In some ways, it was not a surprise. Many in the industry have wondered if Sears was going to sell some of its legacy brands (Kenmore, DieHard, Craftsman), because it was obvious that Sears was struggling. But the sale of Craftsman to industry giant Stanley Black & Decker still caused me to stop and reminisce. Craftsman is a great brand with a long and storied history. The good news is that it is being purchased by a great company (that knows a thing or two about legacy brands), who said in their press release that it will be increasing its U.S. manufacturing as a result of bringing Craftsman into the Stanley Black & Decker fold. The unfortunate side of the coin, in my opinion, is that industry consolidation is not great for the market, specifically consumers, in general. With that said, I am really glad Craftsman will be around for my grandchildren, just as it was for my grandfather.
Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal
