Kmart-Rochester, Minnesota

Kmart #4351 in Rochester, Minnesota opened on November 4, 1971 as the first Kmart ever in the state in Minnesota and was 94,500 Square Feet. Since this was very close to the Downtown area which is thriving very well itself, Kmart did very well at the location for a long time. However, the stores popularity had started to decline mainly after the companies bankruptcy. In 2015, the store had lost $33,000 and was starting to struggle. In 2017, the Pharmacy closed which for some stores including this one boosted profitability and kept it open longer. Sadly, the store was announced on December 28, 2018 that it would close. The location was a long time lease and just recently the property was sold to a new developer who plans to probably demolish the building and start from scratch. I did my first visit to this store on August 11, 2018 and my second visit was December 22, 2018, just six days before the store closing announcement. This will only include the August 11 trip and will eventually do the December 22 trip. Let's take a look at the store now.

 Garden Shop and Auto Shop. The Auto Shop was already closed yet the sign was still up.

 The Front Entrance

 In the distance is the Salvation Army which was a Former Kmart Foods

 The Big Kmart Road Sign

 That Kmart logo looks like it's been quite beat up in the heat over it's 20 years being up here

 Pantry and the Health and Beauty

 Former Pharmacy

 Pharmacy Lablescar

 Old Style Pharmacy Sign Hidden Under

 Health and Beauty

 Outdoor Section

 Over towards Electronics

 Looking towards the Northeast end of the store

 Appliances and Vacuums

 Music and Video

 Electronics

 The Garden Shop Area looks open yet for some reason, I didn't go there

 Looking towards the front of the store

 The Outdoor Section at this store was the largest out of many of the stores I've been

 Old Service Sign

 Cleaning Supplies and Former Pharmacy which is off in the distance

 The Home Department

 Towards Layaway

 Towards the front of the store

 Shoes

 Fitting Rooms

 Men's Clothing

 Kmart Price Scanner

 Towards the Baby Department

 Layaway and Restrooms

 Clearly the Woman's Section

 Lots Of Men Clothing in this section

 For some reason, the Layaway and Restrooms signs in the blue next to each other always fascinate me

 Former K Cafe

 Woman's Clothing

 Not much evidence through these doors

 Look from the K Cafe to the front

 Clearly not much evidence of the old K Cafe unlike some stores

 The Front Section of the store

 25 cents Water! This was also in the freezer which makes it better cause I always like my water cold and this Kmart always had it. Sadly, I've not seen another Kmart with this cause I would appreciate it.

 The Road Sign again

This Kmart was one of my favorites and it was in a great city. I'll talk all about my disappointment in this closing the next time we take a look at this store. We got more of Midwest Retail so stay turn.