Monday, November 1, 2021

Former Kmart #7725

 NOTE: This post comes from outside the blog's coverage area.

    This month's Kmart tour takes us to the only Kmart store that I visited in Delaware. Although, there were a few other locations in Delaware, this was the only one that got my attention simply for three reasons:

  1.     The other Delaware stores had been covered by others. Although sometimes there was overlap in documentation, (such as this store) I felt I didn't need to visit the other locations. This location is unique in the fact that is
  2. the only mainland U.S. Kmart store that shrank due to being a part of Seritage. All the other Seritage owned properties in the continental states would close. Although a second location in Olean, NY almost happened.
  3.     The second location mentioned happened to be my local Kmart for the longest time. I wanted to visit Rehoboth Beach to see what could of happened locally.
    This particular Kmart shrunk to make room for Petsmart and Christmas Tree Shop's 'and That!' concept. The location (a 90s built large format store) basically was shrunk in half from the usual around 120,000 sq. ft. store to somewhere in the ballpark of 54,000 to 58,000 sq. ft. 
    Due to the shrinking, pretty much all departments were shrunk as well. Hardware and automotive being effected the most- basically half an aisle for each. One other unique thing that this store had going for ir was that the Avis/Budget rental space continued to operate in the shrunken space as well. The new small store would close in February 2020. The space would be further divided, as an Aldi would come to open a new location here.







































4 comments:

  1. With all the many Sears stores that downsized, I guess I never realized this was the only Kmart branded store to meet the same fate. Definitely a noteworthy place to visit. Remind me -- was this your first time seeing the Ridiculously Awesome décor as well?

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    1. This wasn't the only shrunken Kmart store. It was the only mainland Kmart owned by Seritage that shrunk. Another Seritage Kmart in Puerto Rico also downsized.

      This was my first and only experience with Ridiculously Awesome. I liked it.

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    2. Ah, interesting. I don't know that I remember hearing about the Puerto Rico one.

      Nice! It seems like a fairly nice décor, especially given Kmart's situation at the time (which has only gotten worse since then).

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    3. Yeah, the Puerto Rico location wasn't mentioned as much.

      Indeed.

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