Kmart will soon go kaput in Kent.
Sears Holdings, which owns Kmart and Sears stores, will close the Kent location, 24800 W. Valley Highway, in mid-October, according to an email Monday from a company spokesperson.
“As part of our ongoing efforts to streamline the company’s operations and focus on our best stores, the company on Thursday, July 12 informed associates at the Kmart store in Kent that it would be closing in mid-October,” the spokesperson said.
Liquidation sales will begin as early as July 26.
The spokesperson declined to say how many employees are at the Kent store.
“Eligible associates impacted by the store closure will receive severance and will have the opportunity to apply for open positions at area Kmart or Sears stores,” the spokesperson said.
The only remaining Kmart stores in the state are in Bellingham, Burlington, Spokane and Walla Walla, according to the Kmart website. Sears still has a few dozen stores or auto centers in the state, including sites in Tukwila.
Earlier this year Sears announced the closure of 62 Sears stores and 16 Kmart locations across the nation. At that time, Sears said it had identified 100 underperforming stores, according to a USA Today article.
Kmart and Sears continue to lose money as the stores deal with declining customers and increased online competition.
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