The Last Full Size Kmart is in New York But It Is Set to Close

Kmart was once a thriving department store chain, that boasted over two thousand locations across the U.S. and the world by the 1990s. However, since merging with Sears back in 2005, the company has been scaling back more and more. Through the years, Kmart stores became more of a rarity to see in many American towns.

Now, they're almost completely gone.

The last full-size Kmart store in the 50 states is located in the state of New York. But according to CBS, that too will soon come to an end, as the company announced the closure of one of its last locations.

Brief History

The first Kmart store opened on January 25, 1962, in Garden City, Michigan, though its roots go all the way back to the Kresge's days of the late 1800s.

At one point, the franchise operated 2,486 stores globally, including 2,323 discount stores and Super Kmart Center locations in the U.S., according to Wikipedia.

See Also: How Many Long John Silver's Are Left in New York State?

Kmart's financial woes trace back to the early 00s, when then-leadership stood accused of "misleading shareholders and other company officials about the company's financial crisis", while allegedly spending Kmart's profits on personal items. Once the old leadership stepped down, the company began closing hundreds of stores while laying off thousands.

See Also: How Many Hooters Restaurants Are Left in New York State?

Kmart's eventual parent company Sears would later filed for Chapter 11 in 2018, according to CBS.

The Last Full Size Kmart is in New York But It Is Set to Close

CBS reports that the last full-size Kmart store in the country, which is located in Bridgehampton, New York, will close for good on October 20, 2024. A smaller Kmart is still open in the Miami area, as well as a few in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam, according to the company.

See Also: How Many New York State BurgerFi Locations Are Left, As Chain Files For Chapter 11