Nampa will lose its Kmart

By August, Idaho will be down to two Kmart stores in Twin Falls and Lewiston.

The liquidation sale started May 17 for the Kmart in Nampa, a fixture on Caldwell Boulevard since 1974. The leased store is expected to close in August.

Kmart has closed more than 500 stores since 2008, with the Boise store shuttering in March 2016, the Coeur d’Alene store closing in October and the Ammon store following in January.

“We have been strategically and aggressively evaluating our store space and productivity, and have accelerated the closing of unprofitable stores as previously announced,” a Kmart spokesman said in a statement. “This is not an effort solely aimed at cost savings but is part of a strategy we have been executing against as many of our larger stores are too big for our needs.”

The building measures 84,210 square feet and was built in 1974, according to the Canyon County Assessor.

The Nampa Kmart is an isolated closure, not part of a wave of Kmart closures, such as the 45 closures announced in November that claimed the Ammon store or the 64 store closures announced Jan. 4.

“Having fewer stores – and the right format – will help us bring Sears Holdings to a size and place to meet the realities of the changing retail world,” the Kmart spokesman said.

Kmart is owned by Sears Holdings Corp. and had 432 Kmart stores as of Feb. 3, down from 2,000 stores in 2000.

The city of Nampa is already thinking redevelopment of the property, which lies across the freeway from Treasure Valley Marketplace.

“That building is a little aged and has not had any facelifts in many years,” said Beth Ineck, Nampa’s economic development director. “There’s always opportunity. That corner is a prime site for redevelopment and revitalization.’

The loss of Kmart is not a huge blow for Nampa, and the low unemployment rate should absorb most Kmart employees into new jobs, Ineck said.

“We have grown tremendously in our retail offerings in the past 10 years,” Ineck said.

The Idaho Press Tribune first reported this story.