A
chapter in America's retail history is set to close on Long Island's East End. The Bridgehampton Commons Kmart, a 90,000-square-foot anchor store that has been a fixture for 25 years, will shut its doors on October 20th. The store's lease was originally taken over by Kmart from Caldor in 1999 and was extended multiple times until 2019.

    Kmart is owned by Transformco, which acquired the assets of Sears Holdings after it filed for bankruptcy in 2018. At its peak in the 1990s, Kmart operated over 2,300 stores nationwide, but that number has dwindled significantly since then. Today, only two full-sized Kmart locations remain in the US, with one being the Bridgehampton store.

    The irony of Kmart's enduring presence in the Hamptons is not lost on observers. Despite being a discount retailer in an area known for its high-end boutiques, Kmart has managed to maintain a strong customer base among bargain hunters. The closure of this location will mark the end of an era for the iconic brand, which once dominated big-box retail but has struggled to adapt to changing consumer habits.