Upper Darby Sears to close its doors

A landmark Delaware County Sears store is being closed as part of a nationwide trimming of stores by the retail chain.  

The Sears in Upper Darby is one of the first stores on the retailer’s closing list.  Upper Darby Township Administrator Thomas Judge said in a telephone interview the store’s closing will mark the end of an era.

“You talk about the 69th Street area and people say `I remember Penny’s, I remember Lit’s, I remember Sears,'” Judge said. “In that way, it’s special.”

Judge said the closing of Sears doesn’t mean there are no shopping opportunities at 69th street.

“The sears store is a destination, but we also think the 69th Street shops are becoming a destination,” Judge said. “The loss of any anchor store is hard to take, I don’t want people to lose sight of the fact that we have a vibrant and active 69th Street Shopping center.”

Judge said he hopes a new retailer will occupy the Sears building and keep the business area busy.

The Pottstown Sears is also slated to be closed. No Sears in New Jersey or Delaware are being cut at this point.