been a steady flow of customers since the store’s opening.
“So far we’ve had a lot of people coming in and looking around,” said Bell. “It’s been very well received. There is a lot of excitement, people have been saying it’s been needed in this area for a long time. I think a lot of people are excited about it, and we are too. It’s been pretty hectic. We don’t have our outdoor signs yet, but we do have the ‘now open’ banner.”
Trucks full of new appliances and inventory are still bringing products to the newly opened Caribou business.
“We’re getting inventory all the time,” said Bell. “There are a lot of bare spots in the store that we are slowly filling. We just got another truck full of inventory in this morning that needs to be put out. I think we have a good selection right now, there’s a good selection of tools, garden equipment, and a huge selection of appliances. We have some stuff that we didn’t expect to have, like the water department, humidifiers, water heaters, and vacuum cleaners.”
Sears Hometown in Caribou currently has a number of ongoing sales, and have already sold some major appliances. Bell says that, aside from the large appliances, the store is a good place for people to “come in and get replacement bags for their vacuum cleaner or other parts and tools.”
No date has been decided for the grand opening, but Bell says it should take place within a few months. In the meantime, the store will regularly offer new sales and deals.
“We’re hoping for a grand opening at some point in March or April,” said Bell. “There will be all kinds of sales and refreshments, so that’s something to look forward to.”
