Kmart to Close Final New York Location, 2nd Last in the Entire Country
It truly is the end of an era. The last remaining full-size Kmart will permanently close in less than a month.
The grim reaper of retail has finally come for Kmart, which once owned nearly 2,500 stores and employed over 350,000 people during its heyday.
Now, the discount chain is down to just 2 stores in the country and, by this time next month, that number will be reduced by half.
Read More: Attention Shoppers - There's 1 Kmart Store Remaining in New York
Like many big box stores, Kmart had been fighting tooth and nail for survival. It used to be the 15th largest corporation on the planet with a reported $37 billion in revenue.
The rise of online shopping, shifting consumer spending habits, and the pandemic devastated the once powerful chain that coined the term "blue light special."
Kmart tried competing with Amazon and other online retailers by launching its own online store, which led to the ultra-viral "Ship My Pants" commercial over a decade ago.
However, the chain was unable to compete with how Walmart, Target, and Amazon priced its products.
For example, Kmart is selling the cordless Dyson V8 for $621.63, which is an 11% discount from full price.
Amazon is selling the same product for $349, while Walmart has it for $396.00.
Kmart is far from being the only chain struggling and failing to compete with "the big 3" shoppers.
It's believed Walmart, Amazon, and Target dealt the death blow to Sears, which was once America's largest retailer.
Sears had over 4,000 locations worldwide during its peak, but it shut down its final New York store earlier this year.
Kmart is now doing the same, and will pull the plug on its last New York location in Bridgehampton in less than a month.
An employee of the company confirmed to Townsquare Media that the store will shut down for good on October 20.
No reason for the closure was given.
This is a devastating blow to discount shoppers, as the Bridgehampton location was also Kmart's last full-size store in the country.
Its location in Miami, Florida, is much smaller.
The Miami Herald described it as being "roughly the size of a neighborhood CVS" and it sold merchandise that "seems almost randomly collected."
It is unknown if Kmart is planning on closing that retail location.
That said, if you wish to roam the nostalgic fluorescent-lit Kmart aisles, you have until October 20 to take advantage of one last blue light special before the Bridgehampton closes forever.
In the meantime, check out all the other major chains and things we used to love that are not around anymore.
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