I had a senior moment as I was driving through Watertown yesterday, I got excited because I thought that I could pick up a new bathmat at Kmart, but then I remembered that the last Kmart in all of Connecticut closed almost five years ago.

Don't you hate that feeling? Something that had been there for most of your life, that you've shopped in thousands of times over decades, is no more. The Watertown Kmart was the last of the Kmart stores in Connecticut, it survived until 2019, two years longer than the two-story Kmart in Southbury Plaza, which disappeared in 2017. The Watertown Kmart was my favorite, it was much better maintained than the Kmart on Wolcott Street in Waterbury.

Photo by Large Dave
Photo by Large Dave
loading...

A whole bunch of stores have settled into Kmart;s former space at 595 Straits Turnpike, Ace Hardware and the Vascular Experts have taken over most of the space, while Universal Fitness, Jersey Mike's, Demi & Company, and a chiropractor's office take up the rest.

As of today, July 25, 2024, there is only one Kmart store in all of the US, and it's really not that far away from us in Connecticut. Kmart #9423 is still standing at 2044 Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton, NY. Who knew that some of the most expensive real estate in the world and it's owners could sustain the last Kmart in all of the United States? There are also three Kmart locations on the US Virgin Islands, and one on Guam. Hang in there #9423.

35 Reasons Why I Love Living in Connecticut

Gallery Credit: Ethan Carey

The Best Fast Food Joints in America for Your Next Cross-Country Road Trip

More From WRKI and WINE