Metro Detroit-Windsor Kmart / Sears Closings?

[Brian1979]

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.

I've been on Van Dyke/M-53 a lot, I think the freeway starts around 18 Mile and goes up to 34 Mile or so because I know 32 Mile goes right through Romeo. Being that that KMart is so old I bet the area was hardly developed when it was built, the area is still pretty underdeveloped from what I know of it. But a Kmart on two lane Van Dyke Road when all the traffic in that area uses the expressway I'm surprised this Kmart lasted as long as it did.

[Brian1979]

What about the original Kmart in Garden City?

[mtburb]

What about the original Kmart in Garden City?

That one, fortunately, is currently not on the list, as well as the three Kmarts [[Southgate, Taylor, Woodhaven) and the lone full Sears [[Lincoln Park) in my part of Metro Detroit.

[Brian1979]

That one, fortunately, is currently not on the list, as well as the three Kmarts [[Southgate, Taylor, Woodhaven) and the lone full Sears [[Lincoln Park) in my part of Metro Detroit.

I'm surprised, that one must be doing pretty good.

[cmubryan]

The Oak Park store on Greenfield avoids closure as well. Maybe some good employees will transfer to that store as the current group of employees leaves something to be desired [[to say the least).

[cmubryan]

By the way, it is interesting [[and good) that only one inner city or inner ring suburb store is closing. It speaks volumes that these areas are still viable. There are three outer burb stores on here however.

[jcole]

I've been on Van Dyke/M-53 a lot, I think the freeway starts around 18 Mile and goes up to 34 Mile or so because I know 32 Mile goes right through Romeo. Being that that KMart is so old I bet the area was hardly developed when it was built, the area is still pretty underdeveloped from what I know of it. But a Kmart on two lane Van Dyke Road when all the traffic in that area uses the expressway I'm surprised this Kmart lasted as long as it did.

That's not truly freeway north of 28 Mile. It's called the bypass. There are grade crossings on that stretch of highway between 28 and 34 mile which precludes it from being a true freeway. I live in Almont, and travel that stretch almost daily.
The KMart is in a building that was formerly a Big Wheel [[a PA based department store) and K-Mart bought the building outright, which is why, or so I've been told, it has stayed open so long. I think it opened as a KMart in the early 90's

[Brian1979]

That's not truly freeway north of 28 Mile. It's called the bypass. There are grade crossings on that stretch of highway between 28 and 34 mile which precludes it from being a true freeway. I live in Almont, and travel that stretch almost daily.
The KMart is in a building that was formerly a Big Wheel [[a PA based department store) and K-Mart bought the building outright, which is why, or so I've been told, it has stayed open so long. I think it opened as a KMart in the early 90's

Alright well I'll take your word for it, I thought the first at grade crossing going north was at 30 Mile though. I don't travel that stretch often enough to really know for sure because I live in Saginaw.

Speaking of Saginaw, there use to be 3 Kmart's here, now there is just 1. It's a relocated Kmart from about 15-20 years ago it use to be a Hills Department store. There was also one in Fort Saginaw Mall which closed in 2004 and was demolished in 2009 with the rest of the mall. And then there was another one that still sits vacant, as a matter of fact the entire plaza that this Kmart was in is totally vacant, there is a Wendy's, Chili's and Speedway in the parking lot though.

There is a Kmart in Bay City which is one of the oldest Kmart's around, it looks just like the Garden City Kmart.

[mtburb]

The following are Google Street View images of the closing stores:

Brighton
Eastland
Monroe
Adrian
Washington
Chesterfield

[jcole]

Alright well I'll take your word for it, I thought the first at grade crossing going north was at 30 Mile though. I don't travel that stretch often enough to really know for sure because I live in Saginaw.

Speaking of Saginaw, there use to be 3 Kmart's here, now there is just 1. It's a relocated Kmart from about 15-20 years ago it use to be a Hills Department store. There was also one in Fort Saginaw Mall which closed in 2004 and was demolished in 2009 with the rest of the mall. And then there was another one that still sits vacant, as a matter of fact the entire plaza that this Kmart was in is totally vacant, there is a Wendy's, Chili's and Speedway in the parking lot though.

There is a Kmart in Bay City which is one of the oldest Kmart's around, it looks just like the Garden City Kmart.

I remember the KMart on State somewhere between Center and Weineke. My sister lived right behind it.

[mtburb]

Just heard that the 23 and Gratiot Kmart will close sometime in April, according to WJBK. I also feel sorry for all those people who will lose their jobs and those who will be forced to shop elsewhere.

[Brian1979]

I remember the KMart on State somewhere between Center and Weineke. My sister lived right behind it.

That Kmart is the one that relocated, it was between Weineke and Midland on the north side of State, it's now Horizons Conference Center. That hasn't been a Kmart in about 20 years. I live about 2 miles from there.

