More Kmart stores closing

[inkyatari]

Chicago Ridge and Woodfield for me are still holding on 

Woodfield Sears sold or leased a bunch of space to NAMCO for the 257 Pac-Man themed arcade / restaurant.

OT but Level 257 was such a disappointment when I finally went.

I agree. Up until recently it was the only arcade in the Chicago area that had a Baby Pac-Man machine, but now Galloping Ghost has one.

[LM117]

Latest status of the company.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/09/24/sears-ceo-has-come-up-with-last-minute-plan-save-it-bankruptcy/?noredirect=on

[Brandon]

Latest status of the company.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/09/24/sears-ceo-has-come-up-with-last-minute-plan-save-it-bankruptcy/?noredirect=on

The phrase "stick a fork in them, they're done" comes to mind.

[cl94]

The phrase "stick a fork in them, they're done" comes to mind.

Sears/Kmart seems to be the chain with 9 lives. Just when you think they're finally dead, they keep going. Small towns with no other options and places where Walmart won't enter due to political/other reasons appear to be their lifeline.

[abefroman329]

The phrase "stick a fork in them, they're done" comes to mind.

Sears/Kmart seems to be the chain with 9 lives. Just when you think they're finally dead, they keep going. Small towns with no other options and places where Walmart won't enter due to political/other reasons appear to be their lifeline.

Places where Walmart isn't welcome, Target usually is. I have no idea what niche Kmart is filling.

[cl94]

Places where Walmart isn't welcome, Target usually is. I have no idea what niche Kmart is filling.

Towns too small for either Walmart or Target in many cases. Many of the Northeast's remaining Kmarts are in places without Walmart due to a variety of reasons (population, politics) and Target (demographics, population) close by, often lacking both. Target in particular is targeting (no pun intended) white collar families with a more "upscale" appearance and product line. Both Walmart and Target are generally confined to larger settlements in this part of the country. Places like Wellsville and Sidney, NY are too small for Walmart, but Kmart is willing to keep a store open.

[hbelkins]

My biggest complaint about Target is that it's more expensive than Walmart. But of course, Kmart is too, which is the biggest reason Walmart wiped the floor with Kmart in most places where they've been going head-to-head.

The Kmart in Kingsport, Tenn., seems to be going strong still, which surprises me because there's tons of competition in that area. There's a Target, at least two Walmart Supercenters, and at least one Walmart Neighborhood Market.

[SP Cook]

I went by my local K-Mart, which is closing, and I have seen better and more organized Goodwill stores.  Clearly a lot of stuff just brought in to fill space, with no legitimate expectation of actually selling it.  Ironically, the place was hiring, as much of the staff had left, with a poster aimed, it seems, at housewives, saying you could earn a couple of hundred over the next month and then go back to your life. 

Some observations:

- Huge amount of geographically illogical logo wear.  100s of Univ. of Oklahoma and Univ. of Arkansas medical scrubs; maybe 200 Univ. of Minnesota baby jumpers, all 18 month size; Boise State hats; unopened cases of NFL backpacks for random teams; kids baseball hats for random teams.  Even at virtually free the number of people who are in the market in Scott Depot, WV for 18 month size Golden Gopher jumpers is probably zero. 

- The stuff that you might actually want, like the OTC medicines, health and beauty, and such.

- Electronics area was flashback land.  Lots of "new old stock" obsolete electronics spanning many generations. 

- Appliances that had clearly been on display somewhere for a decade or more.

- Former garden center filled with out-of-season leftovers and tons of Christmas decorations.

- The tools and auto parts had been stripped. 

[TheStranger]

Was in Sacramento a couple of weeks ago and drove by the KMart on Stockton Boulevard which had closed in the last year.  It had the old KMart full-letter signage until about 5-6 years ago, and was the last in the city to remain operating if I recall.  (A friend over there told me the roof collapsed on it several months before the store finally went under)

Another KMart that had held on for years up in Citrus Heights closed in 2016 and is slated to become a theater.

