K-mart has been in my town as long as I can remember. While not as popular as Walmart, our town's K-mart held it's own for many years. But now is the end for a familiar sight as K-mart is closing down. Tonight I visited our K-mart one last time before they shut the doors for good.
Most of the doors were locked with signs saying you could only use the doors on the far left. As I walked down the sidewalk I noticed how the building looked like it hadn't been taken care of in years. There were weeds growing up through cracks in the pavement and the roof to the walkway looked horrible. In one section there was caution tape. If you looked up you could see where the ceiling to the walkway had collapsed leaving a huge hole. There were other signs that the building really hadn't been maintained (caution tape marking off areas) and I was surprised to see how hazardous the building had become.
Big Hole Over The Cautioned Off Area
I use to go to K-mart all the time growing up. I moved away for 6 years so this was my first visit since moving back home. It was a sad sight. They didn't have much of a going out of business sale. Everything was marked up and then they had signs saying 30%, 50% off everywhere meaning you weren't really getting much of a discount.
Lots of Empty Shelves
The Only Good Isle
The only good deals were in the Toy section. My daughter's birthday is coming up next month and all toys were 50% off. I got her some building blocks, plastic toy food for when she's bigger, and a little bike she can sit and push herself on. She doesn't have a lot of toys so it was nice to find her a few things.
It's sad to see big businesses like K-mart, Sears, and more going under in the U.S.
It's sad to see businesses you've had around since childhood slowly disappear. For a while every time I'd read the new another company was biting the dust because they were in debt or couldn't compete in today's world. I expect the K-mart building will remain empty for a long time. In my town that seems to be the trend. Other big businesses have disappeared over the years leaving empty buildings for many years. K-mart will be a sad and empty building to drive past and will join Lonestar Steakhouse, Big Lots, and Winn Dixie in businesses in our area that have closed in recent years.
One of our little towns problems is the politics. Too many no voters to any industry that will bring jobs unless they get something out of it first to grease their own palms, so permits are denied and excuses are made unless your in the politicians family, then everything is approved but for things our town doesn't need or want but ends up costing us more in taxes.
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Very true. Those politicians must love fast food because that's all they bring to town.
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The retail collapse is the inevitable result that follows the loss of manufacturing and industrial jobs. I lived through that going on ten years ago.
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Very true. At one time my town had two factories. The factories are now gone and all that's left are McDonald's type jobs. Not a whole lotta work for those who want more than minimum wage.
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Or if they are making more than minimum wage chances are they're only working 28 hours a week.
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Change is pretty much the only constant in the world.
I can identify with sad feelings when an "institution" like this goes away. I suspect some of the pressure comes from the success of stores like Walmart, and some from the rise of low-overhead online business like Amazon.
Hidden in there, somewhere, I suspect one may find meddling and regulation and taxation by coercive human governments.
Here's hoping you'll "adapt," my friend...
😄😇😄
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I guess it's sad just because it's something that's been there most of my life. I feel like our K-mart they never spent money to keep up the building and this was an inevitable close. The place almost looks abandoned with holes in the roof and cracked pavement with lots of weeds growing through the cracks. I'm sure I'll be fine with my Amazon subscription. I do hate to think what new corporation is going to move in and take over the property. New is never good in smaller towns.
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Understood! I hope it all comes out well for you and your town. ;)
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You are a good storyteller.
The business cycle is hard, but adaption and change is necessary.
Although seemingly useless at first blush, having a visionary leader makes the difference between surviving and thriving or dying.
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Very true. When businesses don't change as time goes by they will often fail. Thanks for reading and the nice comment.
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100% upvoted with 100% voting power.
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lol. Thank you so much! I just stopped by your last post and returned the favor with my 100% upvote and my little 13 cents. :)
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