Only 1 of 2 Regina Sears to close; 3 others in Sask. to shut doors

Four Sears stores in Saskatchewan will close as part of the company's national restructuring, Sears announced Thursday.

Sears Canada said it is seeking court protection from its creditors while it restructures.

• Sears Canada plans restructuring, files for creditor protection

The company will close 20 full-line locations, plus 15 Sears Home stores, 10 Sears Outlet storesand 14 Sears Hometownlocations.

They include the Sears department storesin Regina, Moose Jaw and Prince Albert, and the Sears Hometown Store franchisein Melville.

This affects 27 full-time and 50 part-time jobs in Regina;15 full-time and 38 part-time jobs inMoose Jaw;and 11 full-time and 38 part-time jobs inPrince Albert. The company has not yet confirmed the number of jobs affected in Melville.

Only one of two stores in Reginathe one inside Cornwall Centreis slated to close, according to the company. The Sears Home Store on QuanceStreet will remain open.

Shoppers react

Shoppers at the Town 'n' Country Mall in Moose Jaw said they weren't surprised their Sears would be closing, but were concerned about what that meansfor the future of the mall. TheZellersstore at the mall shut down four years ago and thatretail space is still empty.

The company says thetiming of the store closings has not yet been finalized but they are not expected to occur for a few months.

All other Sears Canada stores and the Sears websitecontinues to be open for business, the company says.

Saskatoon's Sears location at Midtown Plaza is not on the list of store closures. Terry Napper, general manager of the Midtown Plaza mall, says there's been no indication Sears is planning to leave that location.

"At this point it's business as usual," he said.