I Went On A Final Journey to the Last Kmart

[@ClongoIsDead]

this is so intresting because kmart is fully functional and alive in Australia lol, its like the 2nd biggest retail store here

[@TravisNewton1]

It's amazing what good management vs bad management will do to a brand.

[@SlapstickGenius23]

@@TravisNewton1 frankly, Australian K Mart is far better managed than its inspiration.

[@JacobNintendoNerd99]

K Mart for Kangaroo Mart in this case?

[@some_1214]

hell, except for more rural areas, target’s no where to be seen, been replaced by kmart

[@crashharmonyroberson5076]

@@some_1214rural targets are being replaced by ‘k-hubs’

[@BELCAN57]

Within the next 100 years someone will be posting a video about the last Wal-Mart closing. Everything has a beginning, middle and ending.

[@DebitAdams]

Walmart adjusts based on demands and trends. Kmart/Sears/Blockbuster were stubborn in their ways with bad investments which lead to their downfall. But never say never.

[@jasonmacaro4052]

I hope so. Shopping at Walmart is a dreadful experience

[@Fangirl-Nerd12]

I remember shopping there a lot when I was younger I'm sad is closing down

[@SuperFlashDriver]

Kmart, Blockbuster, Sears, KB-Toys, JCPenny's, Toys R Us (Old one not the rebranded version), Party City, Cost Cutters/Drug Fair, Odd-Job, CompUSA, Radio Shack, Circuit City, and A.C. Moore's that no longer exist before and after the housing/economic crisis of 2008.

[@endcaps1917]

@DebitAdams all empires fall

[@gabepollock1641]

This touched me somewhere deep. My father was one of the last employees of Sears before their final bankruptcy, and watching K-Mart slowly spiral the drain hurt me just as bad as seeing Sears going away. I've got a few Kmart NASCAR die cast and t-shirts put away in storage, and I still have my dad's old employee-issued hat that I cleaned up and wear regularly. This video is gonna be something I hold onto, since I never got to have that final experience for myself.

[@onlylettersand0to9]

Sears is still around, sort of. Most recent count I can find has 11 stores in the continental US and one in Puerto Rico.

[@gabepollock1641]

@@onlylettersand0to9 None of them are anywhere near me, and even if they were, TransformCo so horribly gutted the remaining stores that they’re not the same at all, at least from what I’ve seen in videos and photos. I’m not even nostalgic for the store itself, I’m nostalgic for the memories I have tied up in the stores, like my dad having to bring me to work with him on a weekend because of a broken electrical panel that knocked out half the lights in the store.

[@vinnyconte2275]

all right this is been on repeat last year in 2023 Kmart New Jersey close around this time now Kmart New York is closing around this time and the estimate is Kmart Florida will be closing around this time in 2025 let’s see if this is Tru

[@the-ops]

Retail is thriving down under, except for Target but they’re still nowhere near closing down

[@danieltaylor4185]

I hear a lot of people saying that part of the problem was that K-Mart failed to adapt, and they cite the decor as an example. Personally, I think if they only updated the infrastructure, and made sure everything worked right, they could have downsized, but held on as a kind of throwback store. I feel like if they just leaned 100% into the 80s and 90s retail aesthetic, they could have held on with their status as a novelty. Maybe stock some older merchandise to sell the bit, but sell modern stuff as well. There are many people who would go just because it's nostalgic, and maybe they have some old CD's kicking around, and would buy a personal CD player, or a dusty old DVD player. And while they're there, they can find other stuff they might need. I think the main problem with K-Mart was that you were paying Target prices, for a below-Walmart experience. The stores were dirty, they were plagued with technical issues, the merchandise was expensive, and the selection was terrible. If they smartly invested in a just a couple of improvements, I think it could have worked out. But, big investors are going to do what they do, and now the brand is dead.

[@Kalani_Saiko]

100% It is actually one of the biggest retail shops in Australia and still going strong. It seems the management up there just made some bad decisions.

[@danieltaylor4185]

@@Kalani_Saiko It's the leveraged buyouts - they should be illegal. Every major brand dying off in the US ends with a leveraged buyout, it seems. Pick a major bankruptcy from the past couple decades, there was probably a leveraged buyout fairly shortly before the end. Just from recent memory, K-Mart, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Toys R Us were all had a leveraged buyout, and they just never recovered.

[@mirzaahmed6589]

There's no way Kmart would have survived. I also don't understand how Target is in business. They have half the selection of Walmart (and a fraction that of Amazon) at double the prices. Their grocery section has fewer items than a dollar store.

[@TeboeCubes]

Fun Fact: the last remaining K-mart, that downsized one in Miami, is my local K-mart, and has been my entire life. I was born in 2005, which means K-mart's been a company in decline for as long as I've been alive, but as a child I was blissfully unaware, because despite nationwide store closures, my K-mart was unaffected until the downsizing a couple years ago. Even after learning about K-mart's bankruptcy, it baffled me that my local store, just a few minutes from where I lived, would be one of the last dozen, then the last 3, then the last remaining one.

