Retailer Work 'N Gear Collaborates With Sears and Kmart to Launch 'Scrubology' - America's First 'Store-within-a-Store' Fashion Concept for Healthcare Professionals

QUINCY, Mass., Dec. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Retailer Work 'N Gear today announced that it has teamed up with Sears and Kmart to launch America's first "store-within-a store" concept for healthcare fashions in select locations in six markets.

Called "Scrubology", the retail concept features approximately 600 to 1,500 square feet of space within Sears and Kmart stores, dedicated to the uniform needs of professionals who work as doctors, nurses, veterinarians, lab technicians and more.

The concept was developed by Work 'N Gear, the largest retail chain in the United States specializing in work apparel and uniforms for professionals in industrial, service and healthcare fields.  In collaboration with Sears and Kmart, 10 Scrubology "stores" in total were opened in November 2010, including two in Arizona (Phoenix), four in Michigan (Troy, Rochester Hills, Lincoln Park and Harper Woods), one in Illinois (Aurora) and three in Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh).

"More than 70 percent of professionals in healthcare have to buy their own scrubs – and it can often be a real challenge to shop locally for the name brands, quality, style and sizes they want," said Anthony DiPaolo, CEO of Work 'N Gear.  "We're very thrilled to be working with Sears on this venture, because Scrubology can offer healthcare professionals the advantage of finding the scrubs they want right in their own community, in a store where they are already shopping."

The Scrubology "store-within-a-store" is located near the women's fashions department in select Sears and Kmart stores.  Scrubology has its own unique signs and displays, featuring basic, value-priced scrubs as well as healthcare wear in fashionable styles and designs from popular brands such as Grey's Anatomy, Koi and Cherokee.

"Sears Holdings is very pleased and excited to introduce the Scrubology Shop in Sears and Kmart stores. This venture with Work 'N Gear and the development of this unique 'store in a store' concept allows us to offer a truly specialized assortment to this important customer segment," said Dave Schuvie, Vice President of Licensed Businesses for Sears Holdings.

"Healthcare professionals proudly wear scrubs as a uniform, but it doesn't mean that they don't want to look like individuals. They want to balance a look that commands respect but also reflects their own individual personality," added DiPaolo.

It is anticipated that more Scrubology locations will launch at select Sears and Kmart locations in 2011.

About Work 'N Gear

Work 'N Gear is the largest retail chain in the United States specializing in the work apparel and footwear industry, Work 'N Gear serves customers with the widest selection of apparel and footwear designed for use in service, industrial and healthcare environments. Work 'N Gear operates more than 43 retail stores throughout the Northeast and Midwest.

About Kmart

Kmart, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq: SHLD), is a mass merchandising company that offers customers quality products through a portfolio of exclusive brands that include Jaclyn Smith, Joe Boxer, County Living and Route 66. For more information visit the company's website at www.kmart.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.

About Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq: SHLD), is a leading broadline retailer providing merchandise and related services. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,300 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes approximately 929 full-line and approximately 1,200 specialty stores in the U.S.  Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com, and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End -- among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.

SOURCE Work 'N Gear