Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Kmart Gretna La closing sale August 2014

This Kmart store opened in 1979 and the store closed September 14, 2014. This Kmart was one of my go-to stores for several years when I lived nearby. This is also the last Kmart on the Westbank of the New Orleans area. At least 4 Kmarts once served the Westbank area. The Tall Timbers Mall (closed in the 1980's, Manhattan Mall (closed 1990's) and Ames at Lapalco (2002) locations along with this one served an area with a population of over 100,000. The two mall Kmarts were former Grant's stores that were purchased by Kmart and converted. Both of the malls were really small with space for a few small stores with the Kmart and Schwegmann's as anchor stores to the malls.
Here are my images from the store closing sale about a month before the store closed for good. 
The pictures are all over the place, but enjoy the look through the store. 

We start at the middle of the store.
The back aisle of the store near the sporting goods department facing the back corner of the store by the appliances.
This blood pressure monitor has seen better days. It looks like someone may have taken out the internals for another machine. 
A few wide views of the electronics department. A couple of the vintage photos remain on the wall including the cassette walkman lady.  
The electronics department was small compared to other Kmart stores of this size.
The remains of the Sears appliance department. Or should I say Sear appliance department.
The back corner of the store near the appliance section, this was part of the toy section. 
The view of the main back aisle of the store from the appliance corner. 
A look down the back wall near the former toy section towards the pharmacy.
The view from the electronics department towards the pharmacy department. 
A closeup of the 2 remaining vintage electronics signage.
A view from the back of the store towards a center aisle.
The back corner of the store in the Men's department.
The front of the store interior Big Kmart sign.
Back to the clothing section where the HVAC casts a shadow over the clothing racks.
Shoe department looking towards the front corner of the store. 
Looking towards the front of the store near the baby and shoe sections. 
More clothing departments facing the registers.
A view from the front of the store to the back in the clothing section.
A view in the front corner of the store facing the rest of the clothing section and registers.
A look down the main front aisle from the clothing department.
A Kmart Cafe, there are not many of these left. 
This one had already been packed up and closed. Another one bites the dust. 
A view of the front entrance to the store with the Kmart Cafe.
Looking at the Pharmacy, Health and Beauty from the grocery aisles. 
The former cleaning product/ grocery aisles facing the Layaway counter.
The grocery refrigerated cases.
A view of the Pharmacy.
Another close-up of the stripped blood pressure machine with the vintage Kmart logo.
From the health aisle at the front of the store looking towards the electronics section.
An now for the exterior of the store.
The Garden Shop was locked up and empty.
A last look at the store.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Kmart Veterans near David Drive Metairie Louisiana

This Kmart has some interesting features that I have not seen in any other location. This may have been a Woolco location in the past, but I am not sure. This Kmart is located near the Metairie/ Kenner border at 7000 Veterans Memorial Blvd in Metairie.
A photo of the roadsign circa 2004 from my video archives. 
We start off with a very well preserved blood pressure machine from the 1980's. 
Here we can see part of the appliance section. The lights all across the store were lit in this pattern.
A look down the back aisle of the store. 
One of the back aisles that goes across the store. 
The toys aisle with the strange lower ceiling sections that run across the store in the middle. 
Garden shop.
The front of the store near the garden shop entrance. 
The main aisle on the far side of the store near the electronics. 
Two views of the electronics department from different angles.

Looking from the back center of the store to the main entrance. 
The back aisle of the store looking towards the clothing departments. 
Some views of the various clothing departments. 
This is the view you see as you enter the store at the main entrance.
Another look at the store from a different angle.