[@blairperry6399]

The Kmart in New York City was also particularly cursed. They actually shuttered their 2nd level years before closing so there was an escalator leading to nowhere, and their basement level actually had a window that opened out to the Astor Pl subway station which was…interesting.

[@97nelsn]

And now it’s a Wegmans

[@blairperry6399]

@@97nelsn that it is! Disappointing, not as fun to wander into on a rainy day and find exactly nothing I was looking for

[@mirzaahmed6589]

I remember shopping there when I went to NYU.

[@fabiadutra8711]

It closed?? Last time I went there was 2019. I loved that messy cozy place!!! The Astor Pl connection was my playground!!!

[@SamBroadway]

Kmart was always my favorite... I was born and raised in Michigan the home of the kresky corporation which is where the K comes from....... One of my fondest memories probably was in 1967 or in 1968... While l me and my mom were in the checkout line my little brother went outside.... But mom told him to stay at the door since he was only 4 years old. So pushing the boundaries he stepped outside in the snow storm and for some reason decided to stick his tongue to the door handle... It was absolutely hilarious because it froze solid.... He started trying to scream and was crying because he was in pain when a store clerk came to his rescue with warm water to pour over his face onto the door handle.... I laughed about that for 50 some years until he passed away at the young age of 58.... Miss you little brother

[@dimesaretasty]

i'm happy my video let you remember that memory of you and your little brother, thank you for sharing that story 🤍

[@K0D4.N.FR13NDZ]

Rest in peace ❤🕊️

[@erictaylor5462]

The K-mart in Salem, Oregon closed in December 2016. In the same building was a Goodwill type store (but not actually Goodwill) but they closed not long after. The building is still empty with no sign it will ever be occupied again,

[@mothweb]

it was a value village! my dad is an ebay seller and he got a lot of his inventory from that value village.

[@brainyaxe7420]

It's still empty? damn, I remember going there as a kid, and watching it move out.

[@CybershamanX]

Thank you for posting this. Our local Kmart closed several years ago. What a sad story. Screw corporate culture. 😕

[@jackwilliams5223]

screw kmart

[@elizabethwinifred9331]

when I was a kid, my family always went to kmart specifically for Christmas decor. A few years back, I needed some new ornaments and was genuinely in crisis that I couldn’t go to kmart for them (so instead, I went to an At Home that has a “no loitering in the kmart plaza” sign in its parking lot. Close enough.) anyway, rip kmart and I appreciate the efforts you went to just to say you went to kmart one last time

[@kingdom216]

As a kid when we returned home from a road trip the Big red K was a landmark for me to know we were almost home...

[@stevenbartels969]

I moved to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico in 2015 and was blown away when the local mall had a Kmart in it. I grew up with one by my Grandmother's house and would ride my bike to the store as an action of independence and maturity. Usually I was only buying candy or mini football helmets out of the quarter machines. The one I grew up by had been made in the 60s and had this atrium area that housed the bathrooms and coin machines. The walls were made of concrete but had these blue pieces of glass embedded in them. I tried my hardest to abscond with one of those blue gems, but it never happened. Currently, the massive vacant Kmart building on San Jose in Jacksonville, FL has finally met its demise. It has been torn down after idling there for years.

[@K-Mart]

I adore k-mart so much. Genuinely a major part of my childhood too. (Literally made it my username because I loved it so much 💀) Because of all that I adore this video. The commentary, editing, and just generally everything about this video is absolutely wonderful

[@dimesaretasty]

Thank you!!!

[@blasagna1892]

as someone who grew up in kendall, fl, i clicked on this video wondering if it was gonna be about the miami one lmao. i visited the area again this summer and was shocked it STILL existed, i remember going in years ago and being surprised at all the yellowing plastic monitors they were using at the register. i remember that all my family ever bought there was socks lmao

[@slimjim2584]

The one in Kendall, FL (west edge of Miami) in the last year renovated their years abandoned garden area into a usable sale space and sold their main floor to a seasonal home decor company. It is now smaller than the average CVS and has a similar, yet worse, selection. I bought cough drops there and did not realize they were expired by three years already. Absolutely no Kmart branded merch either. Being in there feels like Romans visiting Sparta as a tourist attraction, essentially a living tomb for long gone glory days.

[@maximillianlylat1589]

The local kmart i went to as a kid closed down by the early 2000s. Only shopped there a couple times until it closed down. We'd still get the commercials on tv even thought there wasnt a kmart in site, nearest was probably 5 hours away(i live in texas if that makes any sense). My grandma absolutely loved the place and was very nostalgic for the store. She got to go on a trip to cali with my aunt back in the late 00s and got to see a kmart again for the first time in years. She said it was like meeting an old friend again.

[@biscuitygudness]

this is such a sweet video... this is how i feel about target and best buy. the memories i have of going to those places with my mom and getting new games or knickknacks are so fond. RIP kmart!

