corporate info

REGINA, Dec 02, 2004 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) -- Sears Canada, who sells more furniture and major appliances than any other retailer in the country, kicked off its official grand opening today of its new multi-million dollar Sears Home store at the Victoria Square Power Centre in Regina. The store created 40 new jobs in the community.

In addition to a ribbon cutting with staff and Sears executives in celebration of the store opening in Regina, Store Manager, Kevin Marpole, presented a cheque in the amount of $5,000 from the Sears Young Futures program to the Executive Director, Kim Sutherland, of the Boys & Girls Club of Regina which will help the agency move forward with an initiative to transform and expand the types of services and programs provided to children and youth in the community.

This Sears Home store is part of Sears on-going multi-million dollar national plan, that began in 1995, to offer consumers more selection, service and convenience. The store is Sears first free-standing home store in Regina, second in Saskatchewan. The store has a staff of approximately 40 including 18 trained furniture/home decor and major appliances consultants.

"Regina's economy is strong and one that has been good to us," says Ajit Khanna, Senior Vice-President, Off-Mall Sales. "We have a significant presence in this great city and with the addition of Sears Home store we are able to offer our valued customers even more shopping convenience. We look forward to expanding our presence in Regina and continuing to offer our large loyal customer base quality merchandise and exceptional customer service."

"Sears sells more furniture and major appliances than any other single retailer in Canada today" says Khanna. "From living-room suites and reclining chairs to washers, dryers and dishwashers, consumers have continued to tell us that they like to buy home-merchandise from Sears because of our reliability, unmatched service and unconditional guarantee."

"This 43,000 square foot store reflects a new customer inspired design which combines furniture, mattresses and major appliances," said Kevin Marpole, Manager, Sears Home. "By combining these categories under one roof, Sears offers an unmatched product selection for the entire home in a single, convenient shopping environment."

FURNITURE, APPLIANCES AND A WHOLE LOT MORE: The new Sears Home store in Regina also offers a 6,500 square foot Sears major appliances department with Sears full selection of national-brand major appliances including Sears Kenmore, the best selling brand in Canada. The remaining 36,500 square feet is devoted to an impressive assortment of contemporary and traditional furniture, rugs, accent decor items and mattresses.

KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF: "All our sales consultants in this new store have attended Sears Decor University" added Marpole. "The furniture/home-decor consultants have taken a series of rigorous training programs that link the selling of furniture and home fashion to consumer lifestyles. The major appliances consultants have also taken a comprehensive training program that link the selling of major appliances to consumer needs. The result is a team of Sears furniture and appliances specialists ready to help customers make informed purchases to meet their specific needs and lifestyles, and to choose merchandise that will continue to satisfy them for years."

GUARANTEED SATISFACTION: All of Sears products and services are backed by its famous guarantee, satisfaction or money refunded. "This guarantee is based on our confidence that we have quality products and services to suit any lifestyle," says Marpole.

The store's hours of operation are Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Wednesday - Friday, 9:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., Sunday, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

To add to the excitement of the new store opening, on Saturday, December 4th, between 12:00 noon and 2:00 p.m., football fans will have the opportunity to challenge Saskatchewan Roughriders, Paul McCallum and Chris Zsarka, to a game of foosball. Two winners will receive a Roughriders jersey, autographed football and a $100.00 Sears Gift Card. For more information, please call 306-546-5600.

Manager, Kevin Marpole, began working for Sears in 1993 as a bike builder in the sporting goods department of the Sears full-line department store in Regina followed by a sales associate in a number of departments. He entered management in 1999 as a Sales Manager of the Sears full-line department store in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Prior to his current role, Mr. Marpole was an In-Store Marketing Manager at the Sears Outlet store in Regina. He is married with two small children and resides in Regina. He enjoys sports, music, computers, travel and reading.

In Regina, Sears has a full-line department store, a floor covering centre, outlet store, 16 catalogue pick-up locations and a catalogue merchandise warehouse.

Sears Canada, the retailer with the most extensive multi-channel network in the country, began serving customers in 1953. The Company has 48,000 associates and, in an independent consumer survey, ranks high in customer service, trust, respect, and quality products and services. There is a Sears location within a 10-minute drive of 93% of Canadians, and Sears is dedicated to providing them with quality merchandise and exceptional service coast to coast through its 121 full-line department stores, 211 off-mall stores, 64 home improvement showrooms, over 2,200 catalogue merchandise pick-up locations, 112 Sears Travel offices and a nationwide home maintenance, repair, and installation network. The Company also publishes Canada's most extensive general merchandise catalogue and offers shopping online at www.sears.ca.

VIEW ADDITIONAL COMPANY-SPECIFIC INFORMATION: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/orgDisplay.cgi?okey=58312

For further information: Christine Hudson, Sears Canada Inc.,
(416) 941-4423, christine.hudson(at)sears.ca; Kevin Marpole, Manager,
Sears Home, (306) 546-5600 x400, kmarpol(at)sears.ca

News release via Canada NewsWire, Toronto 416-863-9350