Kmart closing in January

MILTON — Sears Holdings, the parent company of Sears and Kmart, has announced that 45 Kmart stores and 18 Sears stores will close in January. That includes the Milton Kmart at 6050 U.S. Highway 90. The store will remain open during the holiday season.

“Sears Holdings continues its strategic assessment of the productivity of our Kmart and Sears store base and will continue to right size our store footprint in number and size,” a company press release says. “In the process, as previously announced we will continue to close some unprofitable stores as we transform our business model so that our physical store footprint and our digital capabilities match the needs and preferences of our members.”

“Eligible associates impacted by these store closures will receive severance and will have the opportunity to apply for open positions at area Kmart or Sears stores,” the press release says.

The number of locally affected associates is unavailable, according to Director of Corporate Communications Howard Riefs.

A developer is already in the process of purchasing the $4.8 million building. The 24-year-old structure is 94,841 square feet.

Robin Verge, advisor with SVN SouthLand Commercial, represents the developer.

“We’re actively trying to market the space and get something to go in there to get more jobs in the community,” Verge said.

The developer wants to stay with larger-sized tenants, according to Verge, and so will only break down the building into thirds.

Currently, the Milton Kmart is advertising holiday sales of 10 to 40 percent off everything in the store.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Kmart closing in January