[@dimesaretasty]

Believe it or not I actually work at a Best Buy that is right next door to a target 😂

[@biscuitygudness]

@@dimesaretasty oh my god it's fate

[@herodoesstuff]

this is so sweet, and very interesting things to learn abt whats been going on w kmart. i went there as a kid too so it feels so weird to see it truly die now

[@shadowgalevt]

Algorithm working as intended for once and all I gotta say is it makes me miss Kmart. It was the store I'd shop for school supplies, new clothes, toys, etc as a kid. Back in the day in my town, we didn't have the Walmart and Target we have now. We had classics like Fashion Bug, Kmart, Peebles, and so forth. Sadly we've lost them all.

[@davinp]

Eddie Lambet was only interested in the real estate side, not the retail side. He had the brilliant idea of merging Kmart and Sears into one big company. Two wrongs don't make right, so putting two failing retailers together won't make them a great big retailer. Kmart should not have bought Sears

[@TheShadowsega75Terryman]

This Sears merger was a huge mistake. Fast Eddie only cared for real estate, money and himself and thinks it would be a perfect idea to merge Kmart with Sears in hopes of saving two dying retailers to crush Walmart, Target and Amazon it doesn't work merging two dying retailers with outdated stores won't save Kmart and Sears. Eddie Lampert is an Culeto!

[@matthewdahs3993]

Agreed

[@dfs-comedy]

K-mart in Canada bit the dust by 1998, AFAIK. I loved K-mart, Zellers and Woolco as a kid. They're all gone now.

[@forivall]

Oh I didn't even know Kmart was in Canada, or I forgot. Maybe they just didn't exist in western Canada?

[@dfs-comedy]

@@forivall Not sure. It existed where I lived as a kid and young adult, which was Newfoundland and Ontario.

[@forivall]

@@dfs-comedy yeah, I vaguely remember the conversion of stores into Zellers as '98 is distinctly within my childhood, though likely only as news stories, as I don't really remember too many K-Mart stores in BC (where I've lived my whole life)

[@mjjcollectables]

Watching this video in Australia is surreal, as we have Kmarts in almost every town and suburb... seemingly going strong.

[@devilduckietu]

I love your channel dude, keep doing crazy things like this! I love the oddball stories you tell. :)

[@dimesaretasty]

and i love telling oddball stories :)

[@Crocogator]

This is wild. K-Mart (and Zellers, woo canada) were huge for me growing up. To the point where I fall asleep to those k-mart reel to reel tapes that are on the internet archive. December 1990's tape will shunt me right back to christmas. friendly and warm, and service does not take long~

[@dimesaretasty]

I always wanted to go to a Zellers! I’ve been watching this KZbinr brightsunfilms for years and he’s mentioned Zellers many times before. Unfortunately I don’t have my passport though haha

[@Ryxbar]

You're definitely the only person who cares about this, but you also made an excellent quality video and a compelling story, and your passion comes through, which makes for a great viewing experience! Good job making me care about this store that I worked at for a year as a teen and never gave another look

[@TheCatherineCC]

The reason there is no kmart branding is because liquidation companies take stores over and reuse the same signs. It's also why prices are jacked up to $12 for paper towels and then discounted. Consumer protection laws should go after them, but they never do. These companies also bring in low cost, high margin junk that was never stocked by the store and sell it. That is probably explains the boxes of carts and patio chairs. The "spread out product so it takes more room" is also a tactic. US $2.67 for salt, inexcusable.

[@novafurry]

We still have plenty kmarts in Australia

[@PickleAllergy]

Road trip to Australia needs to be in Dimes future!

[@K0D4.N.FR13NDZ]

Does dumbass Eddie own those?

[@pablodelgado7919]

I remember K-mart quite fondly. Ever since i was a kid, most of the things that i got came from K-mart, from clothes , electronics, toys you name it but what i remember the most was the pizza while it wasn't the best neither the worst it was my favorite thing aside of touring the toys and electronics aisle. Here in Puerto Rico, K-Mart was one of the most frequented stores, next to Walmart and Sams and the fact that i have so many memories of it really makes me miss it somewhat but alas nothing lasts forever.

[@gatewoodanimations9753]

I had Kmart in my hometown I’ve lived my entire life and it was special. We didn’t have Walmart or target in our area and this place was the replacement. Unfortunately it closed down when I left my hometown. I miss everything

[@Shanook]

Great video. I have a really fond memory of my parents buying me transformer toys at a Kmart when I was a kid. It is a shame that it is closing, RIP Kmart.

[@sakaki_chrono]

This randomly appeared in my feed but I'm glad I clicked on it. I always find the history behind certain things fascinating and this video didn't disappoint! There was one big Kmart near me growing up but after I moved at a young age. I never really got to see it again. By the time I was able to return, the K-Mart was gone and replaced by something else. Which is kinda sad. I would love to make videos like these one-day where I explore relics of the past. But as is. I highly enjoyed this video. Thanks for making it.

