Metro Detroit-Windsor Kmart / Sears Closings?

**Bham1982** · December-29-11, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

what finally happened to the abandoned headquarters campus in Troy?

The building sits empty and will be eventually demolished.

Forbes Company [[owner of Somerset Collection) bought the site and currently uses the lot for overflow and employee parking. The eventual plan is to build retail or mixed use [[stuff that complements their Somerset investment), but who knows when this will be financially viable.

They bought it for practically nothing, so they're winners regardless since they control their surroundings.

**R8RBOB** · December-29-11, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by GPCharles

Then Chairman Ben Fauber killed Kmart [[the correct spelling, by the way) with his diversification policy in the mid to late 1980s. The analysts told him there was no growth left in the discount store industry, so he ignored the core business and bought into, among others, Furrs Cafeterias, Builders Square, Sports Authority, Walden Books and Borders and started a few others, such as Designer Depot, Bargain Harold's and Office Square. Designer Depot was supposed to compete against T.J. Maxx and Marshall's - what a joke. The buying agreement for Designer Depot went to litigation and resulted in a $60+ M judgment against Kmart. The corporate guarantees on all of the Builders Square leases were real killers. The two guys that ran Builders Square really took Fauber to the cleaners. He paid top $ for a 9 store chain that had one foot in bankruptcy court and expanded it to over 100 stores, competing against industry segment killer Home Depot. Interesting in that the head of Home Depot, Bernie Marcus, and the head of Builders Square, Frank Denny, both came out of W.R. Grace's home improvement chain.

Someone needs to write a book on Kmart's fall from the top.

I'm not disputing what you have posted but I think Antonini share some of the blame for Kmart's turn to acquiring businesses like Border's and Sports Authority.

**R8RBOB** · December-29-11, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

The building sits empty and will be eventually demolished.

Forbes Company [[owner of Somerset Collection) bought the site and currently uses the lot for overflow and employee parking. The eventual plan is to build retail or mixed use [[stuff that complements their Somerset investment), but who knows when this will be financially viable.

They bought it for practically nothing, so they're winners regardless since they control their surroundings.

I worked at the HQ a long time ago. It was the weirdest design for a corporate headquarters. I do believe I got lost in the building a few times.

**Islandman** · December-29-11, 10:50 AM

Yeah, that was a weird building. I worked in the basement [[IT). The smoking area/atrium was a nice touch.

**fastcarsandfreedom** · December-29-11, 10:54 AM

The HQ building is fantastic looking - just an impractical and inefficient design for a retail HQ...toward the end it was also way too big...note its encircled by Cunningham Drive named for Harry Cunningham-the visionary President of SS Kresge at the time of Kmart's launch.

**Zacha341** · December-29-11, 11:42 AM

Hah, those were the days... designated smoking areas. Hah!

Originally Posted by Islandman

Yeah, that was a weird building. I worked in the basement [[IT). The smoking area/atrium was a nice touch.

**R8RBOB** · December-29-11, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by fastcarsandfreedom

The HQ building is fantastic looking - just an impractical and inefficient design for a retail HQ...toward the end it was also way too big...note its encircled by Cunningham Drive named for Harry Cunningham-the visionary President of SS Kresge at the time of Kmart's launch.

Ha ha, parking was a mess. It felt like you had to walk a mile to get your car.

**R8RBOB** · December-29-11, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by Islandman

Yeah, that was a weird building. I worked in the basement [[IT). The smoking area/atrium was a nice touch.

I did too. I was a computer operator between Dec 1995 and July 1997. Oh, I remember the smoking area. I used it often.

**Brian1979** · December-29-11, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

You should see the one in Romeo/Washington Twp. I refer to it as "K-Mart Lite" due to it's tiny little size and the lot seldom has more that 10-12 cars in it, even at Christmas. It smells like cheap plastic inside the store and it's just crummy looking. But, even in the last purge a few years back, K-Mart hangs on to this store and keeps it open for some reason. I've heard it's becasue they own the store. They bought it from 'Big Wheel' back in the 80's, if that tells you anything about the size.

Is this the one on Van Dyke that has an Arby's in front of it?

**detroittrader** · December-29-11, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by R8RBOB

I did too. I was a computer operator between Dec 1995 and July 1997. Oh, I remember the smoking area. I used it often.

I worked at the headquarters 1984-87. I worked in the printing department, which was between the mail room and the photography division. I would deliver the printed products ordered by the various offices. I traveled every inch of that building including the "4th floor". It was a very cool building indeed, I was always directing people who were lost. Highlight was riding the elevator with Mr. T after he shot some kinda' car wax commercial lol.

**Bham1982** · December-29-11, 03:05 PM

They just released Phase I of the closing list, and Sears Eastland, and Kmart Chesterfield and Shelby stores are closing.

**catch22** · December-29-11, 03:11 PM

The full list of the first wave of closings is posted here:

http://searsmedia.com/tools/122711_close.pdf

**jcole** · December-29-11, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by Brian1979

Is this the one on Van Dyke that has an Arby's in front of it?

Yes, that's it

**Detwa** · December-29-11, 03:36 PM

Too bad it can't be taken over by a company that would rebrand it and give it an entirely new face. Even the name - KMart - is just outdated, the whole "mart" thing speaks of the past. The stores are just depressing and even seem to smell funny. I only go in there if they have an extremely good sale on something that I can't pass up. Otherwise, I look elsewhere. They did start letting you buy online and pick up at the store, but I did that 3x and each time there were problems with the order, ranging from not receiving my email to let me know it was ready, to getting to the store and having to wait hours for them to get the order ready.

