Albuquerque- 7000 Central Avenue Southwest
- 142,500 Square Feet
- Was supposed to be the anchor of the new Coors Plaza.
- Construction started in late 2001
- Construction was halted in early 2002
- At time of Kmart's bankruptcy construction was about 60% complete.
- In 2006 this store was converted to a Verizon Wireless Call Center.
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| Bing Maps |
I was originally going to tell you about the Carlisle Blvd., Albuquerque Kmart to Super Kmart conversion when I sent in that email with the information on those 11 missing stores, but further research on that store said it was only a Kmart to Big Kmart conversion(which were fairly commonplace in most of the chain at the time), while other websites said it was a Kmart to Super Kmart conversion. There was also the same confusion with two other Albuquerque area stores. I didn't know for sure what the real story was so I didn't send the information on those stores. This is what I originally wrote about them, but if someone out there can clarify this I would really appreciate it:
ReplyDeleteAlso note: The Big Kmart Stores Located at 9500 Montgomery Boulevard NE, 2100 Carlisle Boulevard NE, and 4208 Central Avenue SW in Albuquerque, New Mexico were supposed to be expanded into Super Kmart Centers. Construction started on the Carlisle Blvd. store’s conversion but was also halted during the bankruptcy. Kmart eventually completed the construction in 2003 but this store just remained a Big Kmart after the construction was finished. Construction never started on the expansion of the Montgomery Blvd. or Central Ave. stores. (But now that you've mentioned the lot next to the store (which I didn't think much of), I'm pretty convinced that it was supposed to become a Super Kmart. I though the exterior looked like a 2000's SKC, but I also thought Kmart might have been trying a new modern look too on their Big Ks. Not only that but I had just finished researching a few dead end Super Kmart leads in California that were only 'Super Kmarts' because people were confusing Super Kmart with Big Kmart, so I thought it could have been another one of those).
Also one other thing about the Carlisle Blvd. store: It still has its original 70's Kmart road sign (the one with the giant red K over the turquoise 'MART') after all these years, and a remodel. There are a few photos here of the amazing road sign here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ezeiza/4589944313/
I will look into this more. As for the new Big Kmart look in 2002 I found that Kmart stopped using the Big Kmart banner and just started calling the new stores Kmart. I am not aware of any Big Kmart or regular Kmart stores opening with a Super K look. Do you know anything about the Trincity, Trinidad and Tobago unfinished Super Kmart. The Trincity site was referred to as Super Kmart and as a "Kmart Superstore". I have heard people use the term Superstore for pretty much any retailer, even ones only 20,000 square feet large!
ReplyDeleteI will look into all of these stores soon. Thank You for telling me about these stores. I will have them posted as soon as possible.
ReplyDeleteMontgomery Blvd. Kmart seems to be having a liquidation sale now.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad to hear that.
DeleteI definitely remember reading about a few Kmart stores in Albuquerque that were scheduled to be converted into Super Kmart stores, via additions to the store rather than relocations. I'm sorry I have all of this information but no sources to back anything up with, it's been years since I've researched most of this stuff and I'm sure half of the websites I read are no longer carrying the information!
ReplyDeleteI have those locations down on the map, but I have not added them here yet. I also have a list I have not even added to the map, but none of those are in New Mexico. The Kmart on Carlisle Blvd. in Albuquerque actually started converting to a Super Kmart then they quit before the conversion was done after the Kmart bankruptcy in 2002 (http://binged.it/10QufMW). Here is a site I also have not added yet to Wisconsin. It is a Super Kmart that was built, but never opened (http://binged.it/142Rbr5).
DeleteI would really love to see inside of that Carlisle Blvd. Kmart store.
ReplyDeleteYou can. It's still in business despite the closure of the Montgomery Kmart and the May 2014 future closing of the Central Ave. Kmart. The Carlisle Kmart is the last one in Albuquerque, and the only one in the region other than the Rio Rancho store and the one in Santa Fe (an hour's drive from ABQ).
ReplyDeleteJust let me know which parts of the inside of the Carlisle store you'd like to see. If I am transferred there in May when my current store (Central Ave) closes, I'll take the shots for you. If I'm laid off, I may never step foot in another Kmart. Who knows how long Sears HRC will be in business anyways. This is the second Kmart in 5 months to close in the Albuquerque area. Montgomery closed late last year, with only 23 or fewer associates left at the end. My store has around 80, though that number is sure to start dwindling as people find other places of employment or just start no-call/no-showing (none of us are under the impression that Carlisle Blvd's and Rio Rancho's stores can absorb all our associates).
ReplyDelete