Sears Opens Refreshed Stores in Ontario

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 24, 2012) -

Editors Note: A photo for this release is available on the CP picture wire via Marketwire.

With a renewed commitment to customer service and dramatic changes to store layout and merchandising, big things are happening at Sears.

On May 25^th, Sears Canada (TSX:SCC) will unveil its new, refreshed store concept in four Ontario locations: Barrie, Belleville, Newmarket and at the Lime Ridge mall in Hamilton. These stores reflect the Company's plans to transform the Sears shopping experience in Canada.

Changes in the stores include: wider aisles, less clutter and streamlined merchandise offerings with exciting new brands at everyday low prices. In all the stores, expanded sections include: KidsRoom and BabyRoom, Jessica women's suit shops, Men's suit shops with easier by-size shopping and additional fitting services, a new assortment and look for Craftsman outdoor power equipment and a market-leading assortment of major appliances and mattresses.

In Newmarket, the new store has an improved check-out process. In Barrie and Belleville, easy-access shopping carts will now be available.

Sears is launching these newly refreshed locations with ribbon cutting ceremonies with local dignitaries 1/2 hour before the stores open on Friday, May 25^th. In Belleville, Barrie and Newmarket, the ribbon cuttings will begin at 9am. In Lime Ridge (Hamilton), the ribbon cutting begins at 9:30am.

The first 100 customers in each store on Saturday, May 26^th will receive randomly designated gift cards ranging from $25 to $500, plus additional opportunities to win a $500 gift card every hour between 9am and 1pm. (Barrie's hourly gift card drawings will happen from 1 - 5pm).

In addition, Trend Directors Cynthia Florek (Womenswear) and Nancy Dennis (Menswear and Kidswear) will be on hand in two of the stores on the 26^th to present special style-savvy seminars. Cynthia and Nancy will be in Newmarket at 11am and in Barrie at 2pm.

"Our goal with the refreshed stores is to create a stage for product in an authoritative way to make it easier for our customers to shop for the items they expect from Sears and to demonstrate our leadership in the marketplace," said Calvin McDonald, President and CEO, Sears Canada. "Along with a renewed commitment to customer service, our new return policy and over 5,000 lower prices, our refreshed stores demonstrate another way that Sears is doing its best to do what's best for our customers."

Sears Canada is a multi-channel retailer with a network that includes 196 corporate stores, 278 hometown dealer stores, 29 home services showrooms, over 1,500 catalogue and online merchandise pick-up locations, 105 Sears Travel offices and a nationwide home maintenance, repair, and installation network. The Company also publishes Canada's most extensive general merchandise catalogue and offers shopping online at www.sears.ca.