Meanwhile, the Kmart on Veterans Boulevard in Redwood City has somehow continued to operate after all this time.

[abefroman329]

- Electronics area was flashback land.  Lots of "new old stock" obsolete electronics spanning many generations. 

- Appliances that had clearly been on display somewhere for a decade or more

Yep, this is what I encountered when I went to the Kmart in Valparaiso, IN earlier this year. I had just upgraded to the iPhone 8, and I went in to look for a new case for it. They were still selling 30-pin-to-USB cables.

[Flint1979]

K-Mart is perhaps one of the worst ran stores of it's kind. It really wouldn't sadden me if the entire chain closed down for good. None of their stores I have been in have even looked like they've been touched in 20-30 years. K-Mart is so out of date with the times it's not even funny. Meijer is the store around here that everyone shops at, Meijer even blows Walmart away in Michigan. You could go past a Meijer store and it's parking lot will be full, Walmart's will be half full, K-Mart's not even a quarter full.

[Flint1979]

Was in Sacramento a couple of weeks ago and drove by the KMart on Stockton Boulevard which had closed in the last year.  It had the old KMart full-letter signage until about 5-6 years ago, and was the last in the city to remain operating if I recall.  (A friend over there told me the roof collapsed on it several months before the store finally went under)

Another KMart that had held on for years up in Citrus Heights closed in 2016 and is slated to become a theater.

Meanwhile, the Kmart on Veterans Boulevard in Redwood City has somehow continued to operate after all this time.

That is the same fate that Saginaw, Michigan's last K-Mart had. About 4 years ago, maybe 5 years ago in the dead of winter right after the New Year K-Mart's roof collapsed and the store was closed to repair that, then they never re-opened. A Kroger store at the other end of the same plaza closed late last year and an Aco Hardware store closed years ago. The only stores left in this plaza are a Thrift Store and a Batting Cage.

This is the plaza I'm talking about. You can see the Kroger store still open on the left and the K-Mart was on the right. The ugly building in front of where K-Mart was use to be a bank and has been abandoned for at least 30 years.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.4153224,-84.0170914,3a,71.5y,168.46h,80.35t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1s5-07splBbPZix43Bpk6jdA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D5-07splBbPZix43Bpk6jdA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D204.1217%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100

I had to get over to Center Road to get K-Mart still open, along with Aco Hardware still open.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.4148252,-84.0147779,3a,15y,240.04h,90.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s7MsWGg_coVJbD9lATI8-mg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Flint1979]

Can't remember if I ever posted this but Saginaw use to have 3 K-Mart's. One was in Fort Saginaw Mall on Holland and Outer Drive (the entire mall along with K-Mart, except for a small strip plaza near Outer Drive was demolished around 2009), another one was on Bay Road and Schust and that is now a CubeSmart, I really don't even know what it is I think it's a storage place. And of course the Gratiot and Center location that I mentioned in my previous post.

Bay City lost it's last K-Mart last year or earlier this year one of the two. Midland still has one and somehow Clio still has one despite a Walmart Supercenter being located near it. Seems like most of the K-Mart's that are left in Michigan are located a good distance away from a Walmart or Meijer location.

[txstateends]

, another one was on Bay Road and Schust and that is now a CubeSmart, I really don't even know what it is I think it's a storage place.

CubeSmart is a self-storage chain.  Several new ones have popped up in the last year or 2 in north TX.

[CapeCodder]

I'm surprised the Hyannis K-Mart has held on this long. Walking in there feels like you're in the 80's.

[abefroman329]

I went to the one at Mannheim and Oakton in Des Plaines today, and it must be the crown jewel of the Kmart empire. They actually had what I was looking for (a two port USB car charger).

[Brandon]

Three more on the chopping block.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/10/03/sears-kmart-store-closures/1510265002/

I'm willing to bet that many more are in the works.

