What Happened To The First Ever Kmart In Michigan?

They used to be practically everywhere. Kmart, known for its signature Blue Light Specials that offered massive discounts on a random item in the store for a few minutes at a time, dominated the big-box retail market nationwide from the 1960s to the late 1990s.

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Despite its widespread acclaim, the chain struggled, filed for bankruptcy in 2002, and eventually closed all but one location in 2026. But back in the day, Michigan was an early adopter of Kmart, home to the second Kmart to open. So, what happened to it? How long did it last? Let's find out.

Last Kmart in the United States, located in Miami, FL./ Google Maps

Kmart in Michigan: The Rise and Fall

Kmart got its first location in 1962 and quickly spread from there. According to the Malls and Retail Wiki, Kmart operated over 162 locations in Michigan during its lifetime. The first Michigan location was in Garden City, where it operated until 2017.

While this was the first Kmart store, the S.S. Kresge Company that operated Kmart had been in Michigan since its founding in 1899. The difference was that while Kresge stores were always known for low prices, Kmart was the first big-box model of the Kresge formula.

READ MORE: The Strange Second Life of Greenville’s First Meijer Supermarket

The first location opened in California as a test, and when it went well, the Garden City location was the first legit store, marking the first of many K-Marts across the country.

Kmart in Garden City in 2017, then in 2020. / Google Maps

This location remained a mainstay in Kmart's armada of stores. However, after surviving two bankruptcy filings, this location finally succumbed to the financial issues facing the company. It closed in 2017 and was demolished a mere three years later, in 2020, and has been an empty parking lot ever since.