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Lately, it's been the end of an era for many big box stores in New York. Earlier this year, the beloved Astor Place Kmart shut its doors (do not despair, it will be a Wegman's come 2022), and now, the city's last Sears is slated to shut its doors in November.
The Flatbush Sears, which has been in business at 2307 Beverly Rd since 1932, is slated to close its doors before Thanksgiving, on Wednesday, November 24. A liquidation sale will take place at the shop before its closes forever.
Luckily for architecture enthusiasts, the building itself will remain. Designated a historic landmark by the Landmark Preservation Committee in May 2012, the three-story retail structure designed by Chicago architects Nimmons, Carr & Wright, will continue on at its location at the corner of Beverly Rd. and Bedford Ave. The real estate value of that corner may be part of the reason Sears is breaking up with New York.
“In order to redevelop and reinvigorate the property. This is part of the company’s strategy to unlock the value of the real estate and pursue the highest and best use for the benefit of the local community,” the company said in a statement shared with CBS News. The property has a spacious parking lot, which was used as a drive-through COVID-19 testing site in 2020.
Luxury condos or offices (you remember those...) may likely inhabit the Art Deco building in the near future, though no specific plans for the lot have been shared.