Gala-Sears (Grandes ALmacenes de América-Sears) was the subsidiary of Sears Roebuck in Chile, which formally began operations on April 2, 1982, the day after the opening of Mall Parque Arauco.[1] It was one of the first international commercial ventures that retired from the country after few years of failures and economic losses.[2][3][4][5]
History
On May 20, 1980, the company "Grandes Almacenes de América Gala Limitada" (Gala Ltda.) was constituted, formed by "Sociedad Comercial Fontana Limitada" (linked to the businessman Manuel Ibáñez Ojeda, owner of the supermarket chain Almac and later founder of Distribución & Servicio),[6]