[ABC123]

After working there for 23 years, I knew it was time to go.

[Lady Jag]

It confounded me that Service Merchandise got rid of its electronics section a couple years ago because whenever I'd been in one of their stores that's where all the customers were. It seemed to me they closed the wrong department. Then when I went there this Christmas, the store was virtually devoid of shoppers. Once again it appears a retailer has done it to itself. Jewelry sales would never have saved them and the other departments were common department store stuff that had little or no draw.

[ken5050]

K-mart is next, then Amazon, and Lucent...

[Azzurri]

I worked there for five years during the late 80s, early 90s while attending high school and college. I knew it was only a matter of time before they went out of business after I left. ;-)

[AmishDude]

I always liked the weird way they made you pick up your stuff, with the clipboards and such.

[Joe Bonforte]

One factor in their demise was the terrible way they treated vendors. I was in on negotiations with them on providing products or services three separate times over ten years, and every time it appeared that SM was not satisfied with the deal unless the vendor was losing money. It got so that no respectable company in Nashville would do business with them.

[anymouse]

Service Merchandise has been on life support for years. Looks like the creditors finally got tired of holding out hope for recovery and pulled the plug.

Always thought it was a strange name, for they hardly provided service (find it in the catalog yourself, fill out a form, stand in line and wait for them to find the item in the storeroom seemed to be their extent of service).

[dead]

I am happy to see that weirdo store go! What was with filing out slips and all of that?

Next on my wish list is Radio Shack - everything they sell is crap, and they need your name and address to sell you a AAA battery.

[lsucat]

It couldn't have happened to a more deserving company IMHO.

[SerpentDove]

Oh no! Now where am I going to go to buy a plastic liquor decanter with a cute little drunk guy holding onto a lamp post, which plays "How Dry I Am" when you pour from it?

[A CA Guy]

They went out of busniness around me in CA 15 years ago.

Sears, JC Pennys are to be next.

[PPHSFL]

I'm sorry about all the people that are going to lose their jobs. However, I won't miss the company. Whenever I would have to go shopping with my dad and we went to the store I would just stay outside, even if it felt like it was freezing outside. Another plus is that I won't have to hear their annoying radio ads anymore.

[Caipirabob]

Gear up for a spending spree! When SM shut down their toy department in 2000, we bought tons of toys, about $700 worth which would have cost us near $2000 if we had paid full price we still haven't given all of it to the kids for Christmas yet, we're covered until 2003. Now we're assessing what they have that we need next at 60% off. Go out and SPEND!!!

[imperator2]

Another victim of Wall Mart success.

[stainlessbanner]

I bought some jewelry there two years ago - best service I have ever had. Unfortunately, it was the only good example in over 10 years of experience with the store.

Over the last few years, they really took the "Service" out of Service Merchandise. Best Buy, Sears, and other "home-life" chains created a better bus. model.
Svc Mer. was left in the dark ages!