Whitehorse Sears outlet shutting down next month

Attention Whitehorse shoppers: Sears is shutting down its local outlet.

The store's local owner/operator,Arun Ramalingam, said the doors willclose on May 15.

"It's Sears' decision, it's not our decision," he said.

"They are saying the main cause would be the shipping, which is really expensive to ship up to the North... they're not making much profit."

The outlet hasbeen in businessfor more than three decades, butRamalingamand his familyhaveoperated it for just the last six years.

He saidSears hoped to keep the store open until September, "but they couldn't manage it."

"A lot of customers don't even believe this, that we're going to close the store."

Thereare appliances on display inside the WhitehorseSears, but the store is better known for its catalogue business. The outletserves as apickup location for orders from the renownedSears catalogue.

Ramalingam said the company wants to maintaina catalogue agency in Whitehorse, as exists in Dawson City.They are typically located in existing small businesses, and featurea small desk where Sears parcels can be picked up.

"We're not into that. They're asking me to find a good person, if I know anyone," he said.

Sears also closed its Yellowknife store last year.