[@davinp]

My childhood Kmart opened in 1980 and closed 10 years ago in 2014. I did have Zayres/Ames growing up. Walmart & Target didn't come to town until 1995

[@DuckyDeathly]

One of my favorite memories from my old local Kmart is finding 2009 era WWE stickers in the year 2014. My last Kmart visit was a few years ago in Manhattan. Whenever I visited my local Kmart, I rarely bought stuff (as I never found the prices all that impressive) but it was fun to hang out in there as there were barely any employees. It's certainly the end of an era. I'm glad you got to visit one last time and reflect on your memories with them. As a substitute, you can always visit the Kmart VR Chat map. It'll never top the real thing but it's a fun novelty!

[@97nelsn]

There was a Kmart that I used to go to when I was a kid and it remember the Little Caesars there. Went there a few years before it closed and it was outdated. Now it’s a Target but they use the urban target layout since it’s a smaller store than a regular Target but they kept the building and it made me think what would’ve happened if Kmart had been modernized and competed with Walmart and Target instead of letting it rot to death by a private equity ghoul.

[@Sara-pp3mm]

I remember the K mart a few towns over was shutting down around 2016/2017. My dad and I went as one last hurrah, bought some clothes, got a slurpee, and Kmart faded away until it was no more just weeks after we had left. I still have a pair of Joe Boxer leggings I bought that day that are still one of the most comfortable things I’d ever worn.

[@mrbignatedog_Official]

This was a huge eye opener. Thank you for showing us how Kmart has been running things. Up until now, I thought there was some kind of company, but in reality, it’s literally owned by nobody, and ran by the store managers. It was really sad to see this happen, to just let it die here until someone bought the lease. It’s sad to see something I am seeing something that I would have never imagined seeing as a kid. People going to Kmart for the last time, thinking they took if for granted. I did too. I had a local Kmart that I visited probably at least once a month with my grandma, before it closed in 2020, and I remember buying a junk load of toys and more toys, and hadn’t once thought about how it would all crumble away. Thank you for this video.

[@CB2C]

You should visit Kmart Australia/NZ, where they've actually done everything right

[@gavinisdie]

I knew they were going strong in Australia, but they're also doing well in New Zealand?

[@soulprivate7636]

@@gavinisdie Yes, it's a seperate company though

[@polancoboomer]

​@@soulprivate7636 // But has a rather interesting history as it started out as a collaboration with the American Kmart!

[@Thomas-sw4eu]

My grandfather was a consultant who led the liquidation of a lot of Kmart and Sears stores. He took me to a few of the store closures when I was a kid. Miss you, Pawpaw ❤

[@polancoboomer]

Well, currently, there's one more Kmart store in Miami, Florida here in the U.S.. There's also stores in Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Australia and New Zealand. The latter two started out as a partnership with the U.S. Kmart before becoming its own.

[@Metaflossy]

i worked at my local kmart for about a year- it was a pretty cozy job because no one ever shopped there (this was around 2018??) and since we had so few employees i did a little bit of everything. all was smooth until they announced they were closing, after that the store was full of vultures who just wanted free or nearly free stuff and would yell at you and try to haggle lower prices (as if i had any say in any of it). those last few week were a nightmare

[@Metaflossy]

also one more thing, ive worked at many restaurants and stores. almost all POS systems are running old software because it Just Works. they arent connected to the internet so it isn't a huge issue. i think the restaurant i last worked at in 2022 was running Windows XP embedded

[@jackwilliams5223]

I worked at one for 6 Months as an assistant manager back in 2001. I hated it and left for a better managerial job

[@angieburnett4341]

Thank you for the video, sad to see it go!! I still loved going several years ago when there was still one local, it was stepping back in time. I have memories of going with my mom, getting a slushie and hitting the toy aisles. It's where I got my first bike (with the basket and handle streamers, lol!) and so many other things. Like you, it will always hold a special place for me as well. I also remember Zayre--there was a robot machine that lit up and spoke when you bought a toy. I admit it was a bit scary but worth it to get a cheap lil toy! RIP Kmart, thank you for the memories. 💕

[@DrValentine59]

My mom worked at Kmart through nursing school. Kmart raised me through and through

[@JEROMETREY]

This feels like a glance into a parallel universe, I live in Australia and has 324 locations and their Anko lineup feels like a monopoly to the point they sell it at big W, and Target

[@a_world_made_of_cardboard]

I grew up with both Sears and Kmart. When I started this video, ALL I could think about was how EDDIE LAMPART LITERALLY DESTROYED 2 RETAIL GIANTS. When you mentioned him, it was the realization that it doesn't take much to bring a business down. Just another part of my childhood gone because of corporate ideology.

[@CarsSimplified]

6:18 I wouldn't know anything about getting away with speeding in Connecticut, but from what I have heard, being able to do 100 checks out. Frankly, the speed signs should reflect that. 5:38 had me wondering how driving a Kia Soul specifically was a big mistake. Haha

[@Allanbuzzy]

Jeez, the state of Kmart reminds me of the slow but painful decline of Woolworths over here in the UK.

[@vasya3801]

8:34 my dad has that exact riding mower, it's probably like 13 years old now lol. bless you kmart.

