NPR

Sears, Drowning In Red Ink, Finally Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

The filling could mark the end of the struggling retailer, which invented the mail-order catalog business and has been an American institution since 1887.
A sign announcing a closing hangs above a Sears store on in Chicago last year. Sears filed for bankruptcy on Monday, after failing to make a $134 million debt payment.

Sears — the iconic American retailer that has sold everything from clothing and toys to refrigerators and socket wrenches over its more than 130 year history — may have reached the end. The Sears Holdings company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday, after failing to make a $134 million debt payment.

The bankruptcy filing is the latest and that featured nearly everything the American consumer might desire.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min readAmerican Government
Who Is Hope Hicks, The Former Trump Adviser Testifying In New York Criminal Trial?
Hope Hicks was a communications director for the Trump White House and prosecutors may question her on her knowledge of the deals made during his first presidential run.
NPR4 min read
'Hacks' Season 3 Is Proof That Compelling Storylines And Character Growth Take Time
Ava (Hannah Einbinder) and Deborah (Jean Smart) have both grown a lot since we first met them in Season 1. It's a reminder that shows need breathing room to achieve satisfying development.
NPR4 min read
'Dance Your Ph.D.' Winner On Science, Art, And Embracing His Identity
Weliton Menário Costa's award-winning music video showcases his research on kangaroo personality and behavior — and offers a celebration of human diversity, too.

Related Books & Audiobooks