Shoppers hungry for deeply discounted goods lined up at the Hillside Mall Sears over the weekend before the business closed its doors for good Monday.

With dozens of signs advertising markdowns of up to 80 per cent, shelves and racks inside the store were nearly picked clean during the company's liquidation sale.

Some Sears stores across Canada have already shut down while others, including the Hillside Mall location and the Rutherford Mall location in Nanaimo, held their final sales Monday.

After 65 years in business, customers say it's the end of an era.

"It's really sad because it's been in business for a long time and we're going to miss Sears," one shopper told CTV News. "It's too bad it's closing."

In an online statement, Sears Canada thanked customers for their loyalty since 1953 when it opened as Simpson-Sears Ltd.

"We appreciate having had you as a customer, and hope you find some great bargains for you and your family," it said.

The closure affects about 100 employees locally.

It's not yet known what will eventually fill the space in Hillside Mall once the business has moved out.