Sears-Kmart Death Watch

[Life in Paradise]

It appears that the Marshall, Michigan Kmart is closing, per this Sears Jobs' Twitter post.  No date listed, but per other similar notices, I'd guess sometime in November.

https://twitter.com/SearsJobs/status/1441502012181385219

I think this was the last ex Sears Holdings location in the Midwest left after all the other recent closure announcements.

I was in that Kmart a few weeks ago and it didn't appear to be closing and I can't find anything online that says it's closing I wouldn't be surprised if it did but then that would leave Marshall without a Meijer, Walmart, Target and Kmart if they are closing it.

I just had to say it, but the titling the tweet "Sears Careers" is a contradiction in terms. 

[Flint1979]

It appears that the Marshall, Michigan Kmart is closing, per this Sears Jobs' Twitter post.  No date listed, but per other similar notices, I'd guess sometime in November.

https://twitter.com/SearsJobs/status/1441502012181385219

I think this was the last ex Sears Holdings location in the Midwest left after all the other recent closure announcements.

I was in that Kmart a few weeks ago and it didn't appear to be closing and I can't find anything online that says it's closing I wouldn't be surprised if it did but then that would leave Marshall without a Meijer, Walmart, Target and Kmart if they are closing it.

I just had to say it, but the titling the tweet "Sears Careers" is a contradiction in terms.

I couldn't even think of where the nearest Kmart after the one in Marshall is to me. It's weird to see them all shut down now but they have turned two of them that were near me into storage units.

[catch22]

I couldn't even think of where the nearest Kmart after the one in Marshall is to me. It's weird to see them all shut down now but they have turned two of them that were near me into storage units.

Here's a list of the remaining Kmarts that someone posted on Reddit a few days ago:

Still open:
Freestanding store in Tauming, Guam
McKnight Crossing Shopping Center in Grass Valley, California
Key Plaza Shopping Center in Key West, Florida
Kendale Lakes Plaza Shopping Center in Miami, Florida
Marshall Plaza Shopping Center in Marshall, Michigan (but closing just announced, date ???)
Bitterroot Valley Shopping Center in Hamilton, Montana
Delco Plaza Shopping Center in Avenel, New Jersey
Westwood Plaza Shopping Center in Westwood, New Jersey
Bridgehampton Commons Shopping Center in Bridgehampton, New York
The Shops at Bruckner in the Bronx, New York
Bay Plaza Shopping Center in the Bronx, New York
Plaza Las America's Shopping Center in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
Sunshine Mall in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Sunny Isle Shopping Center in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Tutu Park Mall in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Lockhart Gardens Shopping Center in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Closing around Nov. 14:
Crossroads Shopping Center in White Plains, New York
Brooklyn, New York Mini Store

That's all that's left.

[catch22]

I just had to say it, but the titling the tweet "Sears Careers" is a contradiction in terms. 

If you really want a laugh, check out their career web site.  All the appearances of a vital, thriving corporation that one should really be a part of.

"Jobs that transform [haha, I see what you did there] your career."  Yeesh.

https://jobs.sears.com/en-US/

[Flint1979]

I couldn't even think of where the nearest Kmart after the one in Marshall is to me. It's weird to see them all shut down now but they have turned two of them that were near me into storage units.

Here's a list of the remaining Kmarts that someone posted on Reddit a few days ago:

Still open:
Freestanding store in Tauming, Guam
McKnight Crossing Shopping Center in Grass Valley, California
Key Plaza Shopping Center in Key West, Florida
Kendale Lakes Plaza Shopping Center in Miami, Florida
Marshall Plaza Shopping Center in Marshall, Michigan (but closing just announced, date ???)
Bitterroot Valley Shopping Center in Hamilton, Montana
Delco Plaza Shopping Center in Avenel, New Jersey
Westwood Plaza Shopping Center in Westwood, New Jersey
Bridgehampton Commons Shopping Center in Bridgehampton, New York
The Shops at Bruckner in the Bronx, New York
Bay Plaza Shopping Center in the Bronx, New York
Plaza Las America's Shopping Center in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
Sunshine Mall in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Sunny Isle Shopping Center in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Tutu Park Mall in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Lockhart Gardens Shopping Center in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Closing around Nov. 14:
Crossroads Shopping Center in White Plains, New York
Brooklyn, New York Mini Store

That's all that's left.

