Sears Unveils a 'Grand' New Experience in Kansas City Area

From Barbie to Kenmore, shoppers are in for a new kind of shopping experience at Sears Grand. On Saturday, May 20, Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) will open the doors to several Sears Grand stores in the Kansas City area. The stores -- located in Kansas City, MO; Liberty, MO; Lee's Summit, MO; Merriam, KS; and Lenexa, KS -- feature a broad assortment of private and national brands in a warm, inviting and easy-to-shop format.

The new Sears Grand is more than just a store -- it's a fun new shopping experience that the whole family can enjoy. While mom and dad shop, kids can be entertained with an interactive play area, game tables and video game stations. Not to mention free popcorn for everyone!

A solutions-based destination, Sears Grand is designed to inspire customers by providing complete solutions for their everyday lives. For example, stylized vignettes are presented in a way that offer ideas on how to decorate the baby's room, update the kitchen and dress for the season. An Internet lounge, which provides free high-speed web access, allows customers to check e-mail, surf the web and shop online.

"We have created a distinctive retail format that invites families to look at shopping in a new way," said Patricia Recktenwald, vice president and chief operating officer for Sears Grand. "Sears Grand allows busy families to find what they need for running their everyday lives, in a place that is also entertaining." Recktenwald added, "Sears Grand is not just a store, it is a shopping destination."

Sears Grand has the great brands that have made Sears part of American families for generations -- Kenmore, DieHard, Craftsman and now Lands' End -- plus everyday household items such as milk, pet food and shampoo.

Merchandise categories include: apparel, appliances, automotive, baby needs, cleaning supplies, electronics, fitness equipment, health and beauty, home decor, laundry, lawn and garden, pantry, pet care, pharmacy, ready-to- assemble furniture, sporting goods, tools and toys.

Other exciting store features include the Grand Cafe, which offers food and refreshments, regularly scheduled home improvement seminars and food samplings in the Pantry and Appliance departments. For added convenience, electronic price verifiers throughout the store enable customers to easily check the price on any product or to call for assistance when needed.

"Sears Grand combines the convenience of the former Kmart with the quality brands and services of Sears and we are excited to bring this new shopping experience to the local communities," said Brad Johnson, director of stores of Sears Grand. "We look forward to being a good neighbor and building lifelong relationships with our customers."

These stores, all previously Kmart stores, were selected for conversion based on the needs and lifestyles of area residents, which match the solutions Sears Grand provides, as well as the store's location relative to other Sears and Kmart stores. Each store employs approximately 100 local residents.

About Sears

Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation's third largest broadline retailer, with approximately $55 billion in annual revenues, and with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, home electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has Martha Stewart Everyday products, which are offered exclusively in the U.S. by Kmart and in Canada by Sears Canada. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 13 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit Sears Holdings' website at http://www.searsholdings.com/ .

SOURCE: Sears Holdings Corporation

CONTACT: Corinne Gudovic of Sears Holdings Corporation, +1-847-286-3226,
or CGudovi@searshc.com

Web site: http://www.searsholdings.com/