K-Mart

[XISMZERO]

Vacant Kmart; Derby, Connecticut. Taken today (3-12-2007).

Yet another vacant Kmart in the New Haven area. Entire plaza was heavily distressed and falling apart. Driveway was really wavy and unstable.

[XISMZERO]

Vacant Kmart; Derby, Connecticut. Taken today (3-12-2006).

Thanks for tip off, again, from Loki. We know this was a Zayre, then a Jordan Marsh, then Big Kmart. This entire site will be demolished for a Lowe's.

(I also apoligize for the rather offensive graffiti which I tried greatly to avoid).

[XISMZERO]

Vacant Kmart; Derby, Connecticut. Taken today (3-12-2006).

[XISMZERO]

Vacant Kmart; Derby, Connecticut. Taken today (3-12-2006).

A unique, antique road sign featuring blacked out Kmart logo.

[Caldor1999]

Originally posted by XISMZERO
Vacant Kmart; Orange, Connecticut.

Located near a former Bradlees, which became Kohl's just a couple years ago. This store is supposedly 18 to 19 years vacant! Just look at it (looks much like the Milford store)!

that kmart closed in 1988 and im suprized it has been vacant since then i mean its been clsoed for as long i have beebn born i thik the company clsoed it and moved teh store or something

[XISMZERO]

Originally posted by Caldor1999

Originally posted by XISMZERO
Vacant Kmart; Orange, Connecticut.

Located near a former Bradlees, which became Kohl's just a couple years ago. This store is supposedly 18 to 19 years vacant! Just look at it (looks much like the Milford store)!

that kmart closed in 1988 and im suprized it has been vacant since then i mean its been clsoed for as long i have beebn born i thik the company clsoed it and moved teh store or something

If relocation is the deal, the now gone New Haven and/or Derby store(s) could've been the catalysts. I did a full report on The Caldor Rainbow: http://thecaldorrainbow.blogspot.com/2007/03/lowes-and-behold-appeal-for-orange.html

[XISMZERO]

More dead Kmart action! This time, in Manchester, CT. Taken today.

I've covered all the vacant Kmart stores in Connecticut now! I last visited this store last Summer and now it's got a few more tarps, a much more beaten up building and fencing all around it!

[XISMZERO]

Kmart (vacant); Manchester, CT. Taken today. Behind the fence...

[XISMZERO]

Kmart (vacant); Manchester, CT. Taken today.

Little Caesar's label scar.

[XISMZERO]

Kmart (vacant); Manchester, CT. Taken today.

[XISMZERO]

Here's a "Buckland Square" pylon in Manchester, CT. The plaza's been gone for a while now (maybe 10 years?) but I suppose they forgot to take the sign down! You can see the signs still in there flipped inside out!

I'm placing this under Kmart because PACE and BUILDER'S SQUARE were Kmart affiliated. In it's days, Pace was the Costco (or Price Club) of Kmart and Builder's Square was *the* hardware store to compete with Home Depot, Hechinger's, Rickel's, Pergament and the rest of the dead hardware store chains.

[XISMZERO]

Distorted a bit to bring out the signs.

[ameskmart1]

A vacant Kmart in Great Falls, MT. This Kmart sat vacant for 7 years before being remodeled for a Big R store

[Kmart4life]

I was told by a Kmart manager yesterday that it is only a matter of time before the Kmart name is gone. He sai that within the 3 to 5 years there will be only Sears Grand and Kmart will be no longer!:no:

[XISMZERO]

Big Kmart; Holyoke, Mass.

It's down the street from the Holyoke Mall in a dilapidated plaza. Not sure what it was originally, but it doesn't look like it was always a Kmart. Notice the identical entrances which have subdivided for (a very old) CVS/pharmacy and a currently vacant store. Like the plaza, store's kind of a dump too...

[d_fife]

Originally posted by Zayre2
I was told by a Kmart manager yesterday that it is only a matter of time before the Kmart name is gone. He sai that within the 3 to 5 years there will be only Sears Grand and Kmart will be no longer!:no:

how does he know?

[Kmart4life]

I am not sure but I do know that he has been with Kmart for over 10 years so I would  he has connections.

[Marc82]

Originally posted by XISMZERO
Big Kmart; Holyoke, Mass.

It's down the street from the Holyoke Mall in a dilapidated plaza. Not sure what it was originally, but it doesn't look like it was always a Kmart. Notice the identical entrances which have subdivided for (a very old) CVS/pharmacy and a currently vacant store. Like the plaza, store's kind of a dump too...

I beleive my family and I stopped there to get directions to the Holyoke Mall several years ago. I remember there weren't many customers there. I also recall Holyoke is a run-down town, much like Meriden, CT.

