I Went Inside One of the Last Kmart Stores Days Before It Closed Forever

The company, once a household brand for American families, has seen a series of headwinds over the last several years.

Men's suit sets are 75% off. The clothes are hanging on a circular clothing rack.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Its former parent company Sears Holding filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2018.

"Store closing sale!" sign hanging from the ceiling.

And sales have continued to fall while ecommerce and other big box companies like Target and Walmart have dominated.

A vent chimney range hood sitting on the floor. It's on sale.

Source: Insider

As profit has dwindled, so has the number of Kmart locations.

The Kmart in Avenel, New Jersey three days before it closes. There are signs announcing its closing throughout the front of the store and cars parked in the front.

Kmart was once one of the US’ largest discount stores. But over the past two decades, it has dropped from over 2,000 locations …

The shelves are almost completely empty except for some cardboard boxes.

… to just a three along the East Coast as of April 16.

Assorted goods for sale inside cardboard boxes and plastic bags.

I visited the Kmart in Avenel, New Jersey three days before it closed and found a nostalgic shell of what once used to be a large, bustling store.

Signs hanging on the ceiling reading "Store Closing Sale!" as people shop.

The Kmart, about an hour’s drive from New York City, was as sizable as any big box department store.

Empty sale shelves.

But instead of being greeted by colorful aisles full of assorted goods …

Hardware lining a shelf at 40% off.

… the inside of this Kmart looked like it had been ransacked.

There's caution tape blocking off part of the store.

There were still reminders of the store’s glory days, like the looming red “K” on the wall and the long shelf-lined aisles.

Bare walls and empty clothing racks. There's a giant red K on the wall.

The speakers still played music and intermittent audio reminders of COVID-19 protocols …

Mannequins sitting on a shelf with an orange tag reading $50 .

… while the forward-looking Mother’s Day cards continued to line the greeting cards rack.

Rows of Mother's Day cards.

But in reality, the New Jersey Kmart’s heyday was already in the past.

Empty shelves under bright white lights.

There were notices of the Kmart’s approaching closure both outside and inside the store, enticing buyers with the promise of big discounts.

Inside of the Kmart in Avenel, New Jersey three days before it closes. Every item that's left is on sale, and there are yellow signs denoting the prices. A sign hanging from the ceiling reads "Store Closing sale!"

One of the only signs of normalcy were the workers who were organizing whatever was left on the store’s shelves.

"Store closing sale!" sign hanging from the ceiling with clothing racks below.

But this wasn’t enough to overcome the eerie feeling of a nearly empty store.

Empty shelves with a sign denoting social distancing.

The bright overhead lights emphasized the rows of bare racks and shelves, a reminder of the big-box retailer’s glory days.

An empty store with nothing on the shelves. There's caution tape in front of the empty area.

Most of the store had already been cleared out and blocked off by caution tape.

Empty shelves with caution tape blocking off the rest of the store.

And many of the sections that weren’t taped off felt disorganized with piles of products scattered haphazardly around.

A row of children's party toys and balloons. The area is messily arranged.

However, there were still plenty of shoppers picking at the skinny but discounted selection, which included clothing for people of all ages …

Inside of the Kmart in Avenel, New Jersey three days before it closes. Every item that's left is on sale, and there are yellow signs denoting the prices. A sign hanging from the ceiling reads "Store Closing sale!"

… American pantry staples …

Shelves of sauces, canned goods, condiments for 40% off.

… and antiquated tech, like a yellowing cash machine and bulky printers.

A cash machine on sale.

Even the clothing racks once full of inventory were on sale.

Bare walls and empty clothing racks.

And as they shopped, workers continued cleaning out the store and reorganizing the disheveled shelves as if its closure wasn’t imminent.

A person moving a shopping cart through a cluttered aisle.

Despite the present shoppers, workers, and remaining goods, the Kmart felt coldly vacant.

There's caution tape blocking off part of the store. Cardboard boxes sit on shelves.

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