HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., May 13, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- One of the first Sears Hometown Stores to become an "America's Appliance Expert" location and undergo a complete refresh of its appliance retail strategy has also lent a helping hand to a deserving local military veteran.
The La Belle, Fla. location recently participated in hit show Designing Spaces for a special series called "Designing Spaces of Hope – Military Makeover." Airing May 15, 2015 at 7 a.m. EDT/PDT on Lifetime, the show worked closely with Wounded Warriors of South Florida to provide local Purple Heart veteran Lt. Robert Keefe, Jr. a complete home makeover. The La Belle Sears Hometown Store provided Lt. Keefe's family a full Kenmore® Elite Kitchen—range, microwave, refrigerator and dishwasher—as well as a Kenmore laundry pair.
Lt. Keefe enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 2001 and continues to serve through any capacity possible – as a veteran advocate, volunteer, mentor and public speaker. During his most recent deployment, Lt. Keefe served as a platoon commander for a truck platoon in Afghanistan from July 2010 – February 2011. It was during this deployment that his Humvee hit an improvised explosive device (IED), causing severe spine injuries which rendered him unable to continue military service and subsequently medically separated from the service. Once out of the service, Lt. Keefe moved to Okeechobee, Fla. with his wife and three young children.
"Designing Spaces is a perfect fit for Sears Hometown Stores," said David Buckley, Chief Marketing Officer, Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq:SHOS), which operates Sears Hometown Stores. "Providing appliances to a deserving local family highlights exactly what makes us America's Appliance Experts. We're leveraging our selection and experience to pick the perfect appliances for the family and the show highlights our local community involvement for which our owners are known."
As an "America's Appliance Expert" location, the La Belle Sears Hometown Store recently underwent a refresh that incorporates all aspects of the customer experience – taking into account everything from comprehensive brand training to easy-to-shop, in-store displays and the use of technology in the sales process. The store's appliances are also focused on innovative and value-added products from Whirlpool®, Maytag®, KitchenAid®, Samsung and Kenmore. The La Belle Sears Hometown Store is the first of 51 locations to be transformed; other stores are located in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Texas and Vermont.
Unlike most retail concepts, Sears Hometown Stores combine the value, selection and services associated with larger retail stores but are owned and operated by a member of the local community.
For more information about Sears Hometown Stores, visit http://www.searshometownstores.com/.
About Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc.
Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq:SHOS) is a national retailer primarily focused on selling home appliances, lawn and garden equipment, tools and hardware. As of January 31, 2015, Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. and its dealers and franchisees operated 1,260 stores across all 50 states as well as in Puerto Rico and Bermuda.
In addition to merchandise, Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. provides consumers with access to a full suite of services, including home delivery, installation and extended service contracts.
Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. operates through two segments—the Sears Hometown and Hardware segment and the Sears Outlet segment. The Sears Hometown and Hardware segment's stores are designed to provide customers with in-store and online access to a wide selection of national brands of home appliances, lawn and garden equipment, tools, sporting goods and household goods, depending on the particular store. The Sears Outlet stores are designed to provide customers with in-store and online access to purchase new, one-of-a-kind, out-of-carton, discontinued, reconditioned, overstocked and scratched and dented products across a broad assortment of merchandise categories, including home appliances, apparel, mattresses, sporting goods, tools and lawn and garden equipment at prices that are significantly lower than list prices.