The average sales per square foot in 2009 at Sears stores was $111 and at Kmart stores $107, compared with $280 at Target and $416 at Wal-Mart, according to retail research firm Kantar Retail. So that got us thinking, where are the smallest Kmart stores?
We compiled a list of what we think are the smallest Kmart stores by area! This is probably quite accurate - if anyone who works at Sears Holdings has the list, feel free to comment. Here are the smallest 25 Kmart stores by square foot. The "average" Big Kmart store size is 90,000 ish square feet, with a range of probably 80,000 - 125,000. (Walmart Supercenters range almost 200,000 square feet.) Some former Super Kmarts now without groceries stand at around 180,000+ square feet. Probably one of the biggest that was not formerly a Super K is the 143,471 sqft Manhattan NY store - the only 3 story Kmart, we think! (And it has nearly 2.5 million people living in a 5 mile radius!) These smallest ones are all under 60,000 square feet (even some big supermarkets are larger than them!) and most are in rural areas where Wal-Mart is not in town.
Unofficial Rank - Store Number - City - Square Feet - Population (5 mile radius) - Address
1. 9243 Red Oak, Iowa - 39798 - 6,157
2501 N Broadway, Red Oak IA 51566
The store seems to be in a somewhat random location, and lacks much signage/visibility from the highways. It survives probably because the nearest Walmart is in the next town over. The only Kmart under 40,000 square feet.
2. 9233 Oelwein, IA - 40007 - 8,328
2105 S Frederick Ave, Oelwein IA 50662
3. 9030 Peru IN - 40165 - 20,022
11 Sherwood Square, Peru IN 46970
4. 9222 Cherokee IA - 40312 - 5,487
1111 N 2nd St, Cherokee IA 51012
5. 9261 - Glenwood Springs, CO - 40318 - 8,571
51027 US 6, Glenwood Springs CO 81601
(photo taken 2004 from Flickr user phuzz_ott)
(SHC)
Wow, the signage hasn't been updated in what, 30 years?
6. 9238 - Raton NM - 40327 - 5,193
1235 S 2nd St, Raton NM 87740
(SHC)
7. 9264 - Tucumcari NM - 40334 - 5,598
2100 E Tucumcari Blvd, Tucumcari NM 88401
(from Marik_8705 Photobucket)
(older photo from Flickr user ukslim)
7. 9237 - Smithfield NC - 40334 - 25,440
950 W Market St, Smithfield NC 27577
(SHC)
9. 9274 - Greenwich NY - 40537 - 8,423
1251 State Rte 29, Glens Falls NY 12834
10. 9306 - Glendive MT - 40800 - 6,806
1515 W Bell St, Glendive MT 59330
This store was built in 1980 and reports sales of around $200/sq ft in 2006. (That's around double the national Kmart average, but then again, this store is half the size. An estimated $10 million annually in sales)
10. 9309 - Webster City IA - 40800 - 8,192
2307 Superior St, Webster City IA 50595
10. 9319 - Alliance NE - 40800 - 7,464
1515 W 3rd St, Alliance NE 69301
(SHC)
13. 7109 - Watertown CT - 45466 - 119,611
595 Straits Tpke, Torrington CT 06795
(from Flickr user XISMZERO)
At last check, this Kmart still has the 1970's retro design - well not retro, but just original, non-updated!
14. 9521 - Madawaska ME - 49650 - 4,123
417 Main St, Madawaska ME 04756
(from user ArmandC on Panoramio)
15. 9255 - Palmer MA - 50479 - 28,112
Wilbraham St, Palmer MA 01069
(photos from Flickr user KaizenVerdant)
16. 9147 - Newburyport MA - 50677 - 54,973
45 Storey Ave, Newburyport MA 01950
From the aerial photo, this Kmart has new signage and a lot of cars - both generally signs of a prosperous store!