/modification

And they are, for a total of 11 stores minimum.  There may be more for this round.

https://www.businessinsider.com/sears-kmart-list-of-stores-closing-before-holidays-2018-10

Sears
Golf Mill Shopping Center, 400 Golf Mill Ctr, Niles, Illinois
Eastern Hills Mall, 4545 Transit Rd, Williamsville, New York
The Mall at Fairfield Commons, 2727 Fairfield Commons, Beavercreek, Ohio
San Jacinto Mall, 1000 San Jacinto Mall, Baytown, Texas
Broadway Square, 4701 S Broadway Ave, Tyler, Texas
Grand Central Mall, 500 Grand Central Ave, Vienna, West Virginia

Kmart
1500 Fitzgerald Dr, Pinole, California
6865 Hollister Ave, Goleta, California
635 Dutchess Turnpike, Poughkeepsie, New York
6626 Metropolitan Avenue, Middle Village, New York
4251 John Marr Drive, Annandale, Virginia

Sears occupies a unique position in Golf Mill Mall, being a central "walk-through" anchor, connecting the larger JCPenney/theater mall to the south with the smaller Kohl's/Target/Value City Furniture mall to the north.

[abefroman329]

I wasn't even aware there was a Sears at Golf Mill, but I've only been there once and didn't leave Penney's.

I hope they find a solution to the pass-through issue that isn't "have shoppers walk through a giant empty store."  Maybe some temporary walls.

[JoePCool14]

Three more on the chopping block.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/10/03/sears-kmart-store-closures/1510265002/

I'm willing to bet that many more are in the works.

/modification

And they are, for a total of 11 stores minimum.  There may be more for this round.

https://www.businessinsider.com/sears-kmart-list-of-stores-closing-before-holidays-2018-10

Sears
Golf Mill Shopping Center, 400 Golf Mill Ctr, Niles, Illinois
Eastern Hills Mall, 4545 Transit Rd, Williamsville, New York
The Mall at Fairfield Commons, 2727 Fairfield Commons, Beavercreek, Ohio
San Jacinto Mall, 1000 San Jacinto Mall, Baytown, Texas
Broadway Square, 4701 S Broadway Ave, Tyler, Texas
Grand Central Mall, 500 Grand Central Ave, Vienna, West Virginia

Kmart
1500 Fitzgerald Dr, Pinole, California
6865 Hollister Ave, Goleta, California
635 Dutchess Turnpike, Poughkeepsie, New York
6626 Metropolitan Avenue, Middle Village, New York
4251 John Marr Drive, Annandale, Virginia

Sears occupies a unique position in Golf Mill Mall, being a central "walk-through" anchor, connecting the larger JCPenney/theater mall to the south with the smaller Kohl's/Target/Value City Furniture mall to the north.

My mom worked at that Sears in Golf Mill when she was in college. She would come home every other weekend to work and get money to take back to school (and work in the summer). I will have to let her know of the news.

[hbelkins]

For years, Sears was the south anchor at Fayette Mall in Lexington. At some point 20-something years ago, the mall was expanded southward and Sears became a walk-through anchor. The Sears there closed a few years ago and I have no idea what took its place, because I try to stay away from malls as much as possible.

[jeffandnicole]

I wasn't even aware there was a Sears at Golf Mill, but I've only been there once and didn't leave Penney's.

I hope they find a solution to the pass-through issue that isn't "have shoppers walk through a giant empty store."  Maybe some temporary walls.

The Gallery in Philly had this same feature/issue, ironically with a Kmart.  I forget exactly what they did, as the entire mall is underdoing renovations now.  I think you could still get from one side to another via the underground portion of the mall which Kmart didn't occupy (but it's been years, so I could be totally wrong about that).

[Brandon]

Thought this one would be closed permanently.  Question is, how long will it be open?

