The Empire Mall is losing another anchor store

The Empire Mall is losing another of its big anchor tenants.

Sears is closing its store in the Sioux Falls mall in early September, the struggling retailer announced Thursday. It's the last Sears store in South Dakota.

Employees at the Sioux Falls store were told Thursday, the company said. It's not yet clear how many workers will lose their jobs.

Liquidation sales at the store could start as early as June 14.

The closures will leave only JCPenney, Dick's Sporting Goods and Macy's as large anchor tenants in the mall.

Simon Property Group, the mall's owner, released a statement promising to redevelop the Sears location in the Sioux Falls malls and elsewhere, calling it a "terrific opportunity."

“A combination of innovative retail, restaurant, and entertainment concepts are in play for each center," said Michael E. McCarty, chief operating officer for Simon Malls. "Mixed-use elements such as hotel, residential, office, and fitness are also being incorporated."

More: Why Sears is closing another round of stores

The Sioux Falls Sears has survived previous rounds of closures announced by its parent company, Sears Holdings, which also owns Kmart. The company said it had identified 100 stores as non-profitable and was closing 63 stores, including 48 Sears and 15 Kmarts.

The continued survival of the Sears in Sioux Falls was a boon to the Empire Mall, which is already facing the loss of several large tenants.

Younkers, another anchor tenant, announced closure plans in April, a move that would cost 158 people their jobs. Toys R' Us, on the Empire Mall property, is undergoing a liquidation sale as all of its stores close nationwide.

More: Looking back: Sears opened in downtown Sioux Falls in 1929

Sears Holdings has undertaken several rounds of store closures in the past year. A round in January resulted in the closure of the Sears in Rapid City.

The company has found itself beset by retail trends, in which customers are increasingly shopping online or at big-box or specialized retail stores.

Sears will still have something of a presence in South Dakota. Sears Hometown Stores, which was spun off of Sears Holdings in 2012, has locations in Aberdeen, Spearfish, Watertown and Yankton.