(SHC)
17. 9146 - Great Barrington MA - 50730 - 8,447
546 Stockbridge Rd, Pittsfield MA
(from Flickr user KaizenVerdant)
18. 9121 - Madisonville KY - 52278 - 21,923
50 Madison Square Dr, Madisonville KY 42431
(SHC)
19. 9557 - Grayling MI - 52504 - 5,519
2425 S I-75 Business Loop, Grayling MI 49738
20. 9124 - Elwood IN - 52579 - 15,236
1519 State Rd 37 S Anderson IN 46036
21. 9186 - Grand Blanc, MI - 52996 - 65,757
12730 S Saginaw St, Flint MI 48439
(SHC)
22. 7916 - Eureka CA - 55238 - 42,557
4325 Broadway, Eureka CA 95503
(from Flickr user Romleys)
22. 9797 - Scotts Valley CA - 55238 - 60,716
270 Mount Hermon Rd, Scotts Valley CA 95066
A new facade and a relatively busy store in a relatively populous area - wonder why it's so small...
24. 9532 - Effingham IL - 55552 - 17,908
1006 N Keller Dr, Effingham IL 62401
(by Spiderweb24 on Panoramio)
(SHC)
24. 9680 - West Frankfort IL - 55552 - 13,895
3 West Frankfort Plaza, West Frankfort IL 62896
(SHC)
Unofficial Rank - Store Number - City - Square Feet - Population (5 mile radius) - Address
And to wrap it up, some links to good photos by FourStarCashierNathan of Iowa!
Ames, IA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fourstarcashiernathan/sets/72157622472682985/
Carroll IA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fourstarcashiernathan/sets/72157623359798679/
Cedar Rapids, IA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fourstarcashiernathan/sets/72157622575169169
Marshalltown, IA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fourstarcashiernathan/sets/72157619427908590/
Mason City IA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fourstarcashiernathan/sets/72157624156230478/
Webster City IA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fourstarcashiernathan/sets/72157622607533438/
Thanks for reading!
*many photos taken from Microsoft Bing Maps and websites by Fourstarcashiernathan (links provided above)
I'm from Iowa and I can't believe we have so many small Kmarts here. I just assumed there were other places with just as small of Kmarts, but I guess not too many!
ReplyDeleteKind of reminds me of "small Wal-Marts".
ReplyDeleteThis Wal-Mart in Navasota, Texas is very small. It was built in the late 1970s.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=walmart&sll=30.394958,-96.071773&sspn=0.00124,0.002044&ie=UTF8&t=h&split=1&rq=1&ev=p&radius=0.07&hq=walmart&hnear=&ll=30.394991,-96.071601&spn=0.00124,0.002044&z=19
Meanwhile, same scale, same photo, we have the College Station Walmart. It was built about ten years later and is located some miles north, but has expanded twice. This is one the largest Supercenter stores in America.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=walmart&sll=30.597527,-96.299739&sspn=0.001237,0.002044&ie=UTF8&t=h&split=1&rq=1&ev=zi&radius=0.07&hq=walmart&hnear=&ll=30.597169,-96.300045&spn=0.001237,0.002044&z=19
In Puerto Rico we have a two story store! Is the one at Plaza las Americas and is one of the strong selling store within all Kmarts
ReplyDeleteI have two stores to add to the "smallest store" list:
ReplyDelete9096 in Fostoria, Ohio (52278 sq ft.)
9660 in Springfield, Ohio (54047 sq. ft.)
haha, the Fostoria Kmart...
ReplyDeleteIt only has 4 checkouts!
Friend request at http://www.facebook.com/dcurrier2 and I'll send you photos!
I'd check out Kmart 9543 (1309 N High St. Fort Atkinson, WI) I can't find the exact square footage, but it's tiny inside!
ReplyDeletewow, I guess I missed a few more small ones!
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right, the Ft Atkinson WI Kmart is 55,552 sq feet, putting it in the list!
This blog is awesome! I'm fourstarcashiernathan from Flickr, and good job! Thanks for the credit! Email me sometime at Nkbush@wccta.net or add me on Yahoo at the same Flickr username!
ReplyDeleteNathan
I'm not at all surprised that Grand Blanc and Grayling are on here. I've been to both and they're tiny, cramped dumps of stores. I once saw a pop spill go unchecked for a whole hour at the Grand Blanc store.