Jaclyn Smith, 300 shoppers come out for Sears reopening at Oakbrook Center

The remodeling/downsizing started 13 months ago and left Sears with 62,000 square feet – about one-third the size of its previous space – all on the lower level.

Considered by Sears as "a smaller format store,"  the Oakbrook Center location still carries shoes, apparel, appliances, tools, mattresses, sporting goods, jewelry, grills and lawn and garden items. Some other previously available products, such as consumer electronics, are no longer are sold on site.

[inkyatari]

Thought this one would be closed permanently.  Question is, how long will it be open?

Jaclyn Smith, 300 shoppers come out for Sears reopening at Oakbrook Center

The remodeling/downsizing started 13 months ago and left Sears with 62,000 square feet – about one-third the size of its previous space – all on the lower level.

Considered by Sears as "a smaller format store,"  the Oakbrook Center location still carries shoes, apparel, appliances, tools, mattresses, sporting goods, jewelry, grills and lawn and garden items. Some other previously available products, such as consumer electronics, are no longer are sold on site.

That's kinda what happened at Woodfield mall, what with the overrated 257 restaurant / arcade opening in former Sears space.

I still say Sears isn't going to totally go under.  I think they'll keep the upscale stores open, and the neighborhood ones, IIRC, were spun off into their own actually profitable company.

[abefroman329]

Thought this one would be closed permanently.  Question is, how long will it be open?

Jaclyn Smith, 300 shoppers come out for Sears reopening at Oakbrook Center

The remodeling/downsizing started 13 months ago and left Sears with 62,000 square feet – about one-third the size of its previous space – all on the lower level.

Considered by Sears as "a smaller format store,"  the Oakbrook Center location still carries shoes, apparel, appliances, tools, mattresses, sporting goods, jewelry, grills and lawn and garden items. Some other previously available products, such as consumer electronics, are no longer are sold on site.

That's kinda what happened at Woodfield mall, what with the overrated 257 restaurant / arcade opening in former Sears space.

I still say Sears isn't going to totally go under.  I think they'll keep the upscale stores open, and the neighborhood ones, IIRC, were spun off into their own actually profitable company.

The people who are loyal to the Sears brand are dying due to old age/natural causes and not being replaced by anyone else. No company can survive that.

[DaBigE]

Thought this one would be closed permanently.  Question is, how long will it be open?

Jaclyn Smith, 300 shoppers come out for Sears reopening at Oakbrook Center

The remodeling/downsizing started 13 months ago and left Sears with 62,000 square feet – about one-third the size of its previous space – all on the lower level.

Considered by Sears as "a smaller format store,"  the Oakbrook Center location still carries shoes, apparel, appliances, tools, mattresses, sporting goods, jewelry, grills and lawn and garden items. Some other previously available products, such as consumer electronics, are no longer are sold on site.

That's kinda what happened at Woodfield mall, what with the overrated 257 restaurant / arcade opening in former Sears space.

I still say Sears isn't going to totally go under.  I think they'll keep the upscale stores open, and the neighborhood ones, IIRC, were spun off into their own actually profitable company.

The people who are loyal to the Sears brand are dying due to old age/natural causes and not being replaced by anyone else. No company can survive that.

And those of us that used to be at least somewhat loyal (I was brought up on Craftsman tools being the "benchmark", right or wrong) and are in the younger age group (I refuse to use the "M" word, at least on myself), have abandoned Sears because of what they've turned themselves into. Other tool brands have taken over, with regards to warranty, durability, ease of acquisition (web, brick & mortar), and innovation.

I still say Sears isn't going to totally go under.  I think they'll keep the upscale stores open, and the neighborhood ones, IIRC, were spun off into their own actually profitable company.

What the hell is an "upscale" Sears?? I've never heard of such a concept. Lands' End has already abandoned Sears. Kmart = upscale? 
Is it a store with snottier and even less knowledgeable staff (if such a thing exists)?