[@Ton_____]

I only remember one thing from Kmart... Layaway for Christmas items, good times

[@idontneedachannelthanksyou7292]

I was not expecting to be blown away at the quality storytelling in a video about k-mart. I never went (town where I grew up didn’t attract one I suppose) but it is interesting how it will be missed-and how bad big management was. Seriously? No employee shirts?? For years??? Wow.

[@Ribonchan]

Lived on Long Island most of my life and I can definitely confirm that the L.I.E. can be a very dangerous highway, though Middle Country Road is a close second. I had no idea that there was still a Kmart on Long Island in the Hamptons. For the CEO who had bought Kmart before not to change anything about the store, now it makes sense why it constantly felt like you were going back in time. Frozen in time. As a teenager, one of my best friends and I went into a Kmart in our hometown and it was exactly like that. It was so in the past that there were landline phones still being sold. Nothing really changed in terms of product either. It was also a ghost town. Barely anyone went in there. I do vaguely remember that there was a Little Cesar’s inside, I think I was only a toddler at the time, but I think that part closed down way before the actual store did.

[@MichellePondueCruz]

Kmart was a big part of my childhood in the 80s. I witnessed the Cabbage Patch Kids craze, stole my first candy bar, won a breakfast with the Easter Bunny, and then in 2001, I worked there developing film and cooking at the cafe. Kmart and Shopko were our only mass retailers in the small town I grew up in. It's weird to think I'll never see either one again.

[@jpkproductions27]

I live in Massachusetts, close to the last sears in the northeast, and it’s sad/crazy seeing these retailer giants die so quickly. I loved going to Kmart as a kid, and I’ll always remember my experience there fondly. We just have to remember nothing lasts forever and we should value everything while it’s around, even if it’s something as mundane as a retail chain.

[@YuletheLuckyOwl]

The most I could remember about my long defunct Kmart from my local town was in my last year of high school. I remember I have a work program replacing 3 classes and it was a local sportswear printing store. Every time I took a break, I was permitted to go in to the Kmart and I would spend my time at the face care aisle. Other than that, it was the Little Caesars pizza I enjoyed as a kid before they got rid of the café ; 3 ; Then I had to resort to a Target 2 towns ahead, and they had an excellent Pizza Hut with tasty mini personal pan pizzas! That got replaced by Starbucks, and now only Costco has tasty pizza inside their stores ; ▽;

[@cosmiccreaturefan]

Watching this from Australia like its an Alternate Reality video

[@Kni0002]

They almost went bust here ten years ago but they changed for the better fast

[@teh_supar_hackr]

I used to go to the even more dead Big K store as a kid. I think that one closed down finally in like 2013 or so.

[@MajorYass]

Crazy a new Kmart opened a couple years ago in my city. It's modern has a big selection and has a website with online store and click and collect. Alive and well in Australia and New Zealand.

[@Mitzi_DelverVRC]

VRChat's K-Mart shut down recently, too. They can't even get a break in *virtual* reality, let alone the real thing.

[@USSMariner]

WHY THO

[@casualeann]

Mama and I used to go to Kmart after the holidays, when they had deals on fashion jewelry sets. Now they're both gone... 😔

[@FlyingDuckMan360]

Eddie Lampert has a special spot reserved for him in the fires of the opposite of Heaven, along with David Zaslav, Christina Miller, and the CEO of Mattel.

[@TheShadowsega75Terryman]

And Vince McMahon as he'll pay for what he did to Daniel Bryan, Dean Ambrose and Brock Lesnar all because of that bitch Janel Grant and Donald Trump not going to vote for that real life Porky Minch so fuck him!

[@DustinWilson1992]

My only regret is that I can only like this video once. I'm thinking of visiting this one on Saturday, but coming from North East PA, I'm kinda dreading the drive. When I'm down in Florida in March, I might make the pitstop to the half Kmart, if it's still there.

[@dimesaretasty]

Visit it 100%. My thought process when I was planning out this video was “will I regret not going in ten years?”, and I’d hate to see someone else regret not going

[@DustinWilson1992]

@@dimesaretasty Update: I did go! The drive through New York wasn't as bad as I thought, and I was glad to see what was left. As of 10/12/24 The signs said 60-90% off. I believe the shoe isles around 8:25 in your video was disassembled and had a few mannequins and box bundles left in that area. I asked two separate employees if they had any more Kmart branded lanyards or ID badges and they said they didn't :(. I almost, ALMOST bought a register lane light, but didn't want to spend the $150 to pick one up. On the way back I stopped in a few towns to make the most of my visit to Long Island, and came across a place called "Barntique Village". You would not believe me when I saw several Kmart register lane lights, priced at $35 each, in one of the vendors sheds. I ended up getting #10 and #12, they came from a Brooklyn Kmart that closed a few years ago. Out of all the places I stopped on my way back from this closed Kmart, I can't believe I managed to pick up those lane lights at a random village!

