K-Mart

[Planet Retail]

I found an interesting article about a Kmart in Pennsylvania

https://triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/customers-lament-lack-of-items-at-allegheny-township-kmart/

Apparently, this Kmart has been understocked to the point that it garnered attention from the local newspaper... If I didn't know any better, I would have thought the store was closing!

[TheFugitive]

Calling the Valley News Dispatch a newspaper is a bit of a stretch.

Trib Total Media is the newspaper equivalent of Kmart.
They've already stopped producing print editions of most of their papers.

[Everything Community]

Vernon, Connecticut. They decided to leave this one opened while a neighboring store in Manchester closed years ago. Manchester was certainly bigger, but probably didn't attract as many people.

The "now-closed" Big K on July 2, 2019. Even today, still looks the same with all the signs intact! The store closed over 4 & a half months ago so this is so strange for a STORE CLOSING sign to be up long after its initial closing! No difference during the 4-month period.

[Planet Retail]

The "now-closed" Big K on July 2, 2019. Even today, still looks the same with all the signs intact! The store closed over 4 & a half months ago so this is so strange for a STORE CLOSING sign to be up long after its initial closing! No difference during the 4-month period.
[/quote]

I noticed this too with the recently closed Kmart in Fostoria, Ohio. The store has been closed for months, but the signage is still up. Perhaps it's not worth Sears' time and effort to take it down anymore... or they have no money to. XD

[AmesNewington]

Vernon, Connecticut. They decided to leave this one opened while a neighboring store in Manchester closed years ago. Manchester was certainly bigger, but probably didn't attract as many people.

The "now-closed" Big K on July 2, 2019. Even today, still looks the same with all the signs intact! The store closed over 4 & a half months ago so this is so strange for a STORE CLOSING sign to be up long after its initial closing! No difference during the 4-month period.

That's crazy. All I can think is that this store, along with Sears in Meriden, CT were last minute closures executed during the bankruptcy, so they may be handled differently, and whoever is handling these locations are in no hurry to take down the signs, much less lease them out to someone else. Sears in Meriden still has their signs up and they are attached to a mall. The Cromwell Kmart was quickly stripped of all signage after they closed.

[Everything Community]

Again, here is the Kmart in Vernon, Connecticut, having left "untouched" in those 4 & the half months following the store closure. If you look closely, the roof awning all over this building is starting to deteriorate including the orange paint & that missing piece. The exterior last remodeled in the summer of 2008. When this store originally opened on February 27, 1975, it was like most typical Kmarts built around this time frame. Exterior might originally had been renovated during the early/mid-90's (like many other Kmarts). Upgraded to a Big Kmart sometime in the late 90's. Survived so many closings over the years, but that post-bankruptcy after-Christmas closing announcement didn't make the cut this time.

Anyone (from the area) know what year this Kmart had its first exterior remodel? (HINT: Definitely before Big Kmart era, but sometime after 1991!)

For the complete album of our today's photoshoot of this Kmart, visit us on 24/7 Community's Flickr page @ www.flickr.com/photos/BigKmart:

Now this leaves Watertown, CT as the sole remaining Kmart in the state. R.I.P. My local Kmart!

Vernon Kmart
1975-2019

[AmesNewington]

Again, here is the Kmart in Vernon, Connecticut, having left "untouched" in those 4 & the half months following the store closure. If you look closely, the roof awning all over this building is starting to deteriorate including the orange paint & that missing piece. The exterior last remodeled in the summer of 2008. When this store originally opened on February 27, 1975, it was like most typical Kmarts built around this time frame. Exterior might originally had been renovated during the early/mid-90's (like many other Kmarts). Upgraded to a Big Kmart sometime in the late 90's. Survived so many closings over the years, but that post-bankruptcy after-Christmas closing announcement didn't make the cut this time.

Anyone (from the area) know what year this Kmart had its first exterior remodel? (HINT: Definitely before Big Kmart era, but sometime after 1991!)

For the complete album of our today's photoshoot of this Kmart, visit us on 24/7 Community's Flickr page @ www.flickr.com/photos/BigKmart:

Now this leaves Watertown, CT as the sole remaining Kmart in the state. R.I.P. My local Kmart!

