Miami's last Sears store just added a new hands-on showroom. Take a look

Miami Herald

4 hours ago

The last Sears store in South Florida, one of only two left in the state, is trying a familiar name to bring customers inside.
The Kenmore appliances brand, associated with Sears for more than a century, opened a new 3,000-square-foot showroom inside the 'Coral Gables Sears' on the Miami side of the city border at 3655 SW 22nd St.
Kenmore, like Sears, is owned by the Illinois-based holding company Transformco.
The Kenmore Studio hands-on showroom, on the first floor of the two-story Sears that started business in 1954, offers a 'hands-on showroom experience,' according to the company. The showroom opened July 31.
Customers can outfit their kitchens with new stoves, dishwashers, refrigerators and countertop appliances; their laundry rooms with washers and dryers; yards with barbecue grills; and throughout the home with an assortment of small appliances.
The Sears at Coral Way and Douglas Road may give way to a mixed-use development of retail and residences in a plan approved by the city of Miami in April. The store sits on land owned by RK Associates, which listed it for sale in May.
MORE: Last Sears store in South Florida could disappear. Here are the plans
The Sears store already sold many of these Kenmore products. But the focused Kenmore Studio is designed to make it easier to get help in finding what you need and making a purchase.
Kenmore Studio features four zones: Kitchen, Laundry, Cooking and Outdoor Living. The merchandise zones are housed in one location in the store with workers on hand to help potential customers, contractors and browsers test, learn and interact with the products. The studio also can offer customers access to Sears Home Services, including repair consultations and warranty guidance.
Is the Kenmore Studio a leap of faith for a store that seems on life support? Sears has no plans to open a Kenmore Studio inside its only other Florida store in Orlando, according to Kenmore Chief Executive Officer Sridhar Solur.
'We chose Coral Gables because it's a vibrant, design-conscious community with a strong homeowner base that values quality, culture, and function,' Solur said in an email interview with the Miami Herald.
'This is Kenmore's first-ever dedicated showroom, and we're using this as a test model to build something immersive and modern. Our focus is not on Sears' broader strategy, but rather on giving our customers a space where they can interact with Kenmore products in a meaningful way.'
This Studio inside the 'Gables Sears' showcases Kenmore's latest technologies that simplify everyday living, Solur said.
'If you're looking for a dishwasher, a team member will walk you through your options, answer questions and help you understand which product fits your needs. From there, we arrange the rest: purchase, delivery, installation and even warranty registration if needed.'
What happens if Sears, which only has eight stores nationwide, including the two in Florida, disappears? Will customers still get their service through a warranty?
Solur cited Kenmore's longevity since 1913. Service and warranty support for Kenmore major appliances is administered by Sears Home Services, which operates independently nationwide, he said.
'Kenmore stands behind the products we make, always has, always will,' Solur said.
Transformco didn't respond to the Miami Herald's request for information and comment.
Coordinating the purchase, delivery and installation of appliances should take a few business days, depending on the home location and the Studio's inventory availability, Solur said.
'We don't just sell products. We support the full journey from decision-making to satisfaction,' the CEO said. 'And we're here after the sale, too.'