Is the end near for Northpark Mall's Sears store?

The end may be nearing for the Sears store at Joplin's Northpark Mall.

The store, which has survived multiple rounds of closings over the past couple of years, may be swept under along with the rest of the few hundred remaining Sear stores if a report from the Wall Street Journal is correct.

The report, which is behind a paywall, says Sears has hired a company that specializes in preparing for bankruptcy filings. Company officials have indicated they are going to have problems paying $134 million in debt that is due Saturday.


The article says the company has pushing a restructuring plan that would enable it to avoid bankruptcy, but has not had any success.