Vernon Kmart
1975-2019

It was such a shame Vernon made it that far to just be closed as a last minute decision. I actually braved the Putnam Bridge in East Hartford for the first time in February after avoiding it. I was able to visit the store for the last time the week before it closed. I realized I could have went there more often in the last two years after Cromwell closed. I'd always have to get a ride there. I traveled all the way to Watertown for Kmart in January, but it's a long ride and the store is small. I'm not sure if the store was always like this due to its size, but they lack variety and stock. It may also be due to the state of the company and the transition to the new company, but I always found much more at Cromwell and Vernon compared to Watertown. Although in the end, Vernon didn't have as much to choose from. Watertown also doesn't restock certain every day items and I am seeing a reduction in their Smart Sense line. Nevertheless, I love that there is still a Kmart around to visit every so often, and wish Kmart was the division that was given more attention. I feel new smaller stores would do better than Sears stores. After all, we need more options than Walmart and Target for discount department stores.

Anyway, I noticed there is no real estate listing for the Kmart in Vernon anywhere on the web, as well as the Sears in Meriden. The location in Vernon Kmart occupied is surrounded by a busy corridor with several stores and businesses and can be seen off the highway. I can't imagine how no one has expressed interest in the building. Maybe these properties closed during the bankruptcy are held up in legal issues with the old company and Sears is keeping them empty for the time being. I have to believe that is why all the signs are still up because they are in no hurry to unload them. Too bad they can't just reopen them. (I'm dreaming).

[retailisking]

Kmart is closing in Boca Raton, FL (Lantana will be the last Kmart in Palm Beach County)
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20190805/exclusive-kmart-to-close-boca-raton-store

[Retail_247]

Kmart had stand alone resturants before the kmaet cafe called kmart chef. The resturants had a burger called the big k burger but this was way before kmart rebranded itself to big kmart.

[Retail Regents]

That was gone by 1974.

[buzz86us]

There is a really cool domed KMart in Paramus NJ which has been empty since 2012

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.9776746,-74.0827639,3a,30y,291.81h,87.18t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZ2kaPCXv1A8hJLahJ_KYUg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[danfifepsu]

after this wave Kmart will be absent from these states:  Oklahoma, Kentucky, Indiana, South Carolina, Virginia, Maine, Connecticut, Idaho, Utah, Tennessee, Vermont, Rhode Island, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Hawaii, Alaska and South Dakota.

[Crazybangles]

There used to be a Kmart in St. John, IN that has been vacant since 2012. It's pretty neat. I never got a chance to look inside as I was in a hurry. I did take a picture of it but I am too lazy to dig it up right now.

[danfifepsu]

There used to be a Kmart in St. John, IN that has been vacant since 2012. It's pretty neat. I never got a chance to look inside as I was in a hurry. I did take a picture of it but I am too lazy to dig it up right now.

I wonder how long it is till it's bye bye Kmart.

[Crazybangles]

Probably not that long

[deerwrecker2017]

The way everything is going Kmart can go out of business at any time now at this rate.

[buzz86us]

no more K-Mart in the Albany area... i got a KMart shirt never worn hopefully in 10 years or so it'll be a collectible

[danfifepsu]

The way everything is going Kmart can go out of business at any time now at this rate.

will they make it to next Summer? They will be down to 115 stores in 27 states by Christmas

[danfifepsu]

https://www.rep-am.com/local/news-local/2019/08/31/watertowns-kmart-the-last-one-in-the-state-to-close/


Also Kmart will have 108 stores left in half the states after this wave and have about as many stores as Bradlees had when they closed.

[Everything Community]

Here's a tour of Connecticut's last Kmart, located in Watertown, CT.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigkmart/albums/72157710650223648 (access to an album of photos)

Facts about this Kmart:

-Store #7109

-Operated as W.T. Grant in the early 70's before Kmart took over this location.

-Opened as Kmart in late 1976

-Famous for having the old logo (Red K w/ blue turquoise "m a r t" lettering up until just last year)

-Was actually a "BIG" Kmart in the late 90's/early 00's by adding a pantry to this store.

