Former Sears employees will say their final farewell to the department store.

A group of former employees will host a celebration of life in honor of the business on August 24.

A barbecue will be held in the rear Sears parking lot where former employees can stop by and share their memories of the store, which was open for 48 years before closing in January 2018.

Demolition of the building at Devonshire Mall began in mid-July and will take several months.

During the celebration, bricks will be sold from the store and proceeds will be donated to Windsor Regional Hospital and Habitat for Humanity.

Carol Hergott, a former assistant store manager at Sears, says the day honors a beloved place.

“It’s not a memorial though, it’s a happy memory. The happy memories far outweigh the sadness. So it’s a pretty unique event. So many people loved working there and they made so many special friends, so it was a great thing.”

She says employees asked for part of the building.

“Many have indicated that they would like a brick for their garden, whether it be to write their employee number on it or paint something, just as a reminder of the business. So the proceeds go to Windsor Regional Hospital. All employees donate food for the BBQ and Habitat (for Humanity) is involved. So two great charities.”

She says some of the staff are wearing old uniforms.

“We used to wear certain fancy clothes at Christmas in addition to our uniforms, and there are even people who wear fancy clothes, T-shirts that we had at Warehouse Days or Tractorama, just to lighten the mood and have some fun, because those were events that we loved.”

Hergott started working at Sears in 1998, became a manager in 2006 and retired a few years before the company closed.

She says they expect over 100 former employees to attend.

She encourages passers-by to honk in support or to stop by and say hello.