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As a kid and as a young adult, I remember the wonderful candy counters at Sears. I especially loved the hot roasted nut section, especially the hot roasted cashews. I know that for a few years, another company operated them. Are there any Sears that still do this? If not, when were they totally discontinued?

The sears that I used to frequent all discontinued this in the early 90's.

The Sears Puente Hills mall had the candy counter upstaris next to the elevator.

The Sears in Alhambra had the candy counter upstairs near the escalators. This store was the first to discontinue the counter in the area. This store would eventually close in the late 90's to become a Toys R Us and Party City. I dont know what they have upstairs, but Toys R Us uses the basement level.

I wonder if the sears in East LA still has one. It hasnt been remodeled since the 60's when they covered the original 1930's design for a more modern look. It still has the old script logo as well.

The candy counter, as well as toys, HBA and stationery were all removed from Sears throughout the 1980's.

Of course, toys returned in 2002 from KB Toys, and remained in a larger presence in 2003, Sears dealt w/their own toys in 2004, and had toys from Kmart upon the merger for 2005 during the Christmas season. Mainly Kmart storebrand toys and offerings from Mattel and Hasbro.

The only department store to still have a candy counter that I know of is Boscov's, a family owned chain of about 40 stores mainly concentrated in central and eastern Pennsylvania, as well as some other Northeastern areas.

As mentioned in another thread, W T Grant was trying so hard to be like Sears in the late 60's early 70's. Grants/Grant City stores also had candy counters with bulk candy, nuts, and fresh popcorn. We even sold Icee's there.

I had a conversation with an acquaintance about a month ago who works for Sears corporate and she said that they are going to start bringing back the candy counter in some stores. It has something to do with the smell of popcorn wafting through the stores....

runchadrun wrote:I had a conversation with an acquaintance about a month ago who works for Sears corporate and she said that they are going to start bringing back the candy counter in some stores. It has something to do with the smell of popcorn wafting through the stores....

awesome. I hope its not in the smaller off-mall units but back at stores I remember, like Hastings, and Puente Hills.

The only department store to still have a candy counter that I know of is Boscov's...

Fields, or whatever they're called now, that have a Marketplace deli department have tons of nuts and candy including the famous Frangos. No popcorn, sadly.

The Sears at Geary Blvd and Masonic in San Francisco had a great candy counter on the 2nd floor. Nice white tile and the aroma of popcorn and roasted nuts.

That Sears shut down in the 1990s and was subdivided into different stores in each of the 4 stories. Mervyn's, Toys R Us, Good Guys, Office Depot, and various small shops moved in. Toys R Us and Good Guys recently shut down and half of the building remains empty.

I can't believe that the original poster wrote about the candy and nut booth at Sears. Of all of the nice memories that I have (and I have a lot of good memories), the memory of my Mom buying me a hot bag of cashews in the white and pink striped sears bag is one of the best memories I have! Thanks! :D

There was a candy counter at the Sears in Lincoln Park, Michigan as recently as 2002 - my ex-girlfriend worked there while I was living with her at that time. It originally was a Fred Sanders confectionary counter serving their bumpy cakes, ice cream & hot fudge - it later morphed into "Sweet Street", which featured all candy and no baked goods.

Last time I was in that store in 2005, however, it was closed and boarded off.

Jeff wrote:The sears that I used to frequent all discontinued this in the early 90's.

The Sears Puente Hills mall had the candy counter upstaris next to the elevator.

The Sears in Alhambra had the candy counter upstairs near the escalators. This store was the first to discontinue the counter in the area. This store would eventually close in the late 90's to become a Toys R Us and Party City. I dont know what they have upstairs, but Toys R Us uses the basement level.

I wonder if the sears in East LA still has one. It hasnt been remodeled since the 60's when they covered the original 1930's design for a more modern look. It still has the old script logo as well.

In Puente Hills...it was originally downstairs next to the catalog area. It then moved upstairs. The toffee coated peanuts were the best!

I can't remember it being downstairs at all.

Jeff wrote:I can't remember it being downstairs at all.

Yep. When you entered the main double doors downstairs...it was immediately on the left. Or, enter through the catalog door...and walk to the right. The wallpaper books were between the candy counter and the catalog area. I'd sit at the wallpaper book counter...and snack! There was the incessant PA system yelling stuff out...most often "404 Please". What the heck was a 404?! Upstairs were video machines.

I remember the 404 please.

Jeff wrote:I remember the 404 please.

You're killing me Jeff! Back then, I honestly asked them one time WHAT a 404 is/was...as it seemed to ALWAYS be called. I THINK it was for a clean-up or something!