MARSHALL (WWJ) -- The last “Blue Light” has officially been turned off in Michigan.
The last Kmart in the state, which was located in Marshall east of Battle Creek, shuttered its doors this weekend, concluding 59 years of business in the company’s home state.
The first Kmart store opened in Garden City in 1962. At its height, the retail outlet operated about 2,500 locations worldwide.
After struggling with financial issues, Kmart filed for bankruptcy in 2002. The last two stores in metro Detroit, which were located in Warren and Waterford Township, closed in 2019.
The earliest roots of Kmart date back to 1899 when Sebastian Spering Kresge opened a retail store called Kresge’s in downtown Detroit.
In 1977, the company shifted its name to Kmart, and transitioned into a big box store chain.
Three years after filing for bankruptcy, Kmart became a subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation, and was later purchased by Transform SR Brands LLC.
The chain has steadily closed dozens of locations over the past two decades, with only a handful of stores open in states such as California, Florida, New Jersey and New York.
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