Seen a lot of Boone County friends on FB posting this article, not realizing it's Alabama:

 

Sears closing Florence Mall store | Local News | timesdaily.com

According to my wife its florence KY as well. At least thats what the email she got said.

 

It's making the rounds on Facebook (see MJ's post), but people aren't reading the linked article. It's in Alabama.

I love the Craftsman name, and most of their old tools were completely unmatched by anyone else...but with the exception of their wrenches, ratchets, sockets and screwdrivers, they haven't been able to keep up with the likes of Rigid and Kobalt.

 

I've never had much faith in any of their power tools.

I love the Craftsman name, and most of their old tools were completely unmatched by anyone else...but with the exception of their wrenches, ratchets, sockets and screwdrivers, they haven't been able to keep up with the likes of Rigid and Kobalt.

 

I've never had much faith in any of their power tools.

 

Agree 100%....I've got a cabinet full of my dad's old craftsman tools and they are great. Power tools were never what they should have been.

I don't know that I have ever revealed this but I worked at Sears in College.

 

From my perspective Sears was one very fine company when I worked for them. Very professional.

I don't know that I have ever revealed this but I worked at Sears in College.

 

From my perspective Sears was one very fine company when I worked for them. Very professional.

 

Way back then they were...they just didn't adapt very well over the years.

Way back then they were...they just didn't adapt very well over the years.

 

They definitely had an old school business model and lots of those worked very well before the Net came along.

I've always been one to make things with my own two hands, and I've loved tools from a young age. My first job was in a hardware store for that reason. As a construction professional, it's been interesting to see how American tool brand upon tool brand has been been sold off, purchased, consolidated and merged over the years.

 

Black & Decker - Founded in Maryland in 1910. Merged with Stanley Works to form Stanley Black & Decker in 2010.

 

Bostitch - Founded in Massachusetts in 1896. Sold to Textron in 1966. Acquired by Stanley Works in 1986. Stanley Works merged with Black & Decker in 2010.

 

Craftsman - Started by Sears in 1927. Tools were made by a variety of US manufacturers for Craftsman until 2010, when most of the manufacturing moved overseas. Sold to Stanley Black & Decker in 2016.

 

Crescent - Founded in New York in 1907. Company was purchased by a group of independent investors in 1960. Purchased by Cooper Industries in 1968. Cooper merged their tool line with Danahar Industries to form Apex Tool Group in 2001 and Crescent brand name began being being manufactured in both US and China. Apex Tool Group and its brands were sold off to Bain Capital in 2012.

 

Delta Machinery - Founded in Wisconsin in 1919. Acquired by Rockwell International in 1945. Sold to Pentair in 1981 and began manufacturing overseas. Pentair was acquired by Black & Decker in 2004. Black & Decker merged with Stanley Works in 2010.

 

DeWalt - Founded in Maryland in 1924. Bought by American Machine & Foundry in 1949. Sold to Black & Decker in 1960. Manufacturing outsourced outside of the US in 2002. Black & Decker merged with Stanley Works in 2010.

 

Lufkin - Founded in Ohio in 1869. Purchased by Cooper Industries in 1967. Cooper merged their tool line with Danahar Industries to form Apex Tool Group in 2001 and Lufkin brand name began being being manufactured in Mexico and China. Apex Tool Group and its brands were sold off to Bain Capital in 2012.

 

Mac Tools - Founded in Ohio in 1938. Purchased by Stanley Works in 1980. Stanley Works merged with Black & Decker in 2010.

 

Porter-Cable - Founded in 1906 in New York. Purchased by Rockwell International in 1960. Sold to Pentair in 1981 and began manufacturing overseas. Pentair was acquired by Black & Decker in 2004. Black & Decker merged with Stanley Works in 2010.

 

Snap-On - Founded in Wisconsin in 1920. Acquired Swedish tool manufacturer in 1999. Snap on is still manufactured in the United States.

 

Stanley Works - Began with the 1920 merger of Stanley's Bolt Manufactory, founded in 1843, and the Stanley Rule and Level Company, founded in 1857. Stanley Works merged with Black & Decker in 2010.