[@sinisterisrandom8537]

Went to it a while back, and it just felt weird. Was way too young when they shut down across the world, almost. This however had a liminal feel to it, it was all organized and had a sterile feel to it. Me and my friend did buy some things, a scrub daddy and scrub mommy, and he bought a sweater. The feeling of it in terms of the atmosphere was kind of sad since there were very few people, especially compared to the Dual store to the right of it which had a lot of life to it. Pretty cool to explore it but man i could imagine it used to be a lot more lively back then. A shell of its formerself, that was able to remain preserved from 1996/1999?>2024, 25->28 years of service.

[@diskdem0n]

i remember spotting a kmart back in puerto rico apparently kmart is pretty popular internationally

[@treesareepic8413]

I used to go to Kmart with my parents a lot as a kid and i didn't even know they went bankrupt. But i should have noticed when the store near me was closing. I guess I never fully believed that Kmart was permanently gone.

[@jamieohjamie]

Damn K Mart really was a relic. Didn't know they lasted this long. RIP to a real one.

[@JeremyLeePotocki]

I went to K-Mart through it's last great decade (the 1980's) from there it was all downhill. I was around to see many good retailers go under, but the hardest one for me was Venture. Venture was the first store to carry the NES, and yet still had Atari 2600 stuff until the 1990s. K-mart in my area lasted until 2010, but the first one closed in the mid 90's. The last one in my state closed in 2019 (Russlleville, AR).

[@undeadfury55]

Cathy Mitchell presents: Kmart Recipe’s

[@dimesaretasty]

that would be the craziest collab of all time

[@TheShadowsega75Terryman]

I really miss Kmart. I used to have a Kmart here in Carlsbad,NM as My Mom and Dad would buy me school clothes and put them on Layaway before school was on session. I brought Tiny Toons Adventures: Buster Busts Loose, Sunset Riders, Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow and my favorite Mario game Super Mario RPG on the Super NES, Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge on the Game Boy, Yoshi's Cookie on the NES, Yoshi's Story and Donkey Kong 64 on the N64. Sadly my Carlsbad Kmart lost all their business when a Carlsbad Walmart Supercenter opened in October 1998 as a lot of residents of Loving and Carlsbad has had enough of Kmart's lousy costumer service and it became perfectly clear that the Carlsbad Kmart is showing its age as it is outdated and dirty while the Carlsbad Walmart is perfectly clean. The Carlsbad Kmart shut down in 2002 after Kmart went bust mostly due to the fault of Charles Conway and Mark Schwartz who pissed off a lot of shareholders and company officials as the company is hanging by a thread while they spend the company's money on Boats, Airplanes, Houses and other luxuries and they have no one else but to blame for themselves as Conway resigned and pay everything back he owe. We used to have a Sears Hometown Store as we never brought any Appliances from them ever as my heaven forbid my dad god rest his soul but he likes Craftman Tools that are American Made nowadays is cheaply made in fucking China Sears Hometown is dead in Carlsbad and it's now a Dollar Tree. Rest in pieces Kmart.

[@gavinisdie]

My local Kmart actually closed on the same day as the last Super Kmart, they both closed in early 2018, around the time when i started to take intrest in Retail history, the only thing i explicity remember getting from Kmart was a Lego Set (Buildable Jango Fett figure)

[@rocotaco5517]

Man kmart was also part of my childhood like me and my family would go there often, but slowly over time we hardly went there up until the store permanently closed. It's surreal to see the building where kmart once stood and over time becomes a distance memory

[@Windows98R]

Every time I get mentioned Kmart, I get reminded of the one time I thought I was going insane as a child. Kmart was in the state of right before they really shutdown majority of their stores just as I was getting old enough to actually remember anything. My parents stopped by one once and only once (presumably because that kmart location was a Biglots by the time I saw it again). So Kmart just was that one retailer I swear I saw but I never could prove it to myself as a child until I got access to the internet in my teens.

[@neighborlynut]

Great video. You are very gifted with narrative voice-over. Seriously, one of the best I've heard. I believe you could really make a career of it.

[@TheAbigailDee]

I absolutely love this video. What a unique take and I'm weirdly glad you got to go see your store ❤ Corporate greed is just nasty.

[@TheShadowsega75Terryman]

I blame American Tribalism for this.

[@kaylaaa6351]

Ahh, welcome back!

[@dimesaretasty]

haha thank you! i promise i won't take another six months to release a new video!

[@ezrajc]

can’t believe the kia soul took you that far. good video vro

[@dimesaretasty]

To be completely honest it’s a shockingly reliable car when I’m not beating it up 😂 Thank you for watching!

[@ReallifeBambiDeerattheFarm1]

I think 2018 was the last time I was at Kmart. Got Duracell batteries there. Kmart's downfall can't be fully blamed on the Lamfart, it was on the way down for years and years before the first bankruptcy. If anything, Eddie prolonged the death of Kmart and Sears to well past their useful lives. I'm 50 and I grew up on Wal-Mart. It was a treat to go to Kmart once a month because they had better stuff in the 70's and 80's. In 1990 when they changed the logo they focused on soft lines and scaled back Electronics, Sporting goods, and Automotive it died for me. Around that time Wal-Mart doubled in size and added a garden center and a even bigger Automotive area! No need to make an 80 mile round trip, it was all right there! I'm glad you went to the last full line store.

