It’s closing time. For good. The one-time retail giant, with over 2,500 stores across the country, has shut the doors of its last full-scale store in Bridgehampton, New York. A once-familiar staple of American shopping, Kmart's final farewell marks the end of an era in retail history.
After years of steady decline, Kmart has officially closed its last full-size store in mainland U.S. on October 20, 2024. Located in the posh town of Bridgehampton, New York, the nearly 90,000-square-foot store served the Hamptons community for over two decades.
The closure reduces the big-box discount retailer to only a small-store concept in Miami in the contiguous U.S. and a few locations in Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The once unstoppable retail giant and pioneer of discount shopping opened its first store in 1962 in Garden City, Michigan.
By the 1990s, with its famous “Blue Light Specials” and the catchy "Attention Kmart shoppers!" announcements, it had become a symbol of suburban Americana.
At its peak, 95% of Americans lived within a short drive of a Kmart store. However, the blue light has dimmed over the years as Kmart struggled to keep up with changing times.
Troubles began as far back as 2002 when Kmart filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announced it would close more than 250 of its then 2,000 stores. Despite acquiring Sears in 2004, forming the third-largest U.S. retailer at the time, this merger only postponed the inevitable.
By 2018, Sears Holdings, Kmart’s parent company, filed for bankruptcy again, bringing both brands closer to their end. Kmart's lack of modernization and missteps in adapting to the digital age were major factors in its struggles.
In its final days, Kmart made one last offer: "Everything Must Go," slashing prices to nearly nothing. Shoppers flocked in not just for the bargains but also to say their goodbyes, wandering through the empty aisles as 80s and 90s pop music echoed through the store.
The news of Kmart's closing spurred grief and nostalgia among loyal shoppers online, many of whom took to the Kmart subreddit to mourn the loss of what had become a cultural touchstone.
Kmart’s closure is just one sign of the retail apocalypse sweeping the country. In 2024, for the first time since the pandemic, store closures are outpacing new openings, according to Coresight Research. Chains like Bed Bath & Beyond, Walgreens, and Big Lots are all closing locations, with many malls and retail spaces looking emptier by the day.