Stanley going to own it all before it's over.

I don't know that I have ever revealed this but I worked at Sears in College.

 

From my perspective Sears was one very fine company when I worked for them. Very professional.

 

Same here. Worked at the Tri-County Mall Sears in the late 80's in their paint and hardware departments.

 

Was offered the opportunity to go through their management training program, and have occasionally wondered what my life would be like now if I would have taken that route.

Also, does anybody else feel that $900 million is a steal in this deal? Seems like they basically gave it away.

Almost everything Stanley Black and Decker touches turns to crap.

 

Craftsman hasn't been good since the went to China.

 

 

You want good, American made hand tools, go with S&K. Cordless stuff go with Ryobi unless you are a pro.......then it is Snap On and Milwaukee and Dewalt.

Also, does anybody else feel that $900 million is a steal in this deal? Seems like they basically gave it away.

 

 

Craftsman manufactures nothing, it's is a brand, nothing more.

I've always been one to make things with my own two hands, and I've loved tools from a young age. My first job was in a hardware store for that reason. As a construction professional, it's been interesting to see how American tool brand upon tool brand has been been sold off, purchased, consolidated and merged over the years.

 

Black & Decker - Founded in Maryland in 1910. Merged with Stanley Works to form Stanley Black & Decker in 2010.

 

Bostitch - Founded in Massachusetts in 1896. Sold to Textron in 1966. Acquired by Stanley Works in 1986. Stanley Works merged with Black & Decker in 2010.

 

Craftsman - Started by Sears in 1927. Tools were made by a variety of US manufacturers for Craftsman until 2010, when most of the manufacturing moved overseas. Sold to Stanley Black & Decker in 2016.

 

Crescent - Founded in New York in 1907. Company was purchased by a group of independent investors in 1960. Purchased by Cooper Industries in 1968. Cooper merged their tool line with Danahar Industries to form Apex Tool Group in 2001 and Crescent brand name began being being manufactured in both US and China. Apex Tool Group and its brands were sold off to Bain Capital in 2012.

 

Delta Machinery - Founded in Wisconsin in 1919. Acquired by Rockwell International in 1945. Sold to Pentair in 1981 and began manufacturing overseas. Pentair was acquired by Black & Decker in 2004. Black & Decker merged with Stanley Works in 2010.

 

DeWalt - Founded in Maryland in 1924. Bought by American Machine & Foundry in 1949. Sold to Black & Decker in 1960. Manufacturing outsourced outside of the US in 2002. Black & Decker merged with Stanley Works in 2010.

 

Lufkin - Founded in Ohio in 1869. Purchased by Cooper Industries in 1967. Cooper merged their tool line with Danahar Industries to form Apex Tool Group in 2001 and Lufkin brand name began being being manufactured in Mexico and China. Apex Tool Group and its brands were sold off to Bain Capital in 2012.

 

Mac Tools - Founded in Ohio in 1938. Purchased by Stanley Works in 1980. Stanley Works merged with Black & Decker in 2010.

 

Porter-Cable - Founded in 1906 in New York. Purchased by Rockwell International in 1960. Sold to Pentair in 1981 and began manufacturing overseas. Pentair was acquired by Black & Decker in 2004. Black & Decker merged with Stanley Works in 2010.

 

Snap-On - Founded in Wisconsin in 1920. Acquired Swedish tool manufacturer in 1999. Snap on is still manufactured in the United States.

 

Stanley Works - Began with the 1920 merger of Stanley's Bolt Manufactory, founded in 1843, and the Stanley Rule and Level Company, founded in 1857. Stanley Works merged with Black & Decker in 2010.

 

So, my first job was at Bargain Supply, and it was nothing like it is now. We sold Makita power tools. I guess you could say I was. Makita Tool Girl. :lol2:

Almost everything Stanley Black and Decker touches turns to crap.

 

Craftsman hasn't been good since the went to China.

 

 

You want good, American made hand tools, go with S&K. Cordless stuff go with Ryobi unless you are a pro.......then it is Snap On and Milwaukee and Dewalt.

Doesn't Stanley own Dewalt?