Sears demolition continues
Sunday, August 16, 2026
Photos by David Carlos
Piles of rubble surround the Sears building in Shoreline Place as the gutting of the interior continues.
Crews are doing a professional job, cleaning up as they go.
Shoreline Fire used the lower level to train firefighters to fight fires in confined spaces.
The building in the back is the Washington State Department of Transportation.
I'm realizing now that I spent very little time shopping here. I have been in the main retail level on the top floor, using the entrance near the corner near Town & Country. And I have spent some time in the area accessed from the back, usually deserted parking lot. I had no idea there was anything but solid earth underneath. Those two sections of the store probably connected but I never checked it out.
I wonder what they will do with all the chunks of concrete? They are bristling with rebar so not useful for building retaining walls.
The building in the back is the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The extension in the front of the photo was the auto shop. The entry door on the other side led into a lower level where I remember a photo studio. I also remember a wall with a locked door just beyond it. Employees frequently went into the area beyond the door. Tire sales were near the entrance and I believe the retail section on the other side had clothing. But it was nowhere as big as the size of the building would indicate.
I'm realizing now that I spent very little time shopping here. I have been in the main retail level on the top floor, using the entrance near the corner near Town & Country. And I have spent some time in the area accessed from the back, usually deserted parking lot. I had no idea there was anything but solid earth underneath. Those two sections of the store probably connected but I never checked it out.
I wonder what they will do with all the chunks of concrete? They are bristling with rebar so not useful for building retaining walls.
It will be interesting to see the building plans.
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5 comments:
Really, that massive building had a short life. Such a waste of resources.
Much of the place was not open to the public. They would let us play pool on the table they had in the sports section downstairs which you accessed from a very narrow escalator or an elevator. Learned how to drive in the parking lot; turning, parking, backing up etc.
I worked in that building for 17 (!) years! In different departments and in different capacity. First in the very busy paint department that also included small household appliances. Then for ten years I was a visual merchandising assistant (display department), that was a fun and creative work but I needed more money to support myself and my children. So I went into commission sales in the furniture department. I learned a lot but never made enough money b cause Sears did not hire you full time, to avoid having to provide medical insurance!!! Very unfair to employees but there was no union to fight for your rights! After 17 years I applied at JCPenney and was given a full time position right away in the furniture department where I stayed for 10 years until my retirement. Comission work is a hard way to earn your livelihood when you are a single wage earner! Both the Sears and JCPenney buildings are demolished now, very depressing sights for me after spending a good part of my life in there.
It was always a very interesting and massive building with the upper road traversing across the entire front of the lower level. Lots of underground offices and storage. And the catalog department! The upper level extension stores didn't happen until the late '70s or early '80s - Pay n' Save, Ernst Hardware, Lucky Grocery (later Larry's), Hallmark store, etc...
Was built as a bomb shelter as I recall.
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