The Sears Company closed down 59 stores across the country with a number of those in Maritime markets on Sunday.

The store closures were announced in June with five from the Maritimes, including one in Saint John, Dartmouth’s Penhorn Mall and the iconic outlet store in Halifax.

For generations the company’s demise was unthinkable, and some say the department store in Saint John was like a second home.

"Best job I ever had, they used you good. You were somebody,” says Charles Doak. “Now today it went right downhill, it’s sad."

Doak spent the last 46 years working at the Sears store in Saint John. He retired one month ago, proud of his long-career, but with a hint of bitterness over the way it ended.

"I missed three days in 46 years,” he says. “Three days ... you don't get any credit for it."

The only things left to sell in the Saint John Sears on Sunday were fixtures blown out at bargain basement prices.

With the store closures, 336 retail jobs vanished in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and most of those employees were dismissed without severance.

"No severance pay…that's quite a bit to swallow,” says Lynn Coates.

Coates worked in the cosmetics department at Sears in Saint John for 30 years. Coates says she received her pension and was able to find another job at another company.

"It’s going to be a new experience for me, but I’m looking forward to all the different brands they are going to be carrying,” Coates says.

Doak received severance and his pension from Sears, but says he remains worried about how long the cheques will keep coming.

Other unanswered questions revolve around the real estate of the Saint John store that’s hundreds of thousands of square feet

“You know the old saying: when one door closes another one opens,” says deputy mayor, Shirley McAlary. “I’m sure there will be something happening here at McAlister place and someone will take sears place.

The company announced it will be closing another ten department stores and one Sears home store leaving 1,200 employees across Canada without their jobs.

With Files from CTV Atlantic’s Mary Cranston