Kmart Shoppers Hope Route 46 Store Stays Open

There was disquieting news Tuesday for shoppers who love their Kmarts and Sears when it was announced at least 100 out of company's 4,000 stores in the United States and Canada will soon close.

Kmart, a pioneer of discount stores that emerged in the 1960s, and Sears, a store known for its Craftsman tools and an envied longevity in the U.S. retail market, have been struggling since even before hedgefunder Eddie Lampert bought Sears and merged the two in 2005 into Sears Holdings Corp.

Faithful shoppers informally interviewed Wednesday at Parsippany’s Kmart on Route 46 said they would be disappointed if that store closed. The store has large picture windows in the front that overlook a 1960's style pedestrian outdoor mall. There are other big box names there such as Staples, Home Depot, ShopRite and Bed Bath & Beyond along with a fair number of mom & pop stores.

Ida Esposito, a Parsippany resident, was wondering just what she would do if it closed as she pushed her cart through the racks Wednesday afternoon. Her two grandchildren in tow, she said she “waited until they have the big sales,“ to “buy all of our things for the summer and the same for the winter.“

According to shoppers who were enjoying an average of 60 percent discounts on Wednesday, the Parsippany location began as a Kmart more than 30 years ago before becoming a Sears store and reverting back to Kmart a little more than a year ago.

Marissa LaPlaca, of Denville, said she preferred this Kmart to ones closer to home and preferred the store to its competitors like Target and Wal-Mart when it came to Christmas shopping.

“I‘d be upset and very disappointed,” she said, if the store closed.

Brenda Armwood, who lives in north Newark but works on Route 46, said she often shopped at the store on her lunch hour, be it Kmart or Sears.

“There are clothes,” she said looking over some winter accessories. She shops there for clothes, toys and toiletries, she said.

Although the store was quiet, three days after Christmas and one with gloomy skies to boot, one of the managers said the place had been very busy for the holidays. A worker there said that although everyone was aware of the impending store closings, most of them are expected to take place in the Southwest.