Sydney is about to lose its Sears store.

The furniture and appliance outlet and the catalogue parcel pickup centre will close on Oct. 25.

Local manager Ed Beaton said the decision to close was made at the head office in Toronto.

The Sydney store was busy this week with people looking for last-minute deals on washers and dryers, ride-on lawnmowers, beds and other large items.

It's a sign of the times, said long-time Sears shopper Shauen Hollohan, who lives in Whitney Pier.

"I think it's a sin," Hollohan said. "Everything around this city seems to be closing. Nothing is getting any better."

'No sustainable industry here now'

"There's no sustainable industry in here now. Everybody is going away to work," he said. "There's nothing here. All this island is going to be is a mecca for people (who) are well off or laid off."

Hollohan speculated about the reasons for the closure.

"One time, years ago when Sears was here, my wife and I, we never ever went to a store shopping for Christmas," he said.

"Everything was done here for years and years. And then all of a sudden, the prices just started getting ridiculous. You couldn't shop here.

Sears staff in Sydney said that after Oct. 25, parcels from Sears can be picked up at the UPS store in Sydney River.

A spokesperson for Sears Canada said in an email late Thursday the company is looking for an existing business to host a Sears catalogue parcel pickup in the area.

The Sydney location is closing as a result of a review of business models across the country, she said.

In Cape Breton, only Port Hawkesbury and Cheticamp still have Sears stores.