So much wrong with that place. And Sears' prices aren't competitive enough to make it worth shopping there. Everything costs at least 25% more than anywhere else, not to mention the brands they carry are not appealing.

Hate to see so many jobs lost though. I know a few people that work in KMart. But if they must go, I'll look forward to the liquidation sales.

**jcole** · December-29-11, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by Detwa

Too bad it can't be taken over by a company that would rebrand it and give it an entirely new face. Even the name - KMart - is just outdated, the whole "mart" thing speaks of the past. The stores are just depressing and even seem to smell funny. I only go in there if they have an extremely good sale on something that I can't pass up. Otherwise, I look elsewhere. They did start letting you buy online and pick up at the store, but I did that 3x and each time there were problems with the order, ranging from not receiving my email to let me know it was ready, to getting to the store and having to wait hours for them to get the order ready.

So much wrong with that place. And Sears' prices aren't competitive enough to make it worth shopping there. Everything costs at least 25% more than anywhere else, not to mention the brands they carry are not appealing.

Hate to see so many jobs lost though. I know a few people that work in KMart. But if they must go, I'll look forward to the liquidation sales.

Yeah, Wal-Mart seems to be having a lot of trouble with that

**R8RBOB** · December-29-11, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by Detwa

Too bad it can't be taken over by a company that would rebrand it and give it an entirely new face. Even the name - KMart - is just outdated, the whole "mart" thing speaks of the past. The stores are just depressing and even seem to smell funny. I only go in there if they have an extremely good sale on something that I can't pass up. Otherwise, I look elsewhere. They did start letting you buy online and pick up at the store, but I did that 3x and each time there were problems with the order, ranging from not receiving my email to let me know it was ready, to getting to the store and having to wait hours for them to get the order ready.

So much wrong with that place. And Sears' prices aren't competitive enough to make it worth shopping there. Everything costs at least 25% more than anywhere else, not to mention the brands they carry are not appealing.

Hate to see so many jobs lost though. I know a few people that work in KMart. But if they must go, I'll look forward to the liquidation sales.

I think that what's Lampert wanted to do when he acquired Sears and decided to change the corporate name from Kmart Holdings Corp to Sears Holdings Corp. but the mistake that he made was keeping the Kmart stores which always had a cheap image affixed to the stores. [[Joke inserted: what did the bird say when he flew over Kmart's? {cheap, cheap})

What Lampert should have done was either convert all Kmart stores into Sears or retire the Kmart name and re-brand them Kresge's.

**Brian1979** · December-29-11, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

Yes, that's it

I've been in that Kmart before and thought that it was the worst one I had ever been in, there is one in Flint right off of Miller and I-75 that is pretty small too not sure if that one is still open and then another one in Grand Blanc next to the old A&P resembled that one.

**Detwa** · December-29-11, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

Yeah, Wal-Mart seems to be having a lot of trouble with that

LOL, okay. But Walmart never dipped so they don't have to worry about rebranding. It's like once you start slipping, all of your other weaknesses just become more apparent. Now you start looking at KMart's name, logo, store design, etc.

**jcole** · December-29-11, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by Brian1979

I've been in that Kmart before and thought that it was the worst one I had ever been in, there is one in Flint right off of Miller and I-75 that is pretty small too not sure if that one is still open and then another one in Grand Blanc next to the old A&P resembled that one.

Yes, the Washington/Romeo store is really old and nasty. I see on that list that they are going to finally close it. About time.

**jcole** · December-29-11, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

They just released Phase I of the closing list, and Sears Eastland, and Kmart Chesterfield and Shelby stores are closing.

I don't see the Shelby store on that list. The Washington store is, though. It's also on Van Dyke but near 31 Mile Rd

**fastcarsandfreedom** · December-29-11, 05:06 PM

Eastland is a big blow...especially considering it's a newer store. Frenchtown Square/Mall of Monroe dates to the late 1980s...also a 'weaker' mall. Summit Place hangs on...

**Brian1979** · December-29-11, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

Yes, the Washington/Romeo store is really old and nasty. I see on that list that they are going to finally close it. About time.

Do you know when it's going to be closing? I think I might stop in there one more time to say good riddance.

**Brian1979** · December-29-11, 05:23 PM

The Washington/Romeo one is on Van Dyke between 30 and 31 Mile, it's on a part of Van Dyke that is not a part of M-53. M-53 travels on the expressway a little east of Van Dyke in that area, my question since I'm not totally familar with the demographics on that area is this. Is that part of Van Dyke a busy road or is it just mostly a local road?

**jcole** · December-29-11, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by Brian1979

The Washington/Romeo one is on Van Dyke between 30 and 31 Mile, it's on a part of Van Dyke that is not a part of M-53. M-53 travels on the expressway a little east of Van Dyke in that area, my question since I'm not totally familar with the demographics on that area is this. Is that part of Van Dyke a busy road or is it just mostly a local road?

It's not as busy as it is further down, as in Utica or Shelby. It's a two lane road that carries mostly local traffic. The 'other' Van Dyke [[or M53 bypass) which begins where the M53 freeway ends at 28 Mile, carries the traffic around the villages of Romeo and Washington. The two roads join back up north of the Village of Romeo and continue north through the small towns of the thumb as a main artery going up to Port Austin.

**mtburb** · December-29-11, 05:28 PM

According to the PDF file of the closings, these Metro Detroit stores will close:

The Sears Essentials store on Grand River just off I-96 on the north side of Brighton, the Eastland Sears, the Mall of Monroe Sears, the Sears on Main Street and US 223 in Adrian, what Brian1979 refers to as "Kmart Light" on Van Dyke near 31 Mile and the 23 and Gratiot Kmart.