Is 2021 finally the end for Sears/Kmart?

[retailfanmitchell019]

I think we are looking at about 25 Kmarts and 40 full size Sears after this... how it makes any sense to proceed like this... I do not know.

Of the Kmarts 2 are in Puerto Rico, 4 in the Virgin Islands, and the 1 in Guam.

Actually, 30 Kmarts (23 in the continental US, plus those 7 in the territories). That number could be an overestimation though...

The Long Beach closure means only ONE Kmart is left in Southern California: Costa Mesa.

[storewanderer]

Actually, 30 Kmarts (23 in the continental US, plus those 7 in the territories). That number could be an overestimation though...

The Long Beach closure means only ONE Kmart is left in Southern California: Costa Mesa.

There are additional Kmart closures compiled elsewhere online last week- I just didn't post them since they weren't on the official Sears job website.

[storewanderer]

Went to Kmart again today. There is summer merchandise out now (patio sets and loungers mainly) but I think it may be leftover from last summer. Or they just brought in the exact same products again.

Clothing and soft goods area continues to be restocked. Cannon brand items are 50% off, Joe Boxer and Everlast items are 70% off as those lines appear to be going away. Looking at the clothing it is an assortment of oddly placed labels or defunct brands. Perry Ellis Kids Coats, Limited Too Kids Coats, various other odd branded items. Looking at the tags on these items the tags and UPC sequence looks suspiciously similar to the merchandise liquidation firms bring into stores before they close them, the "Hot Buy" items. So I am not sure where or how they are getting these items but it appears to be from the same supply chain as the liquidation groups.

The grocery area had various brands of vendor delivered beer, Pepsi products, 7-Up Products, and Frito Lay products. That area, as well as the drug/personal care aisles, were stocked very well, better than I have seen them in at least a year.

[retailfanmitchell019]

New closure list.
Kmart is history in New England, PA, and MD as a result. Also 3 closures in Puerto Rico and one in NJ.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/sh ... 371235001/
After these closures, there are definitely less 25 Kmarts left in the US.

[storewanderer]

I am surprised (not really) there are 3 Kmarts left in northern California: Freedom, Grass Valley, and South Lake Tahoe. The final geography is very interesting. Marshall, MI appears to be the only store left in the entire middle of the US.

But I am quite sure they are in control of liquidation firms at this time even in non-closing stores. Their merchandise (other than C&S food and drug) is obviously coming from the same sources as the liquidation sale supplemental product comes from. Some interesting items.

South Lake Tahoe still has the "Big Kmart" sign. Ironically this store is not "Big" at all (but does have the Pantry layout).
Also that store in Hamilton, MT still has the pre-early-90's red and blue logo.

[cjd]

Sounds to me like Kmart is now just a store of consumables supplied by a third party and clothing and towels supplied by a liquidator, and little more. So essentially the sign says Kmart, but nothing inside is the same as it was 10+ years ago. Kmart is basically out of business except for the name, and isn't really sharing any merchandise with Sears anymore. Am I correct?

[storewanderer]

Sounds to me like Kmart is now just a store of consumables supplied by a third party and clothing and towels supplied by a liquidator, and little more. So essentially the sign says Kmart, but nothing inside is the same as it was 10+ years ago. Kmart is basically out of business except for the name, and isn't really sharing any merchandise with Sears anymore. Am I correct?

In one of the Kmart stores I visit, there is still an assortment of Craftsman Tools. Perhaps one aisle or 1/2 aisle worth. I am not clear if this is new merchandise or stuff they are just sitting on and it isn't selling.

I think a lot of the clothing currently being offered by Kmart is also being sold at Sears.

From a merchandising perspective they are already out of business, yes.

[cjd]

Wow, sounds like quite a bit has changed then even in the last 3 years. My local Kmart went out in Feb 2018. It was still stocked like a typical Kmart - tools, garden dept, toys, Kmart's usual line of clothing, hardware, household, appliances, electronics, etc.

Basically the same full line you'd see at Kmart normally. There were some clothes that had been brought in for the liquidation, but everything else was what you'd typically see. Being it was the holidays they also had their full line of decorations under whichever brand Kmart was using.

Now it sounds like most all of those departments are gone. I couldn't imagine wanting to go there now, I guess if you needed one item that you knew they'd have, maybe. But going there to do a shopping list, forget it. Sounds to me there is something else going on that they're doing this for, because they sure can't be profitable with that model.

[TW-Upstate NY]

Sounds like all they're doing now at the still open stores is bringing in merchandise that didn't sell at liquidation sales of other stores. They'll probably just fade away when they run out of those items. Sort of like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Wouldn't be at all surprised if one day the last remaining store(s) just close with no formal announcement and that'll be the end.

[storewanderer]

Wow, sounds like quite a bit has changed then even in the last 3 years. My local Kmart went out in Feb 2018. It was still stocked like a typical Kmart - tools, garden dept, toys, Kmart's usual line of clothing, hardware, household, appliances, electronics, etc.

Basically the same full line you'd see at Kmart normally. There were some clothes that had been brought in for the liquidation, but everything else was what you'd typically see. Being it was the holidays they also had their full line of decorations under whichever brand Kmart was using.

Now it sounds like most all of those departments are gone. I couldn't imagine wanting to go there now, I guess if you needed one item that you knew they'd have, maybe. But going there to do a shopping list, forget it. Sounds to me there is something else going on that they're doing this for, because they sure can't be profitable with that model.

During mid-late 2019 the Kmart Stores became hit with numerous out of stocks throughout all product categories (except the C&S Food and the Clothing) and it seemed like they were not being replenished. Kmart private label items in all categories except clothing stopped showing up for the most part (a few random items seem to keep showing up). Then of course later in 2019 they announced closure of various key stores which made no sense to close. Basically when COVID hit, Kmart disassembled its entire merchandising operation. Stores quite following plan-o-grams entirely. Entire departments were just closed off. In 2020 Kmart did not even do the garden shops except maybe a couple rolling carts of plants by the front door of some stores.