[Zayre88]

Originally posted by Zayre88

Originally posted by dmx10101
What was the family dining referring to exactly?

I think that stores used to have the word "Restaurant", then Family Dining was introduced.  Today they're using K-Cafe.  Other locations have a Little Caesar's Pizza station.  

In Waterville, the restaurant is inside Kmart but i think it's called "Elm City Diner".

Kmart Family restaurant entrance in Waterville:

[HoJofan206]

Former K-Mart in Biloxi Mississippi that was destroyed by Katrina

[Zayre88]

Kmert is introducing a mascot: Mr.Blue light

see story: http://regulus2.azstarnet.com/blogs/clockingin/3921/kmart-turns-to-throwback-mascot

[beachgal26]

I have an update on the store in Cordova, TN (outside of Memphis) that closed in early 2005.  It had been vacant for some time and I started seeing times earlier this year when a truck would be there and the automatic doors were left open.  Well, being the nut that I am, I had to look around inside and it's been completely gutted leaving no sign that a K-Mart was ever there.

To my surprise, there is all kinds of work going on over there now.  A Red Robin will be opening up in the upper area of the parking lot within the next few months.  (We had one here years ago and then it closed quickly and quietly and we never had any more.  Now we will be getting 2 of them within a 30 minute radius!)  Last week's paper had a big article saying that 2 businessmen from TX had a great idea for an enclosed entertainment area that will feature go-karts, video games and an assortment of things to do (which is something that our needs desperately.)

Once the signs are up, I will try and get some photos and show a before/after.

:yup:   :yup:  :yup:

[XISMZERO]

UPDATE: Kmart; Watertown, CT. Taken 6-8-2007.

A few of us here visited this store last Summer (D_fife got to it before I). I actually stumbled across this store myself looking for a place to eat last July not even knowing it was here. I was amazed at how it hasn't changed since birth with the old-school logo.

I asked some employees a few questions about the store. I was told the building was built in 1971 as W.T. Grant and became Kmart in 1976. Obviously, they haven't renovated the exterior at all beyond a paint job or two.

This store might've gotten repainted since last July because it seems to be much brighter white now. Who knows, I visited last year near dark so it could've been the sundown.

[XISMZERO]

UPDATE: Kmart; Watertown, CT. Taken 6-8-2007.

This is one of the seven Kmarts left in Connecticut. It's closest store is Waterbury (East) and Southbury (West). Southbury might be two-floors (a rarity for Kmart stores) but Watertown is the only store in Connecticut that still has the 70's logo! It's kind of a cramped, distressed old store inside with olive green and tan floors and the Garden Shop is very tiny.

[d_fife]

Originally posted by XISMZERO
UPDATE: Kmart; Watertown, CT. Taken 6-8-2007.

This is one of the seven Kmarts left in Connecticut. It's closest store is Waterbury (East) and Southbury (West). Southbury might be two-floors (a rarity for Kmart stores) but Watertown is the only store in Connecticut that still has the 70's logo! It's kind of a cramped, distressed old store inside with olive green and tan floors and the Garden Shop is very tiny.

management told me the store in watertown is 36,000 sq.ft. the store was busy for a store its size. why is it that waterbury has the most concentration of surviving CT stores. I went to the one in torrington a month ago and it was busy for its standards and has a lot of similarity to the one in west lebanon nh.

torrington

[Amish79]

Originally posted by XISMZERO
UPDATE: Kmart; Watertown, CT. Taken 6-8-2007.

 Southbury might be two-floors (a rarity for Kmart stores) but Watertown is the only store in Connecticut that still has the 70's logo! It's kind of a cramped, distressed old store inside with olive green and tan floors and the Garden Shop is very tiny.

This may have already been said else where, but the K-Mart in Southbury was originally a department store. First it was a Read's and then that closed or was bought out by Jordan Marsh in the late 80s or early 90s.  When Jordan Marsh closed shortly there after K-Mart came in.  I was surprised that it became a K-Mart since it was such a big space.

[frameguy2704]

update: picture taken 6/4/07
Coventry RI K-Mart   empty since 1994

[ameskmart1]

Kmart in Hamilton, Montana. Still features 1970s logo, old garden center sign and was never expanded.

[ameskmart1]

Kalispell, Montana

[XISMZERO]

A former Kmart in East Haven, CT on Frontage Road right off I-95. It must've been a 1980's-era store given its look. It was used as a National Wholesale Liquidators in its latest years and now it's... well... liquidated.

Funny thing is they moved this junk store to Bridgeport which is sadly the dump-on capitol of Connecticut (just edging East Haven I suppose).

I visited this dump last March when they were still open and they had Caldor and Bradlees carts all over the place. I had no idea it closed up... good riddance... this plaza is really a hole.