-The cafe inside the store was always K-Cafe for many years(?)

-Sadly, but finally, store is closing in mid-December 2019! ðŸ˜,

I was there today (just before liquidation starts!) for some nostalgia. Lack of newer interior updates, meaning this store is kinda stuck in the 1970s-1990s era. Seeing this ancient cart that dates all the way back to that period is a major surprise. One plastic gray 90's cart reappeared at this store. Some labelscars still shown in repainted walls (ex. what was once layaway is now a Garden Shop). Added bonus is some old cash registers that date back to before the BIG Kmart era. Overall, what a nostalgic but relatively a good store.

[AmesNewington]

Here's a tour of Connecticut's last Kmart, located in Watertown, CT.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigkmart/albums/72157710650223648 (access to an album of photos)

Facts about this Kmart:

-Store #7109

-Operated as W.T. Grant in the early 70's before Kmart took over this location.

-Opened as Kmart in late 1976

-Famous for having the old logo (Red K w/ blue turquoise "m a r t" lettering up until just last year)

-Was actually a "BIG" Kmart in the late 90's/early 00's by adding a pantry to this store.

-The cafe inside the store was always K-Cafe for many years(?)

-Sadly, but finally, store is closing in mid-December 2019! ðŸ˜,

I was there today (just before liquidation starts!) for some nostalgia. Lack of newer interior updates, meaning this store is kinda stuck in the 1970s-1990s era. Seeing this ancient cart that dates all the way back to that period is a major surprise. One plastic gray 90's cart reappeared at this store. Some labelscars still shown in repainted walls (ex. what was once layaway is now a Garden Shop). Added bonus is some old cash registers that date back to before the BIG Kmart era. Overall, what a nostalgic but relatively a good store.

With the closing of Vernon, I made the trek up to Watertown in January (even before Vernon closed) and finally got to see the store. I also purchased about $100 in merchandise which included clothes, everyday items and Christmas markdowns. It was fun. I also went with my mom and dad on Good Friday and picked up a bunch of other things including a set of new bath towels. We went a third time in July and this is when I noticed something was not right. They were out of several items I used to buy. I like foam cups and bought the last 4 packages of them in April (mostly for the store brand label and to support the store) and in July when I went back, they still weren't restocked 3 months later. Now even Kmart.com doesn't even have them in inventory. But the real sign was the fact that they stocked a lot of aisles throughout the store with lines of Bounty Paper Towel and Poland Spring Water where other merchandise should have been. The merchandise they had from housewares to bed and bath had no selection of items and items were just scattered in the aisles and not even in order. The clothes I browsed in January were still there in July in the toddler/kid section. They got in a few new arrivals, but it is clear they didn't reset the clothing sections.

It seems Kmarts as a whole used to have more in the Garden Center even a few years back. In the tours of Kmart stores on YouTube, many garden centers remained closed the past few years (Vernon last year) with the summer seasonal items all squeezed together in the indoor seasonal section adjacent to the outside garden room. It says a lot about whats happening with Kmart as a whole.

I want to get to Watertown once more before they close. I will miss having Kmart in the state. I also want to go to the one in Holyoke, MA before Christmas in the case they close in the next year. Kmart used to be a great place to go for Christmas as they had so many different items you couldn't find elsewhere. They also had great decorations.

[JimSawhill]

Here's a tour of Connecticut's last Kmart, located in Watertown, CT.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigkmart/albums/72157710650223648 (access to an album of photos)

Facts about this Kmart:

-Store #7109

-Operated as W.T. Grant in the early 70's before Kmart took over this location.

-Opened as Kmart in late 1976

-Famous for having the old logo (Red K w/ blue turquoise "m a r t" lettering up until just last year)

-Was actually a "BIG" Kmart in the late 90's/early 00's by adding a pantry to this store.

-The cafe inside the store was always K-Cafe for many years(?)

-Sadly, but finally, store is closing in mid-December 2019! ðŸ˜,

I was there today (just before liquidation starts!) for some nostalgia. Lack of newer interior updates, meaning this store is kinda stuck in the 1970s-1990s era. Seeing this ancient cart that dates all the way back to that period is a major surprise. One plastic gray 90's cart reappeared at this store. Some labelscars still shown in repainted walls (ex. what was once layaway is now a Garden Shop). Added bonus is some old cash registers that date back to before the BIG Kmart era. Overall, what a nostalgic but relatively a good store.

