Last Full-Size Kmart on US Mainland to Close This October

Kmart once boasted a network of more than 2,000 stores across the United States, offering everything from clothing and electronics to toys and household goods. Its extensive aisles and recognizable blue light specials were familiar to shoppers for decades. However, a series of financial difficulties, a bankruptcy filing, and changing consumer habits led to a gradual decline in the chain’s prominence. With just a handful of smaller Kmart locations remaining in places like Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, the brand’s presence on the mainland is drawing close.

The Bridgehampton store is a remnant of a bygone retail era that thrived in the days before big-box competitors and the e-commerce boom transformed the shopping landscape. Despite efforts to stay relevant through mergers, restructuring, and new store formats, Kmart struggled to compete with the likes of Walmart, Target, and online giants like Amazon. Many of its stores were eventually absorbed into the Sears Holdings Corporation, which went through financial turmoil and bankruptcy. Today, Kmart operates as part of Transformco, a private company that acquired the remnants of Sears Holdings in 2019.

Locals in Bridgehampton have expressed a range of emotions at the news. For some, Kmart has been a shopping staple and a source of community connection. This sentiment is shared by longtime shoppers who remember the store as a place for affordable, convenient shopping. However, others have acknowledged that the store's closing is hardly a surprise given the changing retail climate and Kmart's struggles to maintain a competitive edge.

For the community, the closure also raises questions about the future of the Bridgehampton site. Transformco has not yet disclosed any plans for the property, and locals speculate on what might replace the iconic retail space. Some hope for a new store that could bring jobs and economic activity, while others are nostalgic for the Kmart brand and what it represented in its heyday.

As the final days approach, Kmart in Bridgehampton will likely see a wave of shoppers looking for last-minute deals or hoping to say goodbye to a store that has been a fixture in their lives. Though the Kmart brand will continue to exist in limited forms outside the continental US, its absence on the mainland is a symbolic end to a chapter in American retail history. With one less competitor in the brick-and-mortar landscape, the closure reflects a broader shift toward online shopping and retail consolidation and the challenges traditional retailers face in an increasingly digital world.

The closure of this last mainland store serves as a bittersweet reminder of Kmart’s lasting legacy and its impact on American retail. For now, the remaining few Kmart locations overseas will carry the torch, but the US retail landscape will never be the same.