ReplyDeleteAt least Grayling has an excuse since it's about 45 minutes to the nearest Walmart in any direction, but Grand Blanc? It's a Flint suburb and it just got a Walmart a couple years ago.
The Watertown kmart that you list on "595 Straits Tpke, Torrington CT 06795" is in Watertown, CT, not Torrington. It still has the old signage out front. I lived 10 minutes from that kmart for 21 years. I recall when they re-modeled it to a big k, and never changed the signs. I havent been inside the store for atleast 5 years, but when I did, the registers were still the 70's or 80's decor. The layaway department was in the garden center. If you need more info about it, I can give you plenty.
ReplyDeleteThink you also missed Kmart #9571 in Cody, WY. Ran across this tiny one on the way to Yellowstone National Park. Measured from the top on Google Earth looks to be around 216 x 237 ft = ~51408 sq ft.
ReplyDeleteat last, this is something that we need for some time, now we can enjoy all the high quality of the service of those markets.
ReplyDeleteThere is a "Traditional Kmart" store in Flint Michigan on Miller Road to add to the list. Small store yet it has a giant parking lot which makes no sense because even when sales were good that much parking isn't needed.Guess they could expand if needed, store always seems to be busy.
ReplyDeleteJust found out where you can look at the size statistics of every existing Kmart store here:
ReplyDeleteSorry about that - the URL is...http://www.shcrealty.com/property-search.aspx
ReplyDeletebefore getting the new signage the newburyport mass store was actually signed as a Big Kmart despite its tiny size
ReplyDeletekmart 7916 in eureka ca is only 48500 sq ft
ReplyDeletethe one in glenwood Springs is closing.
ReplyDeleteI think you guys forgot the St. John Indiana Kmart, very small one as well. It's closing soon, so sad....that store had a rebirth after a shooting in 1985....I wonder if there is something about it on your site, I haven't looked deep enough yet.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair about the Newburyport store, (a) There's a Shaw's Supermarket perpendicular to the Kmart (on the left of the photo) that is probably drawing at least some of those cars; (b) the nearest Walmart isn't until Seabrook, N.H., in a somewhat convoluted path away; and (c) I wouldn't be surprised if part of the exterior redecoration came from beautification pressure from the city itself. (It's the same reason why I've been surprised that out here in Valparaiso, the city hasn't forced Kmart to do something about their hideously ugly building when everyone else has had to improve "curb appeal".)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOf all the Kmarts mentioned in this post, which of them remain open in spite of the Kmart and Sears closures after Christmas 2011?
ReplyDeleteEnola, PA is only about 53K SF.
ReplyDeleteThe store in Lodi, NJ is very small but there are 2 HUGE Kmarts in Passaic, NJ and Elmwood Park, NJ less than 10 minutes away from it...however all 3 remain open!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI work at the Watertown CT Kmart for 595 Straits Turnpike. So if you need anymore info at all just let me know I'd be happy to help. I've got a few pictures of the inside that could help you with a special blog on the store. Its just as "retro" as its 70s sign suggests. Any interests at all my email is musikjunkie4life@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteHere's some missing:
ReplyDelete706 E. Main St. Waynesboro, PA (52,198 sq. ft.)
463 N. Enola Rd. Enola, PA (53,029 sq. ft.)
1520 W. Front St. Berwick PA (54,150 sq. ft.)
thanks Nate for the update! :)
ReplyDeleteNot a problem at all! By the way here are some more:
Delete620 Plaza Dr. Fostoria, OH (52,278 sq. ft.)
1519 State Rd. 37 S Elwood, IN (52,571 sq. ft.)
Would you be interested in pictures of Western NY/ Western PA stores? If so go here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/walmart3/
Your welcome to any pictures, just give credit please.
http://www.rep-am.com/news/local/741072.txt
ReplyDeletethe old signage makes me hungry for a package of ham sandwitches and some popcorn! :)
ReplyDeleteThe Kmart where I work (store 4400) in Albuquerque, NM is just 3,975 feet, though it will be closing in May 2014, leaving only one Kmart in the city. I've been taking pictures as the store's inventory shrinks down to nothing.
ReplyDelete