With the closing of Vernon, I made the trek up to Watertown in January (even before Vernon closed) and finally got to see the store. I also purchased about $100 in merchandise which included clothes, everyday items and Christmas markdowns. It was fun. I also went with my mom and dad on Good Friday and picked up a bunch of other things including a set of new bath towels. We went a third time in July and this is when I noticed something was not right. They were out of several items I used to buy. I like foam cups and bought the last 4 packages of them in April (mostly for the store brand label and to support the store) and in July when I went back, they still weren't restocked 3 months later. Now even Kmart.com doesn't even have them in inventory. But the real sign was the fact that they stocked a lot of aisles throughout the store with lines of Bounty Paper Towel and Poland Spring Water where other merchandise should have been. The merchandise they had from housewares to bed and bath had no selection of items and items were just scattered in the aisles and not even in order. The clothes I browsed in January were still there in July in the toddler/kid section. They got in a few new arrivals, but it is clear they didn't reset the clothing sections.

It seems Kmarts as a whole used to have more in the Garden Center even a few years back. In the tours of Kmart stores on YouTube, many garden centers remained closed the past few years (Vernon last year) with the summer seasonal items all squeezed together in the indoor seasonal section adjacent to the outside garden room. It says a lot about whats happening with Kmart as a whole.

I want to get to Watertown once more before they close. I will miss having Kmart in the state. I also want to go to the one in Holyoke, MA before Christmas in the case they close in the next year. Kmart used to be a great place to go for Christmas as they had so many different items you couldn't find elsewhere. They also had great decorations.

I wonder what will it become? I wonder what Vernon will become...I guess the Manchester K Mart is still a vacant lot...

[AmesNewington]

Here's a tour of Connecticut's last Kmart, located in Watertown, CT.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigkmart/albums/72157710650223648 (access to an album of photos)

Facts about this Kmart:

-Store #7109

-Operated as W.T. Grant in the early 70's before Kmart took over this location.

-Opened as Kmart in late 1976

-Famous for having the old logo (Red K w/ blue turquoise "m a r t" lettering up until just last year)

-Was actually a "BIG" Kmart in the late 90's/early 00's by adding a pantry to this store.

-The cafe inside the store was always K-Cafe for many years(?)

-Sadly, but finally, store is closing in mid-December 2019! ðŸ˜,

I was there today (just before liquidation starts!) for some nostalgia. Lack of newer interior updates, meaning this store is kinda stuck in the 1970s-1990s era. Seeing this ancient cart that dates all the way back to that period is a major surprise. One plastic gray 90's cart reappeared at this store. Some labelscars still shown in repainted walls (ex. what was once layaway is now a Garden Shop). Added bonus is some old cash registers that date back to before the BIG Kmart era. Overall, what a nostalgic but relatively a good store.

With the closing of Vernon, I made the trek up to Watertown in January (even before Vernon closed) and finally got to see the store. I also purchased about $100 in merchandise which included clothes, everyday items and Christmas markdowns. It was fun. I also went with my mom and dad on Good Friday and picked up a bunch of other things including a set of new bath towels. We went a third time in July and this is when I noticed something was not right. They were out of several items I used to buy. I like foam cups and bought the last 4 packages of them in April (mostly for the store brand label and to support the store) and in July when I went back, they still weren't restocked 3 months later. Now even Kmart.com doesn't even have them in inventory. But the real sign was the fact that they stocked a lot of aisles throughout the store with lines of Bounty Paper Towel and Poland Spring Water where other merchandise should have been. The merchandise they had from housewares to bed and bath had no selection of items and items were just scattered in the aisles and not even in order. The clothes I browsed in January were still there in July in the toddler/kid section. They got in a few new arrivals, but it is clear they didn't reset the clothing sections.

