Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

When the local Sears store closed, I applied to open a HOMETOWN Store in Walla Walla as a family-owned business. Sears' definition of a HOMETOWN Store is one that is owned and operated locally. My application went through and was accepted. I had many phone conferences and a couple of interviews with Sears Development/ District Managers. My sons and I had done our homework that Sears wanted done as far as foot and vehicle traf- fic patterns, permits needed, storefronts available, and all the necessary preliminary research we were asked to do. I had previously talked with former Sears employees about possible positions working in a HOMETOWN Store. After the interviews by these different managers, we were told that no one else had ap- plied to open a HOMETOWN Store locally. The interviews went well. We had a lot of ideas/suggestions that would make the business a success. We were led to believe that we could open this store with Sears' input during the process of finding the building, setting up the fixtures, etc. We were told that our family would be good owner/operators for a Sears HOMETOWN Store.

After all of this prep work, the area District Manager offered the opportunity to open the HOMETOWN Store to a person who lives in Baker City, Oregon. What became of the "locally owned and operated" business? It appears that the ideas and research my sons and I did have been used in the preparation for opening this new HOMETOWN Store. This is the wrong way to treat "potential" business owners.

I am wondering how this can be called a "locally owned and operated" HOMETOWN Store when the owner of the business lives in Baker City. We were misled, just like the article in the Sunday, August 12, Union-Bulletin is misleading. Could Sears customers be misled also? My sons and I are very disappointed. We are very upset and feel we were treated unfairly. Prior to the local Sears store closing, we shopped at Sears often. As for my family and I and some friends, we will not be doing business with Sears in the future.

Bob Radke and Sons

Walla Walla