Retail giant Sears has announced the closing of 72 additional stores around the country, including the Hattiesburg location in the Turtle Creek Mall.
Stacey Keating, director of public relations and corporate communications at CBL Properties - the company that owns Turtle Creek Mall - said the store is expected to close some time around September.
"In anticipation of this closure we have proactively engaged in discussions with a number of retailers and other users," Keating said. "We are working on plans to redevelop the Sears building, but at this time it's too early to provide a concrete timeline or tenant names.
"Our next step will be to continue discussions and negotiations with alternate users. We'll be excited to share more information as soon as plans are finalized."
News reports are stating the company has closed almost 400 stores over the past year because of declining sales, leaving a total of 894 Sears still open. Other closures include, but are not limited to, stores in Florida, Arizona, Georgia, California, Illinois and Louisiana.
Sears, which is based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, began operating retail locations in 1925. The company was the largest retailer in the United States until 1989, before being surpassed by Walmart.
Calls to Sears Holdings in Illinois and the Hattiesburg location were not immediately returned.
This is an ongoing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
