CHICAGO — Sears has agreed to sell its popular Craftsman tool brand through Ace Hardware stores, as the company turns again to outsiders to help boost its sales.
The partnership with 100 Ace stores selling about 10 percent of the total Craftsman line is to begin in May. The move confirms months of speculation that Sears might turn to an outside hardware or home-improvement chain to help sell the popular line of hand tools, portable power tools and tool storage as sales at Sears’ namesake department stores have continued to struggle.
Guenther Trieb, president of Sears Brands Management, said Sears will decide later whether to roll out the Craftsman offering to all 4,500 Ace stores. But all stores in June will be allowed to sell a smaller grouping of Craftsman tools for a Father’s Day promotion. Dow Jones Newswires; AP photo