[@jamztheworld12]

12:00 suuper random but the sky is so freaking gorgeous here

[@Nick_J_]

I remember the one Kmart in my area my family went to as a kid. Even back then, it was outdated. It had a sinking and cracked parking lot, built on old landfill. I want to say in about 2011, after some flooding, is when it closed for good.

[@MissJazz004]

i only have one memory of kmart from when i was little, but it’s a strangely formative one. it was 2008, i was 4 years old, and our local kmart was having it’s closing down sale. the store had been mostly picked over when we went there, but being the extremely poor family we were, we decided to go have a look around anyway. so we’re wandering through the store, nothing really stands out, until we round a corner and i see it; an original 2005 ben 10 omnitrix fx, what is considered by most fans to be the best omnitrix ever released. by this point the original show was winding down, and the new alien force toys were starting to appear on shelves. anyway, i new i need to have it, especially for the paltry price of $8. i walked out of that store an incredibly happy little girl. i would then lose it at a bus station a few years later, spend the next decade bummed about it and searching the internet for a good price, and eventually find one for $8.50 which now sits proudly on my desk

[@Datmaskedmemer]

Kmart in australia: IM STILL STANDING!!!!!

[@PLAYER42_ready]

Me in Australia with Kmart, target, Myer and coles all being under one company

[@armron94]

I had my aunt work at Kmart 30 years Niles michigan closed

[@christianburgos5956]

When I went back to Puerto Rico in 2021 the Kmart in Canóvanas was still open but was definitely on its last leg. For sure probably closed by now. So many memories of going shopping there as a kid

[@ACEMAN999999]

100 in CT is just normal driving. But the impact of Kmart for me was just so much. For a while when I was a kid it was the only box store near my house and remained the closest until it closed. It was almost in walking distance from the house and right by my High school. I went to Kmart minimum once a week and bought many of the tools that started my journey working on cars. It honestly really sucked when both our Kmart and only a year later are Sears closed. Now I'm stuck going to Walmart or Target for stuff and they are just not the same.

[@Walter_P_Bear]

Ah, the Bluelight Special will always be engraved in my brain.

[@noawitt8957]

Always quality content from you

[@dimesaretasty]

🙏

[@PaulFisher]

On some of the weird merchandise at the Kmart: liquidation sales are often managed by an outside consultant. In some cases they will bring new inventory into the store to be mixed among the store’s actual existing inventory they’re trying to get rid of. (This practice is not legal in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: MGL c.93 §28A; no idea about New York.) Given the neglected state of Kmart even before the liquidation, it’s hard to guess whether they had those in their stock before the sale or if it was brought in after. Also, don’t knock old-looking POS systems; they can be faster than modern ones. When I worked retail, I went through an “upgrade” that was a significant downgrade once.

[@BrainDamageIV]

As a person who’s lived in Miami my entire Life, I’ve never heard of Kmart Miami, I do have memories from other ones as a child

[@austinfulmer9954]

K mart has also had a huge impact on me also. My grandparents would tell stories of how they both met while working there. The Kmart in my area burnt down in the 2017 fire

[@jackson5116]

Some of us are old enough to remember SS Kresge who gave birth to Kmart.

[@ThePolaroid669]

Lots of Kmarts here in Australia. Come visit!

[@josecontreras2997]

Give me some money 🤑 and I'll be there in no time.

[@owenboyd6258]

They haven’t made a craftsman lawn tractor like that since the early 2010’s. Crazy to see one in a store

[@SkunkMantraTechnoSkunk]

Was watching the Film The Rainman and he says wants to go to Kmart so many times. thats so gonna be nostalgic now in the future.

[@jefradera]

why is this video making me so sad 😭 my mom worked at the first kmart they opened in my hometown so now seeing the last full-size store close down after her death is like… heartbreaking

[@Iambutathing]

Mate. Come to Australia. It'd thriving here

[@Masinwtf]