[Brian1979]

Losing the Washington/Romeo Kmart is probably a blessing considering the sad state of that store.

[Lowell]

No closings in Canada.

The 125-year-old retailer said on Tuesday it would close up to 120 stores to raise cash, but that the closures did not apply to Sears Canada Inc., the U.S. retailer's Toronto-based subsidiary, which has been streamlining itself under a new leadership team to help reverse recent losses.

"We're not in a position where we're closing stores," said Sears Canada spokesman Vincent Power. "If anything, we're looking on how to improve them."

from Canadian Business

[detroittrader]

The Oak Park store on Greenfield avoids closure as well. Maybe some good employees will transfer to that store as the current group of employees leaves something to be desired [[to say the least).

Last time I was in this "Bad Kmart" was 2 years ago to grab some poster board, there was a domestic dispute going on at the checkout. It was so bad we just dropped everything and left out through the Garden Center. Then my daughter said "mom just buys poster board at the dollar store" [[[[face palm))!!

[professorscott]

Just heard that the 23 and Gratiot Kmart will close sometime in April, according to WJBK. I also feel sorry for all those people who will lose their jobs and those who will be forced to shop elsewhere.

I'm amazed that one stayed open as long as it did. Within a quarter mile of that spot there is a Meijer, a Target and a J. C. Penney store, all of which are nicer and better kept up than the KMart.

Actually that is the story here. Sears Holdings has refused to put any money into its stores, so they are run down and unpleasant. I don't know how Eddie Lampert expected to make money, letting all his stores go to hell, but it doesn't seem to be working.

[DetroitPlanner]

Actually that is the story here. Sears Holdings has refused to put any money into its stores, so they are run down and unpleasant. I don't know how Eddie Lampert expected to make money, letting all his stores go to hell, but it doesn't seem to be working.

What? You forgot about all the orange paint! [[Why they felt the need to add orange to thier buildings when they have Blue, red and Yellow signs is beyond me). If anything they should have been evolving the two logos to use similar scripts and colors. I agree there was only so long they were going to be able to go without updating thier stores and improving simple things like staffing and inventories. Its not like they are living in a bubble, when even the Walmarts look nicer, that should have been thier red flags, its not like they can't walk into one and check them out. I don't shop there, but I've been inside the Walmart just because I was trying to figure out why they keep thier share while the other stores can't.

[Danny]

The K-Mart in Eastland Mall in Harper Woods is closing. That store been there for almost 7 years and it will put a burden in Eastland Mall Patrons. [[ especially in Black communities of Detroit and Harper Woods border)

[313WX]

The K-Mart in Eastland Mall in Harper Woods is closing. That store been there for almost 7 years and it will put a burden in Eastland Mall Patrons. [[ especially in Black communities of Detroit and Harper Woods border)

Sears, not Kmart.

[313WX]

Also, I don't know if it's been noted, but that list Sears/Kmart has released so far only shows 79 of the 100-120 planned closures.

So there may be a couple more around here that'll be closing yet.

[Enduro]

The Oak Park store on Greenfield avoids closure as well. Maybe some good employees will transfer to that store as the current group of employees leaves something to be desired [[to say the least).

I second that. I went there to get something from the Sunday circular and the place was a mess, I couldn't find anyone to help or anything I wanted. The store design was a total throw back, in fact if it still had the cafeteria I would have swore the store had been abandoned since my grandma used to drag me to KMarts. It would have been charming if it wasn't so pathetic.

I still think Rain Man killed Kmart. "Kmart sucks" was too memorable a line. As for Sears, their customer service is killing them. Look at consumerist.com and search for Sears, nothing but horror stories. They pushed back my fridge delivery 4 times after making appointments and taking days off of work and I'm a lucky one. I'll only use them for in store pick up of tools and garden supplies now.

[Occurrence]

I didn't know K-marts still existed around these parts. This is a wake-up call.

[Hermod]

I'm amazed that one stayed open as long as it did. Within a quarter mile of that spot there is a Meijer, a Target and a J. C. Penney store, all of which are nicer and better kept up than the KMart.

And a Kohls close to 23 and Gratiot.

[Hermod]

I've been inside the Walmart just because I was trying to figure out why they keep thier share while the other stores can't.

Ames
Zayre
WT Grant
Woolco
JM Fields
Nicholls
Arlens
Masons
Federal
Caldor
and coming up K-Mart

Yet Walmart still stands and is now the largest employer in the US.

[Searay215]

Go into any KMart.....store is outdated, prices are too high......you can shoot a canon in one and not hurt anyone. This isn't the end of closings......mark my words. Stick a fork in them....they are done!!
They have not moved forward with the times....and now it is coming to bite them in the A$$.
Heck even Ace is selling Craftman tools....