On a Wednesday afternoon, Shahlise Cherry and Deborah Arnone embarked on a nostalgic journey, revisiting a past that had significantly influenced American retail. Their destination was the final full-scale Kmart store in mainland United States, located in Bridgehampton, New York, which was scheduled to close permanently on Sunday. As they roamed the aisles, their shopping cart filled with end-of-stock deals such as a coffee maker and a bowl set—items they hadn't initially sought but couldn't resist at a 70% discount off the regular price. Cherry admitted it had been a while since her last visit, despite being a frequent customer in the past. "It fell off my radar for so long," she remarked. "They didn't stock many of the things I needed anymore."

With the impending closure of the Bridgehampton store, Kmart joins the ranks of other once-great retailers like Toys “R” Us, RadioShack, Pier 1, Bed Bath & Beyond, and the remnants of Kmart’s corporate sibling Sears. These were chains that once thrived in America's malls and shopping centers but have now found their way to the retail industry's graveyard in recent years. While shoppers like Arnone and Cherry might have fond memories of shopping at Kmart or other now-defunct stores, a confluence of factors—ranging from competition with larger retailers, poor management, failed acquisitions by hedge funds and private equity firms, to evolving consumer behavior—have led to the demise of these once-beloved stores.

Although the closure of the Bridgehampton Kmart was not a shock to Cherry and Arnone, they were taken aback to learn that this was the last remaining full-size Kmart on the mainland. "This was our go-to place when we were growing up," Cherry reminisced, recalling how she used to purchase all her school supplies there. "Whatever we needed, we'd come back here multiple times a week, sometimes even on the same day," she continued. "We'd hang out here with our friends."

Post-closure, the only Kmart remnants will be a smaller store with a limited selection in Miami and a few outlets in the US Virgin Islands and Guam—markets too small and remote for competitors like Walmart or even Amazon to bother with. The Bridgehampton store, which opened in 1999, replaced a former regional discount store, Caldor. For many of the 30 to 40 years prior, Kmart was a powerhouse in US retail, starting in the late 19th century when founder Sebastian Spering Kresge opened a five-and-dime store in downtown Detroit, bearing his name. In 1962, the store rebranded as Kmart. The chain experienced rapid growth for several decades, capturing the discount market segment that big box stores now dominate. Kmart became renowned for its 15-minute "blue light specials," where a store would flash a blue light and announce "attention Kmart shoppers" over the PA system, prompting customers to rush to purchase discounted items. The promotions, which began in 1965, were discontinued in 1991, although Kmart attempted to revive them several times.

However, the chain's downfall was also attributed to a series of poor corporate decisions and failed strategies. In the early 1990s, Kmart went on a buying spree, acquiring Sports Authority, a majority stake in OfficeMax, and book retailer Borders. It sold all three a few years later, with Sports Authority and Borders eventually going out of business after their own bankruptcies. Kmart filed for bankruptcy protection in 2002, when it operated 2,100 stores, marking the largest US retailer bankruptcy at that time. A disastrous merger with Sears in 2005 exacerbated the situation. The $11 billion merger, orchestrated by hedge fund operator Eddie Lampert, saw Kmart with about 1,400 stores and Sears with nearly 900 full-line US stores. However, Lampert seemed more focused on selling off the real estate and other assets the two companies possessed, such as the Craftsman brand of tools previously exclusive to Sears, rather than investing in the chains, leading to a bankruptcy filing in 2018. Upon emerging from bankruptcy, the retailer still had 231 Sears and 191 Kmart stores, but these too were on the brink of collapse. Today, only a handful of Sears stores remain.

The closure of the Long Island Kmart will mark the end of another chapter in that merger. By Wednesday, the rear of the Bridgehampton store was already devoid of not only merchandise but even its shelving, with the empty space visible on the floor. An empty area, roughly the size of a football field, occupied the back half of the store. The front of the store featured signs advertising 70% off regular prices and notifying shoppers that all sales were final. The selection was extremely limited, with toys, once a Kmart staple, now occupying a small fraction of one aisle's shelves.

Bridgehampton, situated on the far eastern end of Long Island, is in the heart of the affluent vacation area known as the Hamptons. However, Kmart did not cater to the wealthy vacationers but rather to the local workers in the area. The nearest Walmart and Target stores are approximately 25 miles away in Riverhead, a roughly 45-minute drive. The last full-size Kmart in the contiguous United States had been able to endure longer than other stores due to this limited competition.

"We need a store like this," said Arnone. "There's nothing in the Hamptons for regular people to shop in." However, in much of the country, it had been years since Kmart could compete with more successful big box competitors like Walmart and Target, which offered shoppers groceries alongside clothing, household goods, and tools, coupled with the rise of online shopping.

Shopper Sarah Bullock remembered visiting Kmart for toys for her children and later her grandchildren. On Wednesday, she was brought to the Bridgehampton store by her adult grandson. "I always liked the prices. I'm sad to see it go," she said. "It's the bargains I think about when I think of Kmart." Her cart was filled with clothing for family members and a snow shovel. Bullock mentioned she never shops online. However, this was not the case for other shoppers at the store on Wednesday.

"I remember going shopping at Kmart with my dad. We used to buy everything here," said Jessica Cohan, who had her four-year-old son Lucas in her cart along with a Smoky Joe grill, Valentine's cards, winter hats, and an assortment of other items. "But now, like everyone else, I do a lot of my shopping online. It's a lot more convenient."

Victoria and Seth Black were leaving the store after picking up a few random items—Chinet paper napkins, Scunci hair ties, some winter mittens, and a beach hat. They recalled shopping at this store regularly in the past. "Everything is very expensive out here," Victoria Black said. "We needed a store like this." However, their visits had become limited to maybe once or twice a year more recently, as they found it harder to find the items they wanted there.

The demise of the chain and the Bridgehampton store brought back memories for the shoppers that week. "It's sad," said Arnone. "It's the end of an era. We shopped here for Christmas every year. It was a mainstay out here."