Bargain hunters rush to NJ's last Kmart following fall closure announcement
The big-box staple in Bergen County is the latest in a string of closures resulting from the online shopping boom.
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Shoppers flocked to New Jersey's last Kmart on Friday with the hope to find some bargains after it was announced that the store would close in the fall.
The parking lot at Westwood Plaza was packed with shoppers who were looking for last-minute sales.
The big-box staple is the latest in a string of closures resulting from the online shopping boom. Some customers said the closure marks the end of an era.
"I think that right now we're facing a true generational shift, especially in shopping," said Manny Santos, of Bergen County, referring to the recent cascade of closures as consumers opt for online options and ditch the big box stores.
Santos said the store's profits have plummeted, but the value is still there for customers who remember stores like Kmart in their heyday.
That nostalgia was adopted by a younger generation of shoppers, all thanks to a unique Kmart relic that long predates their time.
"This is the blue light special from Kmart," said shopper Alexander Heiden.
Loyal Kmart customers may remember the flashing blue light which, for decades, signaled store-wide fire sales.
"This would drive everyone to the center of the store. Everyone would go crazy," Heiden recalled.
As Kmarts close one by one, the blue lights go out with them. But Heiden set out on a mission to preserve the brand's hidden treasure.
"I got it at the back of the store. $100. I'm like, 'Yes, I'll take it,'" Heiden said.
Heiden left with only one item, but most shoppers packed their carts to the brim, taking advantage of Kmart's doorbuster deals one last time.
Kmart has not released the exact closing date, but it will be sometime this fall.
