A Kmart store in Columbus and another in Auburn, Ala., couldn’t escape the closings announced Thursday by Sears Holdings Corp.
“I don’t know what I will do,” said Ena Smith, a 65-year-old associate at the 5600 Milgen Road store in Columbus. “I’m too old to get out there and look for another job.”
The two area stores are among 79 of the 100-120 store closings identified by Sears Holdings, which operates Sears and Kmart stores. Kmart locations on Airport Thruway and Macon Road in Columbus and one on U.S. 280 in Phenix City were spared in the latest round of closings. The Sears location at Columbus Park Crossing also missed the cut.
The number of employees impacted by the closings wasn’t available, but a typical store targeted for closure employs between 40 and 80 associates, the Hoffman, Ill., based company said in its update. An assistant manager who did not want to be identified said the Milgen Road store had been notified of the closing, but she declined further comment.
Smith, a 15-year part-time employee, said she had planned to work as long as her health would allow her. “We are like a big happy family,” she said of the staff. “We’ve been together a long time. I will miss the customers too.”
News of the closing shocked Smith because she thought the store did well during the busy Christmas shopping season.
“I don’t understand it, I really don’t,” she said. “It felt like the store was doing well. There are a lot of cars out here. On Christmas Eve night, you could hardly find a parking space. We did good. I don’t see what the problem is.”
The store has many loyal customers from nearby Covenant Woods, an assisted living community, Smith said. “That’s what brings a tear to my eye,” she said, choking back tears. “I’ve done had me a crying spell.”
Diane Harris, a shopper for more than 20 years at the location, said she’s saddened to learn of the closing. “I like the prices, and usually the quality of their merchandise is pretty good,” she said.
She said everybody is nice at the store but added that she frequently chose the wrong line to check out purchases.
“I don’t care what line I get in, there is going to be a breakdown or somebody is doing a price check,” Harris said. “That is the only thing I can say bad about it. It’s not anybody’s fault.”
Closing Kmart will only add to a bad economy, said Cora Redding, who left the store with a shopping cart full of paper towels and other household items.
“I think it is a bad thing because it hands Walmart the upper hand,” Redding said. “I don’t want to see that. I don’t want nobody to close. People are losing their jobs and for that reason we need to keep jobs.”
Redding is concerned about the associates who will lose their jobs.
“I keep praying because things get worse before they get better,” she said. “If they keep their hands in God’s hand, he is going to provide. You just got to trust him. When one door closes another one can open.”
Smith is not sure what the future holds, but she said she won’t lose heart.
“I’m going to be hopeful no matter which way it goes,” she said.