At this point I think it's time for Kmart just to cease to exist.

[I-39]

I couldn't even think of where the nearest Kmart after the one in Marshall is to me. It's weird to see them all shut down now but they have turned two of them that were near me into storage units.

Here's a list of the remaining Kmarts that someone posted on Reddit a few days ago:

Still open:
Freestanding store in Tauming, Guam
McKnight Crossing Shopping Center in Grass Valley, California
Key Plaza Shopping Center in Key West, Florida
Kendale Lakes Plaza Shopping Center in Miami, Florida
Marshall Plaza Shopping Center in Marshall, Michigan (but closing just announced, date ???)
Bitterroot Valley Shopping Center in Hamilton, Montana
Delco Plaza Shopping Center in Avenel, New Jersey
Westwood Plaza Shopping Center in Westwood, New Jersey
Bridgehampton Commons Shopping Center in Bridgehampton, New York
The Shops at Bruckner in the Bronx, New York
Bay Plaza Shopping Center in the Bronx, New York
Plaza Las America's Shopping Center in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
Sunshine Mall in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Sunny Isle Shopping Center in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Tutu Park Mall in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Lockhart Gardens Shopping Center in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Closing around Nov. 14:
Crossroads Shopping Center in White Plains, New York
Brooklyn, New York Mini Store

That's all that's left.

At this point I think it's time for Kmart just to cease to exist.

Yep, its only 20 or so years overdue.

[Flint1979]

I couldn't even think of where the nearest Kmart after the one in Marshall is to me. It's weird to see them all shut down now but they have turned two of them that were near me into storage units.

Here's a list of the remaining Kmarts that someone posted on Reddit a few days ago:

Still open:
Freestanding store in Tauming, Guam
McKnight Crossing Shopping Center in Grass Valley, California
Key Plaza Shopping Center in Key West, Florida
Kendale Lakes Plaza Shopping Center in Miami, Florida
Marshall Plaza Shopping Center in Marshall, Michigan (but closing just announced, date ???)
Bitterroot Valley Shopping Center in Hamilton, Montana
Delco Plaza Shopping Center in Avenel, New Jersey
Westwood Plaza Shopping Center in Westwood, New Jersey
Bridgehampton Commons Shopping Center in Bridgehampton, New York
The Shops at Bruckner in the Bronx, New York
Bay Plaza Shopping Center in the Bronx, New York
Plaza Las America's Shopping Center in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
Sunshine Mall in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Sunny Isle Shopping Center in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Tutu Park Mall in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Lockhart Gardens Shopping Center in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Closing around Nov. 14:
Crossroads Shopping Center in White Plains, New York
Brooklyn, New York Mini Store

That's all that's left.

At this point I think it's time for Kmart just to cease to exist.

Yep, its only 20 or so years overdue.

Even when there were stores in my area I never shopped at Kmart.

[gonealookin]

At this point I think it's time for Kmart just to cease to exist.

Yep, its only 20 or so years overdue.

Even when there were stores in my area I never shopped at Kmart.

At one time, maybe late 1980s, Kmart was a go-to for certain items.  A shower curtain.  An ironing board.  Some cheap you-assemble-it furniture like a TV stand.  But that was about it for me.  Once Target opened stores in my area, Northern California at the time, Kmart's demise was inevitable.

[Flint1979]

At this point I think it's time for Kmart just to cease to exist.

Yep, its only 20 or so years overdue.

Even when there were stores in my area I never shopped at Kmart.

At one time, maybe late 1980s, Kmart was a go-to for certain items.  A shower curtain.  An ironing board.  Some cheap you-assemble-it furniture like a TV stand.  But that was about it for me.  Once Target opened stores in my area, Northern California at the time, Kmart's demise was inevitable.

