Joliet and New Lenox Kmarts to Close

As part of a nationwide spat of store closings, the Kmart locations in Joliet and New Lenox will be closing by mid-December according to a spokesman for the company. Kmart is owned by Sears Holdings Corp., which has been looking for ways to stay afloat recently, and the store closings are part of the overall business plan.

The Joliet location, located at the intersection of Jefferson and Larkin, has been open since September 1965 and featured a parking lot with spaces for almost 1,000 cars. The location was the 98th Kmart to open nationwide and has not changed much from the original building.

Kmart being owned by the Sears Corp. means that when the employees of the locations are let go, they will receive a severance package and also be allowed to apply at nearby Sears or Kmart locations, if they are deemed eligible for such benefits. Many employees found out about the closings the hard way, by reading about them online, as many had not been informed of the decision until after the story broke.

Steve Jones, the economic development director for Joliet, expressed disappointment at the decision but mentioned that he would tempt to work with the company to figure out what will happen to the building. The building could become a space for a seasonal store like the former location of Sports Authority in Joliet, which is now a Spirit Halloween store. The long term plans are not readily available however.

The liquidation and clearance sales will begin this coming Thursday and continue all the way until the closings in December.