On Friday, we wrote about the closing of the last Sears store in Illinois and got so many great emails talking about childhood memories in stores all across the Chicago area.

🍿 The Sears on Lawrence used to have a popcorn popper and confectionery counter by the main entrance, so when you walked in it always smelled like fresh popcorn and chocolate. It's where I learned the fancy French name for Sno-Caps ("non pareils"). - Maggie B.

🎄 My memories include the Christmas Wish Book, literally the size of a telephone book where dreams came true🤞🏻hopefully. - Judee B.

📺 My family trips to Sears: Mom takes my brother to get some Toughskin Huskies, Dad tests the tubes from the TV at the self-check tube thingy, I get chocolate stars in a little wax paper bag from the candy and nut counter. Good times! - Grace D

💲 At the old Six Corners location, I found a nice dress shirt that was marked down five different times and rang up at only 91 cents. I'll never beat that. - Mike C.

🎸 As a teenager, my best friend and I went to a concert at Sears. It was a British band, just not sure which one, but I do know that it was one which became quite popular. By the way, it was FREE! Imagine going to Sears to hear a rock band. Ha! - Roxanne H.