Yeah I remember that. We had three Kmart's in Saginaw and they all did well and are all closed now of course but at one time they did well. There was one on State Street in Saginaw Township where Horizons Conference Center is now and I remember going there in the 1980's it was the place to be and shopping at A&P for groceries was pretty cool too.

[I-39]

At this point I think it's time for Kmart just to cease to exist.

Yep, its only 20 or so years overdue.

Even when there were stores in my area I never shopped at Kmart.

At one time, maybe late 1980s, Kmart was a go-to for certain items.  A shower curtain.  An ironing board.  Some cheap you-assemble-it furniture like a TV stand.  But that was about it for me.  Once Target opened stores in my area, Northern California at the time, Kmart's demise was inevitable.

Yeah I remember that. We had three Kmart's in Saginaw and they all did well and are all closed now of course but at one time they did well. There was one on State Street in Saginaw Township where Horizons Conference Center is now and I remember going there in the 1980's it was the place to be and shopping at A&P for groceries was pretty cool too.

Kmart was the go to discount store in the 70s/80s, but by the early 90s, Walmart overtook them in virtually every area as they built a much more efficient operation. Kmart hasn't been relevant in 20 or so years. They should have liquidated 20 years ago after the first bankruptcy, but Eddie dragged it out and had to take Sears down with them.

[Flint1979]

At this point I think it's time for Kmart just to cease to exist.

Yep, its only 20 or so years overdue.

Even when there were stores in my area I never shopped at Kmart.

At one time, maybe late 1980s, Kmart was a go-to for certain items.  A shower curtain.  An ironing board.  Some cheap you-assemble-it furniture like a TV stand.  But that was about it for me.  Once Target opened stores in my area, Northern California at the time, Kmart's demise was inevitable.

Yeah I remember that. We had three Kmart's in Saginaw and they all did well and are all closed now of course but at one time they did well. There was one on State Street in Saginaw Township where Horizons Conference Center is now and I remember going there in the 1980's it was the place to be and shopping at A&P for groceries was pretty cool too.

Kmart was the go to discount store in the 70s/80s, but by the early 90s, Walmart overtook them in virtually every area as they built a much more efficient operation. Kmart hasn't been relevant in 20 or so years. They should have liquidated 20 years ago after the first bankruptcy, but Eddie dragged it out and had to take Sears down with them.

Yep true. Too bad he had to take down two retailers.

[bwana39]

This was never a plan to actually SAVE Sears Holdings. It was a plan to drag out the closings so the buildings didn't all hit the market at once. While Sears tanked, the company that they sold the buildings to is coming out like a thief.

[I-39]

This was never a plan to actually SAVE Sears Holdings. It was a plan to drag out the closings so the buildings didn't all hit the market at once. While Sears tanked, the company that they sold the buildings to is coming out like a thief.

In the Eddie Lampert era, you are correct. But Sears could have been saved had Eddie not gotten his hands on the company and merged it with Kmart. Sears was actually in a decent position at the turn of the century when Arthur Martinez retired, but his successor Alan Lacy fumbled along between 2000-2005 and didn't have a clue on how to run the business properly, thus setting the stage for the horrible Kmart/Eddie Lampert takeover.

[bwana39]

This was never a plan to actually SAVE Sears Holdings. It was a plan to drag out the closings so the buildings didn't all hit the market at once. While Sears tanked, the company that they sold the buildings to is coming out like a thief.

In the Eddie Lampert era, you are correct. But Sears could have been saved had Eddie not gotten his hands on the company and merged it with Kmart. Sears was actually in a decent position at the turn of the century when Arthur Martinez retired, but his successor Alan Lacy fumbled along between 2000-2005 and didn't have a clue on how to run the business properly, thus setting the stage for the horrible Kmart/Eddie Lampert takeover.

Yes, I was talking solely about Eddie Lambert.

The irony is if they had held on to the catalog for a dozen or fewer years, the internet would have taken Sears with an established framework to new heights.

[I-39]

This was never a plan to actually SAVE Sears Holdings. It was a plan to drag out the closings so the buildings didn't all hit the market at once. While Sears tanked, the company that they sold the buildings to is coming out like a thief.

