Sears Department Store

One of the last big box stores on North Main Street, closed since the mid-to-late 90s. Demolished in 2014 to become infill for a parking lot.

images of this Property

11 images: Press to view larger or scroll sideways to see more. Contribution by RI Lurky.

About this Property

Reason for Demolition

The reasons here were easy — neglect, deferred maintenance, and then water/mold issues. The store had been empty for about 10 years before Miriam hospital used the basement portion (accessible from the back side) as their Cardiac Center. Mold issues forced them out, and they built a new Cardiac Center and office complex down the hill in the shopping complex in early 2008. The parking lot in the rear of the building was the only thing being used.

A redevelopment plan in the mid 2010s knocked this building down and along with the former Anderson Little and Duck Pin Bowling, a very large LA Fitness gym was built.

Current Events

This lot is now part of the 300-space parking area for LA Fitness just over the line in Pawtucket. While this building was no treasure, the new LA Fitness seems like it was purpose-built to last exactly 10 years and then get torn down. We agree with GCPVD here — “As long as we view [North Main Street] as a place for our ugly things, it will remain a place for ugly things.”

History

No formal history. The building shows up in an aerial photo from 1951-52. Previous to that it was a different building. This section of North Main Street on the Pawtucket line is difficult to find on Sanborn Maps. Though we did find one Sanborn map from 1908 shows the Union Rail Road Company “Car Barn” at approximately this location.

10 Anecdotes from people like you

This Sear’s was built on the site of Sullivan’s Steak House (and bowling alley), which was destroyed in a spectacular fire in the mid to late 1940’s. The Steakhouse was adjacent to the A & P where my mother worked, and we watched the flames from our house on 9th St. The construction site was a great place for kids to get into mischief. Sear’s had a great model train display at Christmas. I remember their bathroom displays with sinks, tubs and toilets. I bet many a kid mistook the display toilets for the real thing.

Cecilia January 20, 2019

This Sears & Roebuck store is rich in history for our family! My Mom, Lucille English, worked at this one, part-time, for 30 years! I grew up wearing Sears clothing. My sister and I, as young Moms, would visit our mother while she was working and ALWAYS stopped at the hotdog counter for lunch! Then, the candy counter was next — on first floor which always had the freshest chocolate covered raisins and malted milk balls. I also learned how to DRIVE in the parking lot on the lower level. Still love the Sears that WAS! Years later, I moved to Ohio/Kentucky area and ended up managing a Sears Portrait Studio, which is also now defunct.

Debra English Wright January 24, 2018

RIP Sears… great old store. Worked there through high school and college. Lots of fun memories.

Dean February 14, 2015

I went to Sears with my Grandmother when I was just a little kid, I will never forget the hotdogs there at the grill on the first floor, she bought one for me everytime we went shopping!!

Valerie A. Susi November 15, 2010

Glad to see that I am not the only one to misses this old store! Remember getting a new daisy bb gun in the seventies. I also remember looking at the boats as a kid, located in the lower level of the store and dreaming what it would be like to have one for fishing with my dad. My family went there many times.

Harry February 10, 2009

Man, why did Down Under (or as I remember as a little kid Chip’s Bowlarama) go out of business? I feel like a bowling alley in Providence is so needed right now. They could make it a mix use, bowling alley/rock club like they used to have in Chicago at a place called the Fireside Bowl. An awesome divey punk club right in the bowling alley!

Stephen Mattos December 11, 2008

I SO remember the Sears on North Main Street. My mom used to take us on the bus (we lived in South Providence when it was still a lovely place to live in 1960) Mom would get our school clothes and after shopping we would go across the street to the Howard Johnson’s for hot dogs and then some ice cream before shlepping back home on the bus. God, it seems like yesterday!! I live in Fall River now but work in Downtown Providence since 1993 and I can’t get over how so many things are different but so much is still the same. My old stomping grounds!! This is the greatest website! Thanks for the memories.

Pat C June 26, 2008

I remember the Sears store there and going when I was a kid in 1967 with my grandparents and my aunt to buy all my birthday presents. They had the full line of Major Matt Mason toys and I came up from Riverside thinking that it was a long journey to get there. Also across the street on the diagonal was a toy store called Brodski’s, I think. I wonder what became of that?

Angus M March 5, 2008

When this store closed, I was certainly sad to see it go. The North Main St store was a vestige of what department stores used to be. I have so many memories from my grandparent’s shopping there, my parents friends who worked there, my friends parents who worked, the small basement lunch counter that served the best hot dogs (with mustard, relish and celery salt) to the first video games and stereos I had. Bummer.

Mike F

I remember shopping at the Sears with my parents and brother many times. We were in the car leaving the enormous Sears parking lot when we learned on the radio that John Lennon had died.

At a certain point in the 1980s Sears made a strange business decision that it would close all the free-standing Sears complexes in the USA. It would only continue to operate the Sears stores that were part of large suburban shopping malls. While many could argue that this saves on marketing, because other stores help bring in the customers, it also appeared to be another anti-urban decision by a large retailer. Even now, Wal-Mart’s approach is to begin thinking about urban areas only when the rural and suburban markets are saturated.

In the mid-1980s, some of my friends bought their first suits at theAndersen Little. The underground bowling alley was open long after the Sears complex closed. The combination of duckpins and the small bowling balls is something that is extremely difficult to find these days. This is a unique aspect of New England culture that has largely disappeared.

Cesar

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About this Property

#Reason for Demolition

#Current Events

#History

Reason for Demolition

Current Events

History