Sears To Convert Old Auto Centers Into National Chain of Data Centers

1sockchuck writes "Sears plans to convert dozens of Sears Auto Center stores into a national chain of server farms, saying it wants to be "the McDonald's or Starbucks of data centers." The strategy is an evolution of Sears Holdings' previously announced plan to turn old Sears and Kmart stores into IT centers. Instead, it will focus on the more than 700 Sears Auto Centers, which include many stand-alone cement buildings on mall perimeters. Ubiquity Critical Environments, the data center arm of Sears, will team with Schneider Electric to turn these sites into data centers. They'll use repeatable modular designs to add power and cooling infrastructure, targeting at least 23 smaller cities where there currently aren't many options for IT outsourcing."

Comments

They are priced very well

[Anonymous Coward]

They only take Discover though.

Re:Trying a new business model

[immaterial]

It does make a lot of sense. Unlike their future-proof retail stores, automotive services are too easily purchased over the Internet nowadays. I mean seriously, who isn't buying oil changes on Amazon?

Re: Trying a new business model

[TWX]

Yeah, but only a Die Hard would really seek out using Sears Auto for their data needs...