In the Eddie Lampert era, you are correct. But Sears could have been saved had Eddie not gotten his hands on the company and merged it with Kmart. Sears was actually in a decent position at the turn of the century when Arthur Martinez retired, but his successor Alan Lacy fumbled along between 2000-2005 and didn't have a clue on how to run the business properly, thus setting the stage for the horrible Kmart/Eddie Lampert takeover.

Yes, I was talking solely about Eddie Lambert.

The irony is if they had held on to the catalog for a dozen or fewer years, the internet would have taken Sears with an established framework to new heights.

Indeed, having the catalog business still around would have made the transition to e-commerce easier, but even without it, there is no excuse as to why they couldn't build up sears.com into a powerhouse. They had years to do it, but didn't invest enough $$$ into it.

[kkt]

The time to do that would have been the 90s, perhaps 2000-2010.  After they started spinning off the jewels among their brands - Craftsman tools, Kenmore appliances - it was too late.  Once they can't afford to keep merchandise in the stores, no one will be buying anything and there was no money for remodelling or starting a web commerce operation.  All they had left was the bones - real estate to sell off.

[SectorZ]

This was never a plan to actually SAVE Sears Holdings. It was a plan to drag out the closings so the buildings didn't all hit the market at once. While Sears tanked, the company that they sold the buildings to is coming out like a thief.

This is the most reasonable theory I've seen as to why this slow ridiculous drawn-out death is happening like this.

[Flint1979]

Walmart and Meijer simply have better stores than what Kmart and Sears ever had. Neglecting to remodel any of their stores or coming up with a new image is part of what killed them.

If Eddie hadn't been in the picture things could have probably been a lot better.

[formulanone]

Here's a list of the remaining Kmarts that someone posted on Reddit a few days ago:

Still open:
Freestanding store in Tauming, Guam
McKnight Crossing Shopping Center in Grass Valley, California
Key Plaza Shopping Center in Key West, Florida
Kendale Lakes Plaza Shopping Center in Miami, Florida
Marshall Plaza Shopping Center in Marshall, Michigan (but closing just announced, date ???)
Bitterroot Valley Shopping Center in Hamilton, Montana
Delco Plaza Shopping Center in Avenel, New Jersey
Westwood Plaza Shopping Center in Westwood, New Jersey
Bridgehampton Commons Shopping Center in Bridgehampton, New York
The Shops at Bruckner in the Bronx, New York
Bay Plaza Shopping Center in the Bronx, New York
Plaza Las America's Shopping Center in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
Sunshine Mall in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Sunny Isle Shopping Center in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Tutu Park Mall in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Lockhart Gardens Shopping Center in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

How does distribution work for stores spread that far apart? I understand there may be a need for a department store in Key West, Guam, and USVI, but what cargo airline owes Kmart that favor?

[Flint1979]

Here's a list of the remaining Kmarts that someone posted on Reddit a few days ago:

Still open:
Freestanding store in Tauming, Guam
McKnight Crossing Shopping Center in Grass Valley, California
Key Plaza Shopping Center in Key West, Florida
Kendale Lakes Plaza Shopping Center in Miami, Florida
Marshall Plaza Shopping Center in Marshall, Michigan (but closing just announced, date ???)
Bitterroot Valley Shopping Center in Hamilton, Montana
Delco Plaza Shopping Center in Avenel, New Jersey
Westwood Plaza Shopping Center in Westwood, New Jersey
Bridgehampton Commons Shopping Center in Bridgehampton, New York
The Shops at Bruckner in the Bronx, New York
Bay Plaza Shopping Center in the Bronx, New York
Plaza Las America's Shopping Center in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
Sunshine Mall in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Sunny Isle Shopping Center in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Tutu Park Mall in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Lockhart Gardens Shopping Center in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

How does distribution work for stores spread that far apart? I understand there may be a need for a department store in Key West, Guam, and USVI, but what cargo airline owes Kmart that favor?

I was wondering the same thing.

