actually the demise was hastened by the US-takeover of Sears, Roebuck by Eddie Lambert and his  ESL Investments hedge fund......once he got a stranglehold of the US parent, he choked the cash right out of the Canadian divison by placing his bean-counter leaders in the Canadian drivers seat, selling off the credit card cash cow, closing the most profitable locations, divesting the company of its repair parts business.... not having merchants lead a merchandising business will always result in this kind of tumultuous downfall.... it was only a matter of time......