Once a retail giant with over 2,000 stores nationwide Kmart is down to just three locations left in the entire world after the latest rounds of closings.
In a world dominated by Walmart, Target, and Amazon, Kmart only survives in Westwood, New Jersey, Bridgehampton, on New York's Long Island, and in Miami.
In its heyday, Kmart sold product lines endorsed by celebrities Martha Stewart and Jaclyn Smith, sponsored NASCAR auto races, was mentioned in movies like Rain Man and Beetlejuice, and was even name-dropped in songs by Eminem, the Beastie Boys, and Hall and Oates to name a few.
And part of its success was due to early adoption of layaway programs, though throughout the last couple of years falling sales, changes in shopping habits, and "the looming shadow of Walmart" have led to its steady decline.
Michelle Yavorsky worked as a cashier at the Avenel, New Jersey location, which just closed its doors, for 2 ½ years. She told the Associated Press, "You're always thinking about it because stores are closing all over, but it's still sad. I'll miss the place. A lot of people shopped here."
The rise of Walmart and Target led Kmart to declare bankruptcy in 2002, though a few years later hedge fund executive Edward Lampert attempted to combine Sears and Kmart together in an attempt to save both stores.
However, the recession and the rising dominance of Amazon contributed in derailing those goals, and Sears filed for Chapter 11 in 2018 and currently only has a handful of stores left.
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