Sears closing 2 Bay Area stores after filing for bankruptcy

CONCORD, Calif. (KGO) -- One of America's great old school retailers, Sears, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. It happened Monday morning and by the afternoon Sears released a list of the stores it's closing. Two of them are in the Bay area.

Signs inside Sears stores celebrate its 125 year anniversary. It's as all American as retail gets-- Sears and Roebuck. The famous catalog selling tools, and fashion and appliances. Its craftsman brand is legendary. Sears merged with Kmart a decade ago. They added the Lands' End brand to its stores, but it didn't resurrect the business.

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"I think it's about relevance. There are so many other places people can shop for so many of the things Sears and Kmart carry that this is just that dripping away of what were iconic properties," said Wendy Liebmann, CEO of WSL Strategic Retail.

On the chopping block now-- stores in Santa Rosa and Pleasanton. The parking lot was even empty Monday night at this Sears store in Concord even though it will stay open.

"It's online Amazon-- killer of all brick and mortar stores. What's that kid's store that went down? Toys R Us. Toys R Us and now sears. I had no idea until today," said Michael Paul, a Sears shopper.

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"How does Sears seem, walking through a Sears store," we asked Sears shopper Jovana Turner. "A lot of things are on sale-40-percent or more and it's starting to become a little empty too."

Sears says their auto centers will remain open and Sears home services is operating as usual.

Sears also says they're currently honoring warranties. Online experts say now is the time to shop for discounts.