It seems Kmarts as a whole used to have more in the Garden Center even a few years back. In the tours of Kmart stores on YouTube, many garden centers remained closed the past few years (Vernon last year) with the summer seasonal items all squeezed together in the indoor seasonal section adjacent to the outside garden room. It says a lot about whats happening with Kmart as a whole.

I want to get to Watertown once more before they close. I will miss having Kmart in the state. I also want to go to the one in Holyoke, MA before Christmas in the case they close in the next year. Kmart used to be a great place to go for Christmas as they had so many different items you couldn't find elsewhere. They also had great decorations.

I wonder what will it become? I wonder what Vernon will become...I guess the Manchester K Mart is still a vacant lot...

Vernon and Watertown would have made great renovated Kmarts if that were to ever happen. That was wishful thinking on my part. At this point, all Kmarts are in danger regardless if they make money. Even Cromwell was busy. It was a hot spot at Christmas. I miss it. The sad thing is that Vernon was super busy on Black Friday last year. People still decided to shop there. I was happy to have picked out a TV that day as a Christmas gift at a good price. I'm watching it right now.

[TheFugitive]

I had some Freecash points in my Kmart account, and wanted to use them because....well, who
knows how much longer Kmart is going to be around.

They have no stores in my area anymore so I went online and bought a pair of pants.
They arrived.  Even though labeled in my size they were too small (or perhaps I've put
on weight).  I went online to process a return, and the site told me that the shipping would
be prohibitive, and I should return them to a Kmart store.

Problem is, I think the closest Kmart still open for business is someplace in Northeast Ohio.
So I logged on and chatted with a customer service agent.

The agent was very pleasant, and I was quite surprised when he told me that Kmart would
just issue a refund credit to my credit card, and I could simply donate the pants to charity.

That was outstanding and greatly appreciated!  I told the agent that I would have retuned them
to a store but Kmart and Sears have all closed in my region.  The agent claimed that Kmart would
be opening 400 small format stores soon.

Really?  We'll see.

[danfifepsu]

I had some Freecash points in my Kmart account, and wanted to use them because....well, who
knows how much longer Kmart is going to be around.

They have no stores in my area anymore so I went online and bought a pair of pants.
They arrived.  Even though labeled in my size they were too small (or perhaps I've put
on weight).  I went online to process a return, and the site told me that the shipping would
be prohibitive, and I should return them to a Kmart store.

Problem is, I think the closest Kmart still open for business is someplace in Northeast Ohio.
So I logged on and chatted with a customer service agent.

The agent was very pleasant, and I was quite surprised when he told me that Kmart would
just issue a refund credit to my credit card, and I could simply donate the pants to charity.

That was outstanding and greatly appreciated!  I told the agent that I would have retuned them
to a store but Kmart and Sears have all closed in my region.  The agent claimed that Kmart would
be opening 400 small format stores soon.

Really?  We'll see.

I doubt that that Kmart wouild go as they have as many stores as a regional chain now.

[deerwrecker2017]

I had some Freecash points in my Kmart account, and wanted to use them because....well, who
knows how much longer Kmart is going to be around.

They have no stores in my area anymore so I went online and bought a pair of pants.
They arrived.  Even though labeled in my size they were too small (or perhaps I've put
on weight).  I went online to process a return, and the site told me that the shipping would
be prohibitive, and I should return them to a Kmart store.

Problem is, I think the closest Kmart still open for business is someplace in Northeast Ohio.
So I logged on and chatted with a customer service agent.

The agent was very pleasant, and I was quite surprised when he told me that Kmart would
just issue a refund credit to my credit card, and I could simply donate the pants to charity.

That was outstanding and greatly appreciated!  I told the agent that I would have retuned them
to a store but Kmart and Sears have all closed in my region.  The agent claimed that Kmart would
be opening 400 small format stores soon.

Really?  We'll see.

Personally I absolutely doubt that Kmart will ever open any small format stores let alone any new stores considering the rate they are going.

[AmesNewington]

I had some Freecash points in my Kmart account, and wanted to use them because....well, who
knows how much longer Kmart is going to be around.

They have no stores in my area anymore so I went online and bought a pair of pants.
They arrived.  Even though labeled in my size they were too small (or perhaps I've put
on weight).  I went online to process a return, and the site told me that the shipping would
be prohibitive, and I should return them to a Kmart store.

