The recently declared bankruptcy of Sears will cause the demise of the Sears Hometown Store in Fort Dodge.

Rick Jones, the store’s owner, said Tuesday it will close early next year as a result of the bankruptcy.

“Sears corporate decided to file bankruptcy and left all their dealers in the lurch,” he said.

He said he expected the store at 1828 First Ave. S. to close Feb. 28, but added that it could close earlier, depending on how an ongoing liquidation sale proceeds.

In addition to Jones, the store has three part-time employees.

“I’m sure I’ll land on my feet somehow,” Jones said.

The Sears Hometown Store offered appliances and tools, but did not sell clothing, shoes, and some other items found in larger Sears stores. Jones said he still has 12 washers and dryers, eight refrigerators, six stoves, some lawn mowers and snow blowers and hand tools. He said all are marked down 10 percent to 30 percent.

The Sears Hometown Store in Fort Dodge opened in May 2015, just four months after the large Sears store that was an anchor of the old Crossroads Mall closed. The store was originally in the mall in a space once occupied by Walgreens and later, Hancock Fabrics.

Jones, who had worked for Sears since 2004, bought the store in 2019.

The store opened in its current location in January. It occupies part of a building that once housed Fort Dodge Machine & Supply.