Mr. Calvin McDonald reports

SEARS OPENS REFRESHED STORES IN ONTARIO

With a renewed commitment to customer service and dramatic changes to store layout and merchandising, big things are happening at Sears Canada Inc.

On May 25, Sears Canada will unveil its new, refreshed store concept in four Ontario locations: Barrie, Belleville, Newmarket and at the Lime Ridge mall in Hamilton. These stores reflect the company's plans to transform the Sears shopping experience in Canada.

Changes in the stores include wider aisles, less clutter and streamlined merchandise offerings with exciting new brands at everyday low prices. In all the stores, expanded sections include kids' room and baby room, Jessica women's suit shops, men's suit shops with easier by-size shopping and additional fitting services, a new assortment and look for Craftsman outdoor power equipment, and a market-leading assortment of major appliances and mattresses.

In Newmarket, the new store has an improved checkout process. In Barrie and Belleville, easy-access shopping carts will now be available.

Sears is launching these newly refreshed locations with ribbon-cutting ceremonies with local dignitaries one-half hour before the stores open on Friday, May 25. In Belleville, Barrie and Newmarket, the ribbon cuttings will begin at 9 a.m. In Lime Ridge (Hamilton), the ribbon cutting begins at 9:30 a.m.

The first 100 customers in each store on Saturday, May 26, will receive randomly designated gift cards ranging from $25 to $500, plus additional opportunities to win a $500 gift card every hour between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. (Barrie's hourly gift card drawings will happen from 1 to 5 p.m.).

In addition, trend directors Cynthia Florek (womenswear) and Nancy Dennis (menswear and kids' wear) will be on hand in two of the stores on the 26th to present special style-savvy seminars. They will be in Newmarket at 11 a.m. and in Barrie at 2 p.m.

"Our goal with the refreshed stores is to create a stage for product in an authoritative way to make it easier for our customers to shop for the items they expect from Sears and to demonstrate our leadership in the marketplace," said Calvin McDonald, president and chief executive officer, Sears Canada. "Along with a renewed commitment to customer service, our new return policy and over 5,000 lower prices, our refreshed stores demonstrate another way that Sears is doing its best to do what's best for our customers."