Everything must go at the soon-to-be-closed Sears store in St. Paul, including the Driver and Vehicle Services office.

The privately run DVS, on Sears' second floor, has continued to operate as the department store empties its shelves. At the beginning of January, the DVS will move down the street to the Sunrise Banks building at 200 University Av. W.

The new office, in a first-floor suite, will be separate from the bank, said DVS Assistant Manager Jared O'Reilly. It's more than twice the size of the DVS office at Sears, he said.

"It was just a good, close place to where we are now, and it's got way more space," he said.

Sears Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October and will close stores across the country by the end of the year. In the Twin Cities, only the Mall of America location and an appliance outlet in Coon Rapids will remain. The Sears in St. Paul, on Rice Street near the State Capitol, opened in 1963.

Emma Nelson