Very smart move for Sears

From Data Center Knowledge:

Ubiquity Eyes Turning Sears Auto Centers into Data Centers
One of America�s retail pioneers may build a brand for the new economy, housing servers where it once changed your oil.

Ubiquity Critical Environments, the data center unit of Sears Holdings, is considering a concept to build a chain of IT facilities by converting Sears Auto Center stores into data centers. It is working with Schneider Electric, a leading provider of data center equipment and services, on a proposal to build and operate mission-critical facilities in a number of markets around the country.

The data center initiative is one of several options being considered as Sears pursues a strategy for its fleet of Sears Auto Centers. On Oct. 29, Sears said it would evaluate �strategic alternatives� for the auto centers, saying they offer �a unique national footprint that can be leveraged to create significant value.� Much of the speculation has focused on a sale or spinoff of the auto center business.

The proposal marks an evolution of Ubiquity�s mission to repurpose Sears� real estate holdings to capitalize on demand for data centers. Ubiquity was created by Sears to convert the retail icons of the 20th century into Internet infrastructure to power the 21st century digital economy. Farney initially explored converting old Sears and Kmart retail stores and warehouses into huge data centers. But it turned out that many of the most promising facilities were located near existing data center hubs, where Ubiquity would compete with existing providers.

Very smart move going for the lesser served, smaller markets. There is one of these auto centers in Bellingham -- wonder if this is slated to be transformed.