Problem is, I think the closest Kmart still open for business is someplace in Northeast Ohio.
So I logged on and chatted with a customer service agent.

The agent was very pleasant, and I was quite surprised when he told me that Kmart would
just issue a refund credit to my credit card, and I could simply donate the pants to charity.

That was outstanding and greatly appreciated!  I told the agent that I would have retuned them
to a store but Kmart and Sears have all closed in my region.  The agent claimed that Kmart would
be opening 400 small format stores soon.

Really?  We'll see.

Personally I absolutely doubt that Kmart will ever open any small format stores let alone any new stores considering the rate they are going.

Why would a customer service representative say something like this? Especially if its false? At this point, they can't even stock the remaining stores they have left. I would love if they did open a few though. I believe starting with new stores would have been the better idea instead of dragging on these very old and tired ones.

[deerwrecker2017]

I had some Freecash points in my Kmart account, and wanted to use them because....well, who
knows how much longer Kmart is going to be around.

They have no stores in my area anymore so I went online and bought a pair of pants.
They arrived.  Even though labeled in my size they were too small (or perhaps I've put
on weight).  I went online to process a return, and the site told me that the shipping would
be prohibitive, and I should return them to a Kmart store.

Problem is, I think the closest Kmart still open for business is someplace in Northeast Ohio.
So I logged on and chatted with a customer service agent.

The agent was very pleasant, and I was quite surprised when he told me that Kmart would
just issue a refund credit to my credit card, and I could simply donate the pants to charity.

That was outstanding and greatly appreciated!  I told the agent that I would have retuned them
to a store but Kmart and Sears have all closed in my region.  The agent claimed that Kmart would
be opening 400 small format stores soon.

Really?  We'll see.

Personally I absolutely doubt that Kmart will ever open any small format stores let alone any new stores considering the rate they are going.

Why would a customer service representative say something like this? Especially if its false? At this point, they can't even stock the remaining stores they have left. I would love if they did open a few though. I believe starting with new stores would have been the better idea instead of dragging on these very old and tired ones.

The reason I do have doubts about any new Kmart stores opening up is the way that Lampert is running the business. It would be more cost efficient for Kmart to consider fully renovating existing stores and make all necessary repairs to the buildings (Like fixing the roofs to prevent leaks) even though completely new stores would be a good idea (Although that would cost more to build a new store than to properly renovate and repair).

Regarding what the customer service representative knows could be either true or false. For Kmart to try small format stores it should have been attempted a long time ago.

Today any possible small format Kmart would run into real competition in the form of Dollar General and Family Dollar.

Walmart tried the idea of small format stores they called Walmart Express in 2011 but that failed and they were all shuttered 5 years later.

Edited to add - Personally I absolutely think that it's completely too late for Kmart to turn itself around in it's current form.

[AmesNewington]

I had some Freecash points in my Kmart account, and wanted to use them because....well, who
knows how much longer Kmart is going to be around.

They have no stores in my area anymore so I went online and bought a pair of pants.
They arrived.  Even though labeled in my size they were too small (or perhaps I've put
on weight).  I went online to process a return, and the site told me that the shipping would
be prohibitive, and I should return them to a Kmart store.

Problem is, I think the closest Kmart still open for business is someplace in Northeast Ohio.
So I logged on and chatted with a customer service agent.

The agent was very pleasant, and I was quite surprised when he told me that Kmart would
just issue a refund credit to my credit card, and I could simply donate the pants to charity.

That was outstanding and greatly appreciated!  I told the agent that I would have retuned them
to a store but Kmart and Sears have all closed in my region.  The agent claimed that Kmart would
be opening 400 small format stores soon.

Really?  We'll see.

Personally I absolutely doubt that Kmart will ever open any small format stores let alone any new stores considering the rate they are going.

Why would a customer service representative say something like this? Especially if its false? At this point, they can't even stock the remaining stores they have left. I would love if they did open a few though. I believe starting with new stores would have been the better idea instead of dragging on these very old and tired ones.

