From 2400 stores...to four.

[stevej37]

I grew up near a Kresge 5 and dime store.
Later on, it disappeared to be replaced with a bigger Kmart store.
2400 of them at their peak in the 90's.....now only 4 remaining.

https://news.yahoo.com/kmart-once-iconic-empire-decimated-191101122.html

Anyone live near one of the remaining four?

[cabmandone]

I honestly thought Kmart was completely gone. Great example of a business that failed to change with the changing market.

[stevej37]

^^
Until two years ago...there was one still open within 20 miles of me.
I went there once in their last year...strange store. Stocked with discounted stuff...kinda like a dollar store...but better quality.

[cabmandone]

So long "Blue light special!".... Avenge you I will!!!

[porsche930dude]

I was surprised to hear Woolworths is still around in australia and other countries. I dont know if its the same one as we had here.

[stevej37]

^^^ from wiki
Retail chains using the Woolworth name survived in Austria, Germany, Mexico and the United Kingdom as of early 2009. The similarly named Woolworths supermarkets in Australia and New Zealand are operated by Australia's largest retail company, Woolworths Group, a separate company with no historical links to the F. W. Woolworth Company or Foot Locker, Inc. However, Woolworths Limited did take their name from the original company, as it had not been registered or trademarked in Australia at the time.

[herr_oberst]

Glory Days

[cabmandone]

Times they are a changin. No more JC Penny.. Elder Beerman.. On the plus side, there's still a Ben Franklin in Bowling Green Ohio. Oh and I can get "Kohls Cash" too!!

[stevej37]

Kmart..from the article.
One left in Miami..two in NJ, and one on Long Island

[drcoastline]

There were two K-Mart's near me until about a year ago. We also had two Sears, all are now gone.

[Jims5543]

There was a K-Mart in Key Largo, it was a must stop as you made your trek to Key West, to fulfill all the "dangit!! we forgot ____" on the way down.

We tried to stop off this past summer on our way down and it was gone. in 2018 it was still there, that was the last time we were in the Keys before this last trip.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

[stevej37]

^^^ that is a great look at the inside of their stores....except it should have had a 'blue light special' rolling display shown.

(where did all those bls displays go to?)

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I always enjoy watching full length 1970's commercials, both for the nostalgia, as well as the sheer length of time they ran.

My god, they got to a 3rd or 4rth verse (and worked in a scuba diver?). A very holy-rolling extravaganza!
I also cherish thumbing through parking lot pics, looking for the elusive p-car... none here, but they are abound!

(I'd take that suburban!)

[Steve Carlton]

[VINMAN]

We had a Kresges near my neighborhood in NYC. I remember buying all my model kits there for around $4.00. Then they had the lunch counter too.

Great memories.

.

[stevej37]

^^^ I remember all the 'old men' at that time sitting at the lunch counter.
Ours was always packed.
I also bought my first airplane model there.

[herr_oberst]

I'm staring at the 'burban thinking it's most likely a Crew Cab with a camper shell. ("Leer, King of Caps") but I'm probably wrong.

One Toyota, a couple of Fords (towards the back of the lot, where they belong) and the rest are GM products.

[Sarc]

There’s actually a fifth location in Guam, and it is a very profitable store.

[stevej37]

^^^ No Jap cars in that time...hardly.