[I-39]

Walmart and Meijer simply have better stores than what Kmart and Sears ever had. Neglecting to remodel any of their stores or coming up with a new image is part of what killed them.

If Eddie hadn't been in the picture things could have probably been a lot better.

One of the biggest issues was Sears not having enough off-mall locations that are more convenient to customers. They needed to aggressively add more freestanding/strip mall stores as well as gradually spin off the low traffic Class B and C mall stores into freestanding locations.

[Scott5114]

Here's a list of the remaining Kmarts that someone posted on Reddit a few days ago:

Still open:
Freestanding store in Tauming, Guam
McKnight Crossing Shopping Center in Grass Valley, California
Key Plaza Shopping Center in Key West, Florida
Kendale Lakes Plaza Shopping Center in Miami, Florida
Marshall Plaza Shopping Center in Marshall, Michigan (but closing just announced, date ???)
Bitterroot Valley Shopping Center in Hamilton, Montana
Delco Plaza Shopping Center in Avenel, New Jersey
Westwood Plaza Shopping Center in Westwood, New Jersey
Bridgehampton Commons Shopping Center in Bridgehampton, New York
The Shops at Bruckner in the Bronx, New York
Bay Plaza Shopping Center in the Bronx, New York
Plaza Las America's Shopping Center in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
Sunshine Mall in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Sunny Isle Shopping Center in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Tutu Park Mall in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Lockhart Gardens Shopping Center in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

How does distribution work for stores spread that far apart? I understand there may be a need for a department store in Key West, Guam, and USVI, but what cargo airline owes Kmart that favor?

Answer is probably "it doesn't, and that's why Kmart is failing".

[rawmustard]

Marshall Plaza Shopping Center in Marshall, Michigan (but closing just announced, date ???)

Where was it announced that Marshall is closing? I live in the media market, so it's doubtful it would have been reported without my noticing it.

[catch22]

Marshall Plaza Shopping Center in Marshall, Michigan (but closing just announced, date ???)

Where was it announced that Marshall is closing? I live in the media market, so it's doubtful it would have been reported without my noticing it.

They haven't been very open about announcing closures lately, including this one.  But they are advertising for liquidation jobs in Marshall on their jobs web site, just like they have done for all the other recent closures.

[GCrites]

At this point I think it's time for Kmart just to cease to exist.

Yep, its only 20 or so years overdue.

Even when there were stores in my area I never shopped at Kmart.

At one time, maybe late 1980s, Kmart was a go-to for certain items.  A shower curtain.  An ironing board.  Some cheap you-assemble-it furniture like a TV stand.  But that was about it for me.  Once Target opened stores in my area, Northern California at the time, Kmart's demise was inevitable.

Yeah I remember that. We had three Kmart's in Saginaw and they all did well and are all closed now of course but at one time they did well. There was one on State Street in Saginaw Township where Horizons Conference Center is now and I remember going there in the 1980's it was the place to be and shopping at A&P for groceries was pretty cool too.

Kmart was the go to discount store in the 70s/80s, but by the early 90s, Walmart overtook them in virtually every area as they built a much more efficient operation. Kmart hasn't been relevant in 20 or so years. They should have liquidated 20 years ago after the first bankruptcy, but Eddie dragged it out and had to take Sears down with them.

My area was slow to get both Wal-Mart and Target -- they didn't reach full saturation here until mid-late 2000s. We did have Meijer and Gold Circle (Lazarus/Federated) for that kind of stuff but there weren't that many Meijers at first and there was little time overlap with both Meijer and Gold Circle. There were also a few Harts which was a general merchandise/discount store associated with Big Bear. That meant K-Mart still had a lot of power in Central Ohio into the 2000s. Both Wal-Mart and Target didn't like that we had Meijer at all here plus all those K-Marts.

Like seriously there were maybe 2-3 Wal-Marts in the entire metro (Circleville, Hillard and ?) and 2 Targets (Lancaster and I guess Delaware? Any more at all) in 2000. None in Columbus as far as I know at that time. I will even dare say that there were more K-Marts in 1990 in the metro than there are Wal-Marts now despite the massive growth of the Columbus metro since then.