The reason I do have doubts about any new Kmart stores opening up is the way that Lampert is running the business. It would be more cost efficient for Kmart to consider fully renovating existing stores and make all necessary repairs to the buildings (Like fixing the roofs to prevent leaks) even though completely new stores would be a good idea (Although that would cost more to build a new store than to properly renovate and repair).

Regarding what the customer service representative knows could be either true or false. For Kmart to try small format stores it should have been attempted a long time ago.

Today any possible small format Kmart would run into real competition in the form of Dollar General and Family Dollar.

Walmart tried the idea of small format stores they called Walmart Express in 2011 but that failed and they were all shuttered 5 years later.

Edited to add - Personally I absolutely think that it's completely too late for Kmart to turn itself around in it's current form.

Kmart still has a following. Many preferred their clothes to Walmart and they also had a better toy department. They also had a much better Christmas/Trim-A-Tree selection. It was a place to find rare items you couldn't get elsewhere. I thought Kmart was the store that was in between Walmart and Target. Not too trendy but not totally low end. They could have capitalized on their best points, but of course they didn't do that.

[deerwrecker2017]

I had some Freecash points in my Kmart account, and wanted to use them because....well, who
knows how much longer Kmart is going to be around.

They have no stores in my area anymore so I went online and bought a pair of pants.
They arrived.  Even though labeled in my size they were too small (or perhaps I've put
on weight).  I went online to process a return, and the site told me that the shipping would
be prohibitive, and I should return them to a Kmart store.

Problem is, I think the closest Kmart still open for business is someplace in Northeast Ohio.
So I logged on and chatted with a customer service agent.

The agent was very pleasant, and I was quite surprised when he told me that Kmart would
just issue a refund credit to my credit card, and I could simply donate the pants to charity.

That was outstanding and greatly appreciated!  I told the agent that I would have retuned them
to a store but Kmart and Sears have all closed in my region.  The agent claimed that Kmart would
be opening 400 small format stores soon.

Really?  We'll see.

Personally I absolutely doubt that Kmart will ever open any small format stores let alone any new stores considering the rate they are going.

Why would a customer service representative say something like this? Especially if its false? At this point, they can't even stock the remaining stores they have left. I would love if they did open a few though. I believe starting with new stores would have been the better idea instead of dragging on these very old and tired ones.

The reason I do have doubts about any new Kmart stores opening up is the way that Lampert is running the business. It would be more cost efficient for Kmart to consider fully renovating existing stores and make all necessary repairs to the buildings (Like fixing the roofs to prevent leaks) even though completely new stores would be a good idea (Although that would cost more to build a new store than to properly renovate and repair).

Regarding what the customer service representative knows could be either true or false. For Kmart to try small format stores it should have been attempted a long time ago.

Today any possible small format Kmart would run into real competition in the form of Dollar General and Family Dollar.

Walmart tried the idea of small format stores they called Walmart Express in 2011 but that failed and they were all shuttered 5 years later.

Edited to add - Personally I absolutely think that it's completely too late for Kmart to turn itself around in it's current form.

Kmart still has a following. Many preferred their clothes to Walmart and they also had a better toy department. They also had a much better Christmas/Trim-A-Tree selection. It was a place to find rare items you couldn't get elsewhere. I thought Kmart was the store that was in between Walmart and Target. Not too trendy but not totally low end. They could have capitalized on their best points, but of course they didn't do that.

What should have happened to Kmart that would have given it a real chance was.

1. - Kmart should have kept updating it's stores over the years (Even before the late 1980's) to keep them competitive.
2. - Kmart should have never acquired other companies like Waldenbooks, Builders Square and Sports Authority for example instead investing the money in it's existing stores.
3. - Kmart should have invested the money in Computer Technology to manage it's supply chain like both Target and Walmart did.
4. - Kmart should have maintained a lower dividend which would have made more money available for the improvement of it's stores.
5. - They should have never let Charles Conway take any form of control at Kmart.
6. - Kmart should have moved toward establishing a Internet Shopping operation before the turn of the century.

Those for example would have made a difference for sure. Numbers 2, 3 and 4 listed if done would have kept Kmart truly competitive against both Walmart and Target and Number 6 if done would have allowed Kmart to be prepared when Amazon started to truly take off.