An Enclave of Wealth Mourns the Loss of Its Kmart

Discount chain is closing its last full-size superstore in the mainland U.S. on Sunday in the Hamptons, a sad milestone for shoppers in the upscale Long Island area

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Kmart has long commanded prime real estate in Bridgehampton, N.Y., anchoring a shopping center on the sole highway in and out of the Hamptons.
Kmart has long commanded prime real estate in Bridgehampton, N.Y., anchoring a shopping center on the sole highway in and out of the Hamptons. JOHNNY MILANO FOR WSJ

By Alyssa Lukpat and Suzanne Kapner
Oct. 18, 2024 at 5:30 am ET

BRIDGEHAMPTON, N.Y.—The Kmart store is down the road and a world away from local Chanel and Gucci outlets, a rare oasis for bargains in the Hamptons.

On Sunday, luxury goods will triumph over low prices. Kmart No. 9423, the last full-size superstore in the mainland U.S., closes its doors this weekend, ending a chapter in America’s retail story. Locals, from working stiffs to the wealthy, will mourn its passing.

“This is the only place normal people can afford to shop in the Hamptons,” said Neide Valeira, a deputy budget officer for a nearby town. … Valeira, 59 years old, and her daughter Samantha Dossantos, 25, went for maybe their final trip on a recent Saturday. They grabbed tarps from a discount bin to cover fireplace wood, as well as compost for their garden.

Since the late 1990s, the Bridgehampton Kmart commanded prime real estate, anchoring a shopping center on the sole highway in and out of the Hamptons, where the average home sales price is around $3 million.

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