Beloved retail chain leaves shoppers scrambling after closing its last full-size American store

Iconic discount retailer Kmart will close its last full-line location in the U.S. tomorrow as shoppers grab the final discounts and reminisce on fond memories of the store.

With carts full of discounted items, shoppers have flocked to get their latest purchases at Kmart’s Bridgehampton, New York location in recent days, marking the end of an era.

Two shoppers, Shahlise Cherry and Deborah Arnone, visited to fondly look back on their memories of the store and snag deeply discounted items up to 70 percent off the regular price.

Cherry said that while she was once a regular, it had been a while since she had CNN: ‘It was out of my reach for so long. They didn’t have a lot of things I needed.”

Kmart has become one of several once-iconic American chains to close in recent years, such as Toys ‘R’ Us, RadioShack, Bed Bath & Beyond and Sears.

On Wednesday, the store on Long Island was almost completely empty. Stripped not only of inventory, but of shelving as well, what was left was an empty space about the size of a football field.

On Wednesday, the store on Long Island was almost completely empty. Stripped not only of stock, but also of shelving, and what was left was an empty space about the size of a football field

Many factors have contributed to the changing landscape of retailers, such as changing consumer habits, economic status, poor management and competition from larger rival companies.

Cherry, who bought all her school supplies at the Bridgehampton Kmart location, told the outlet, “This was our go-to place growing up. Whatever we needed, come back here several times a week, sometimes on the same day. We came here to hang out with our friends.”

As Cherry walked the aisles, signs were plastered on the front of the store advertising the 70 percent discount and warning customers that all sales were final.

The store was a big part of local life, with the nearest Walmart and Target locations about 25 miles away, and catered to “regular” people rather than the wealthier crowd from the nearby Hamptons area.

Arnone told CNN: “We need a store like this. There is nothing in the Hamptons for regular people to shop.”

The store was a big part of local life, with the nearest Walmart and Target locations about 25 miles away, and catered to “regular” people rather than the wealthier crowd from the nearby Hamptons area.

Arnone told CNN: “We need a store like this. There’s nothing in the Hamptons where regular people can shop

However, it’s been years since Kmart was able to compete with rivals like Walmart and Target.

Shopper Sarah Bullock told the outlet she remembered buying toys for children and grandchildren at Kmart.

She said: ‘I always liked the prizes. I’m sad to see it go. It’s the bargains I think of when I think of Kmart.’

Another shopper, Jessica Cohan, said, “I remember going shopping at Kmart with my dad. We used to buy everything here. But now, like everyone else, I do a lot of my shopping online. It’s a lot more convenient.’

The Kmart chain has been around for 135 years and sells products from clothing and appliances to hardware and electronics. At its peak in 1994, the chain had 2,323 stores.

The Kmart in Bridgehampton, New York will close for good on October 20, an employee said

Jessica Cohan said, “I remember going shopping at Kmart with my dad. We used to buy everything here. But now, like everyone else, I do a lot of my shopping online. It’s a lot more convenient’. (Image: A store in Southfield, Michigan, which closed in 2003.)

The chain became known for their ‘blue light specials’, which would cause a flood of customers to purchase discounted goods.

Kmart was founded in 1899 by Sebastian Spering Kresge as the SS Krege Company in the Detroit suburb of Garden City, as a dime store where shoppers could find everyday necessities such as household goods, clothing and toys.

Since the turn of the century, the country has filed for bankruptcy twice, while global profit margins fell from $49 billion in 2005 to just $3.26 billion in 2020.

Their $11 billion merger with Sears in 2005 drove them further into ruin.

At the time, Kmart had 1,400 stores and Sears had almost 900. When the retailer emerged from bankruptcy, Sears was left with 231 stores and Kmart with 191 stores.

Sears Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018 and subsequently sold 202 stores to Transform Holdco while liquidating the rest.

In addition to the store in Bridgehampton that closed this week and the small store in Miami, there was another store in Westwood, New Jersey that closed for good on February 2 of this year.

Arnone added: “It’s sad. It’s the end of an era. We shopped here every year at Christmas. It was a mainstay here.”