The state of Wisconsin has 8 K Marts; until January when it'll drop to 7. The K Mart in Stevens Point, right by the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point dorms is finally succumbing to K Mart and Sears combined problems. The K Mart in Stevens Point has enjoyed relative success in the last decade as opposed to it's contemporaries simply due to it's close proximity to campus; meaning that students could simply shop at K Mart rather than try and catch a ride or a bus to Target, or down to the Crossroad Commons shopping complex to go to Walmart. The Stevens Point Journal story is HERE. The closure affects some 45 employees according to the release, which surprises me- most stores operate on much reduced manpower these days thanks to automation... is K Mart really that backwards, or just a stickler for rotating shifts? Curious.
I'm catching this story a little late; as you can probably tell I have avoided the place for years, but I will try to get in and get some photos for you guys to enjoy. When I last visited about 4 years ago, it was a disaster inside and out, so I doubt much has changed for the better.
For a preview of what a Kmart closure looks like, Dan Bell has it all:
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Kmart in Stevens Point to Close | Forum
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Maklarr4000
Dec 18 '17
So, I went to go see what was up with ol' Kmart and took as many photos as I was able. Evidently I must look suspicious (shocker, I know) so I had the store's people and some sort of security guard following me for most of this, so apologies for the "guerilla" photography in spots.
A nice wintry day in Wisconsin for a store closing...
Greeting card aisle near what used to be the pharmacy, looking towards their "jewelry" case.
On the wall above the employee entrance to the pharmacy. This side faces the cashiers and main entrance.
A main-aisle display of some shattered snow-globes. Merchandise of all sorts is scattered and broken throughout the store now, with some aisles so disheveled it's hard to say what they were supposed to be before the closure was announced. Bits of debris of all sorts litter the floor in places; the store is in a very sorry state.
A back wall covered in well-worn black backer paper. It is curious to me that the store wasn't given paper that went all the way to the top of the fixture, or that Kmart's office didn't send extras for the employees to fit the really battered fake wooden backing. I only say this because at the store I once worked for, this was a matter of branding and pride- employees would be reprimanded for setting up backer papers wrong. It was like this throughout the store, so while I like to think this was on purpose, general apathy seems more likely.
A toy aisle with all sorts of "stocking stuffer" gifts in cardboard totes. This was one of the better-organized aisles.
In the home improvement and/or auto-care corner.
This Kmart has a dinky "garden center" attached to the side which was totally vacant of people, including my pursuers, so I had more freedom to get some more photos.
The other side of the "garden center" as taken from the same spot I had been standing in the previous photo. It's not terribly large.
...not much in it either.
The door to the garden center, which does not open. Things of note include the antique security camera above the door, and the bee trap hanging from the ceiling.
Judging from the layer of dust, there haven't been working cash registers out here in quite a while. I do wonder what is up with the calculator velcro'ed to the wall though.
The fitting room entryway, in all it's 1990's glory. The display to the left of this was just being finished when I came over, which is why it too hasn't been trashed. A further note, have a look at all the replaced tiles and all the big cracks in the floor...
Wandering back inside, I began to really notice a LOT of stains and damage like this. It seems the store had a lot more traditional "aisles" across the middle before they were scrapped in favor of more simple clothing racks. However, the condition of the floors in some places are just terrible- and from the way certain racks are moved you can tell staff have worked to cover up some of the worst places for safety.
The last photo I was able to grab before I made my getaway, overlooking the "clothing" side of the store.
Curiously, though this store was never upgraded into a "Big" Kmart like the one in Wisconsin Rapids had been (thus the old logo outside) the store did have one "Big Kmart" sign inside over the register banks. There was also a few marks on the back wall indicating where at least one more similar sign had been.
Not much more to say though, Kmart moves ever closer to oblivion. Their prices are higher than Walmart, Target, and Amazon; their stores are woefully understaffed, and therefore a mess. Everything is dated and broken down- it's more like a battered time capsule than a shopping center. If it hadn't been for the university dorms literally across the road, this store would have closed years and years ago...
A nice wintry day in Wisconsin for a store closing...
Greeting card aisle near what used to be the pharmacy, looking towards their "jewelry" case.
On the wall above the employee entrance to the pharmacy. This side faces the cashiers and main entrance.
A main-aisle display of some shattered snow-globes. Merchandise of all sorts is scattered and broken throughout the store now, with some aisles so disheveled it's hard to say what they were supposed to be before the closure was announced. Bits of debris of all sorts litter the floor in places; the store is in a very sorry state.
A back wall covered in well-worn black backer paper. It is curious to me that the store wasn't given paper that went all the way to the top of the fixture, or that Kmart's office didn't send extras for the employees to fit the really battered fake wooden backing. I only say this because at the store I once worked for, this was a matter of branding and pride- employees would be reprimanded for setting up backer papers wrong. It was like this throughout the store, so while I like to think this was on purpose, general apathy seems more likely.
A toy aisle with all sorts of "stocking stuffer" gifts in cardboard totes. This was one of the better-organized aisles.
In the home improvement and/or auto-care corner.
This Kmart has a dinky "garden center" attached to the side which was totally vacant of people, including my pursuers, so I had more freedom to get some more photos.
The other side of the "garden center" as taken from the same spot I had been standing in the previous photo. It's not terribly large.
...not much in it either.
The door to the garden center, which does not open. Things of note include the antique security camera above the door, and the bee trap hanging from the ceiling.
Judging from the layer of dust, there haven't been working cash registers out here in quite a while. I do wonder what is up with the calculator velcro'ed to the wall though.
The fitting room entryway, in all it's 1990's glory. The display to the left of this was just being finished when I came over, which is why it too hasn't been trashed. A further note, have a look at all the replaced tiles and all the big cracks in the floor...
Wandering back inside, I began to really notice a LOT of stains and damage like this. It seems the store had a lot more traditional "aisles" across the middle before they were scrapped in favor of more simple clothing racks. However, the condition of the floors in some places are just terrible- and from the way certain racks are moved you can tell staff have worked to cover up some of the worst places for safety.
The last photo I was able to grab before I made my getaway, overlooking the "clothing" side of the store.
Curiously, though this store was never upgraded into a "Big" Kmart like the one in Wisconsin Rapids had been (thus the old logo outside) the store did have one "Big Kmart" sign inside over the register banks. There was also a few marks on the back wall indicating where at least one more similar sign had been.
Not much more to say though, Kmart moves ever closer to oblivion. Their prices are higher than Walmart, Target, and Amazon; their stores are woefully understaffed, and therefore a mess. Everything is dated and broken down- it's more like a battered time capsule than a shopping center. If it hadn't been for the university dorms literally across the road, this store would have closed years and years ago...
The Forum post is edited by Maklarr4000 Dec 18 '17
Maklarr4000
Dec 18 '17
As an added bonus, Kmart has been advertising it's closure through the Internet... look what I saw...
Maklarr4000
May 26 '18
There is a plan in motion that the former Kmart will be torn down, and the university will build a new dormitory on the site. I'll see if I can get any photos or videos of the demolition.
Jasper
Jun 3 '18
There is a plan in motion that the former Kmart will be torn down, and the university will build a new dormitory on the site. I'll see if I can get any photos or videos of the demolition.Sweet.
Maklarr4000
Jun 5 '18
Not torn down yet, still sleuthing for an exact date.
I did run across this photo I took of the place from the gas station across the street back in April though, the building looking rather forlorn.
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