MOUNT VERNON – Just a few weeks after shoppers in the area welcomed Marshall’s, rue21, and Maurice’s to Coshocton Avenue word came on Wednesday that the local KMart store at 1500 Coshocton Avenue will be closing.
Six KMarts in Ohio will close. A total of 76 stores are closing nationwide.
On their website Sears Holdings announced that they will continue to strategically and aggressively evaluate their store space and productivity, and
accelerate the closing of some unprofitable stores as the company has previously announced.
As such:
• On Wednesday, January 4, 2017, the company informed associates at 78 Kmart stores and 26 Sears stores that their stores would be closing this spring.
• On Tuesday, December 27, 2016, the company informed associates at 30 Kmart stores and 16 Sears stores that their stores would be closing this spring.
Sears says the decision to close stores is a difficult but necessary step as they take actions to strengthen the Company’s operations and fund its transformation.
The statement continues, “Many of these stores have struggled with their financial performance for years and we have kept them open to maintain local jobs and in the hopes that they would turn around. But in order to meet our objective of returning to profitability, we have to make tough decisions and will continue to do so, which will give our better performing stores a chance at success.”
Eligible associates impacted by these store closures will receive severance and will have the opportunity to apply for open positions at area Kmart or Sears stores.”
Liquidation sales will begin as this week at all closing stores.
The KMart stores closing in Ohio are in Kenton, Mount Vernon, New Boston, Zanesville, Kenton, St. Clairsville, and Reynoldsburg.
Longtime Knox County residents may remember K-Mart was previously located in the current Dollar Tree plaza. Before that, K-Mart’s predecessor Kresge’s was located in downtown Mount Vernon at the southwest corner of Gambier and Main Streets.