"Alright, so I’ve been observing this situation, and it’s honestly *wild*. Bro is literally out here treating Kmart like it’s the one true love he’s been searching for his whole life. Like, he walks in like he’s about to meet a celebrity-head high, chest puffed out, ready to take on the world, and you know damn well he’s not there for a pack of gum. Nah, he’s in it for that low-key romance that only Kmart can offer. He strolls past the garden section like he’s on a runway, glancing at the clearance aisles like they’re some rare treasure chest full of mysteries, and you can tell he’s got *feelings*. You know how some people go for the whole “unattainable” thing in relationships? Yeah, Kmart’s not it. Kmart's that down-to-earth, “you know what you’re gonna get” type of love, and he's all in. No games, just the soft glow of fluorescent lights and the sweet smell of bargain-bin perfumes. But here's where it gets *real*. This man will go in for one thing-just a simple trip for a couple snacks or a new set of socks-and somehow come out looking like he’s just bought a car. He’s got the basket, the cart, the *mood*, but it’s always filled with the most random assortment of stuff. One second he’s picking up a $5 lamp that looks like it belongs in a 90s sitcom, and the next, he’s walking out with a twelve-pack of ramen and a $3 fuzzy blanket. It’s like Kmart’s the ultimate bad influence: everything’s a steal, and somehow, he’s convinced himself that he *needs* it all. And let’s not even get into the emotional attachment he’s got to that dollar section-he’s genuinely considering getting that fake cactus just because it *speaks* to him, like it’s some deep connection no one can understand. But it’s okay, because Kmart *gets* him. It doesn’t judge. It just lets him swipe that card, and the next thing you know, he’s sending snaps like, “Yo, look at this new addition to my life” and we’re all just sitting there thinking, “Dude, you *know* you’re just gonna end up back here next week, right?” The craziest part? He genuinely acts like this is the best thing that’s ever happened to him. Like, you ever see someone walk out of a store and their face just lights up because they found the one thing they didn’t know they needed? That’s him, every single time he pulls up to Kmart. It’s the kind of joy you can’t fake. Like he’s in a full-blown love affair with those aisles. He’s got the eyes of a man who’s just discovered something life-changing, and it’s a $6 inflatable pool float. He’ll send a text saying, “Kmart’s the one. It’s my happy place.” No sarcasm. And don’t even get me started on the customer service-he’s over here talking to the employees like they’re his best friends, giving them his entire life story while casually eyeing the $8 kitchen utensils because, apparently, a set of cheap knives is all he really needs in life right now. But it’s not just about the stuff. Oh no, it’s about the *experience*. He walks through those sliding doors like he’s stepping into a secret underground club where everyone knows his name, but none of the other stores are invited to the party. I swear he knows the layout better than anyone who works there-he’s practically giving tours of the aisles. And the best part? He genuinely believes that every trip is going to be his last-like, *this* is the time he’s going to stop coming back for the next three months. He'll come out with a new set of intentions, all motivated to “cut back” and “be more responsible.” But then... he sees that deal on the clearance rack, and suddenly, Kmart’s got him wrapped around its finger again. It’s a vicious cycle, but he’s not mad about it. He’s fully committed to this “will-they-won’t-they” relationship, and honestly, I respect it. At this point, Kmart should just put a name tag on his favorite aisle. He’s basically a frequent flyer at this point. And let’s not even get into the emotional moments-there’s something oddly intimate about the way he picks out his items. It’s like, *he* knows what he’s doing, but it’s almost like Kmart knows him better than anyone. That one time he picked out a $3 pair of slippers because he was "feeling himself"? Yeah, that's love. That moment when Kmart’s return policy makes him feel like he’s found a safe place, no questions asked. The checkout lane is like a ritual, where he scans his items with the kind of seriousness you’d reserve for signing a marriage certificate. And when that receipt prints out, it’s like a confirmation that yes, his love is *real*. He’s not just walking out with items; he’s walking out with memories, moments, and an undeniable loyalty to this store that’s seen him through the good times (getting 50% off home decor) and the bad (buying a single plant and then accidentally killing it two weeks later). But let’s be real: the man’s not going anywhere. He’s hooked, and Kmart knows it. It’s not just a store for him; it’s a whole lifestyle. And honestly? We’re all just living vicariously through this chaotic, beautiful romance, watching as he falls deeper in love with a place that doesn’t even care about his feelings but somehow *gets* them more than anyone else ever could. 😂💙" I ain't even read that I got it from chat GPT, nice video g

[@dimesaretasty]

this dude makes the best meme compilations

[@Masinwtf]

@dimesaretasty god bless this shoutout🙏🏻

[@pluggy86]

Never was a Kmart fan, but still sad to see it go. I'm a sentimental guy. Still waiting for the big Howard Johnson's restaurants reboot. My sister lives about an hour west of there, and I was thinking of making a similar pilgrimage just to see it one last time, but it won't happen. It strikes me funny that when they were in direct competition with Walmart, no one thought Walmart was class, but it was a place where you could find the crap you were looking for, get in and out fast, and pay at little as possible. Kmart, not so much.

[@mintystellar4268]

If you wanna visit a Kmart again, come to Australia

[@PickleAllergy]

I miss Kmart! Does anyone remember the blue light specials, the car they pushed around that has a flashing blue light on top? My first job was at a Bradlees. We had a massive Sears as well, and it is also gone. I love you took the road trip, and thanks for bringing us along

[@agkawaii9267]

I went to kmart in puerto rico one time when i was 10 in 2016. I had never been in a kmart before, but they had a set of 2 monster high dolls for really cheap. I felt so proud of myself for snatching that bargain

[@hibiscusdesigns]

I will still never get over the fact that my town’s Kmart was eventually turned into an elementary school. I’ve never seen another store be repurposed like that.😅

[@nerdygurl]

Wish you could do Building19. That Building19 in Haverhill, Mass was the best one. Thanks for the Kmart closure.