After bankruptcy, Sears launches smaller stores

Sears used to sell just about everything — first in its big catalog, then in its big department stores. When the retailer hit hard times earlier this decade, it sold off and closed stores by the hundreds. Now, after its former chairman bought the retailer out of bankruptcy in February, Sears is once again opening new stores, but ones that sell just some things. Over Memorial Day weekend, the company plans to launch seven Home & Life stores, which focus just on products that its department stores have continued to sell successfully.