This is similar to what I have seen when entering or descending the escalator to my local mall’s Sears store at ground level. I would swear it was like this as recently as last week. No more. It’s gone from this

to this

There were two televisions on display, and I was told I shouldn’t buy the smaller one since “we don’t have any new ones.” The sales associate told me they’d downsized electronics because of competition from Walmart and from Amazon. I can understand not wanting to carry expensive inventory, although that hasn’t keep them from stocking hundreds of washers, dryers and refrigerators, not to mention the dozens of mattresses they have on hand.

It seems to me it’s one more surrender to a changing retail world, and I suspect Sears is not much longer for that mall. JC Penney moved out about ten years ago, Liberty House was bought by Macy’s, Borders went bankrupt. Now we have TJ Maxx and Ross.

This does not bode well.