Heard a rumor that the Sunny Islekmart was going to close.
Anyone hear anything??
Hope they are not closing.

It's always busy in there, that'd be odd.

I heard Kmart appliance

I heard it about a month ago from a friend but didn't say anything in case it was just a rumor.

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SkysTheLimit
I heard Kmart appliance

That actually sounds logical. I don't know how the appliance section in the STX Kmart does financially but I'm in the big KMart on STT frequently and rarely see anyone in the appliance (Sears) section. On the few occasions when I've needed a new appliance I've checked their stock and prices and have never found them to offer anything that I can't find elsewhere at a better price.

My biggest gripe with them is warranty repair is done through the 800 number and they "dispatch" a repairman from Puerto Rico.
For that reason I did not buy my fridge from them. We had 3 different fridges from Gallows Bay Appliance have serious issues within the first year. Gave up on them and went to Carlos Furniture. Much better deal and (knock on wood) it has purred like a kitten for several years. I did get a deal on a Samsung TV from Kmart appliance a few years ago and (knock on wood) it hasn't had any issues.

i heard kmart west was closing due to high WAPA bills. who the heck ever knows anything around here???

I was just in KMart Sunny Isle today and over 1/2 the overhead lights were off. It was very dark in the store. Plus it was warmer than usual in there (no A/C perhaps). The store looked like crap, lots of empty shelves and the aisles were loaded with boxes and boxes. Hard to maneuver the cart at times. Didn't look as if the normal amount of employees were around either. Only 1 check out line open. Hmmmm.....

I heard same thing as Sky -- K-Mart Sears will be closing. As for K-Mart Sunny Isle, who really knows, it could be that K-Mart Hdqtrs feels this island only needs 1 K-Mart; BTW, K-Mart West has always had a lot more of a varied inventory than the Sunny Isle location ever had.

Jumbie=STX

K-mart west is not capable of handling the entire island as a department store. It's bad enough with the two K-mart stores. If they closed K-Mart east, that would only mean, more people out of work, and even WORSE service at K-Mart west.

We bought a whole kitchen's worth of appliances from them. The oven template (thingy that tells you what buttons to push) started to disintegrate after a few months. Because we were not on island full time, it took over a year to resolve. Three no-shows from the PR tech. Then a few lies thrown in (about them having mailed us a part), a visit from the tech guy where his boss told him to just glue it back on, phone calls where I had to know Spanish to communicate (unfortunately, I can't converse well in that language), numerous phone transfers into black holes . . . . By the time they got serious about doing something, the oven was discontinued and no parts were available, so they gave up and gave us a new oven which we had to install. NEVER AGAIN!!!

I heard SunnyIsle Kmart was one of the 140 or so that Kmart was closing. This is from a friend that works at the Sunshine Mall Kmart.

No, I have been watch the lists and announcements- we're not on the list...

if kmart closes then i know we are heading for bad times, I lived here before there was a kmart and the prices and choices were awful. we would have to go to MR. dollar to buy.

I stopped shopping at Kmart months ago. There are places all over STX to get what I need at better prices and with a much better shopping experience. If they close I won't miss them - and I think this is more a sign of the chain having trouble in general than STX specific. All the Kmarts I've known in Texas are closed now, including the "Super Kmarts" - when I first moved here last year and my BF told me to go shop at Kmart my first words were "you guys still have Kmart?"

I have no idea if they're closing or not. Just my input on if they did. .

I'm with Dixie Chick. When I first moved to St Thomas there was no KMart, no supermarkets other than Pueblo, no Tutu Park Mall. Woolworth's was all we had apart from small stores. Frankly I rather like having a choice of more than two to four brands of anything and like saving gas money by finding most of what I need in one place/area instead of spending a whole day driving around looking for that one elusive doo-hickey.

If Kmart stays like it is though (at least the Sunny Isle one) it isn't really serving any good purpose. The last times I went in there - months ago now - the selection was awful, many shelves empty. And the lines to check out take at least 1/2 hour.

I can get most of the brand name items and household items we buy at CostULess, or other shops. Home Depot now also has a lot of household items, cleaning supplies and equipment, and so on. For my toiletries I go to the pharmacy. I think the only thing we still would find convenient to buy at Kmart is cat treats - but I think those are at CostULess too. Small appliances can be bought in many places on island and support local business more directly than a chain like Kmart.

Obviously I've given up on Kmart. But I don't see on STX a big gaping hole if the Sunny Isle location shut down. If it stays, I really hope it improves, and then I might shop there again.

yea!!! remember when all we had was a woolworths here on st. croix? and it was awfulllllll. i try to stay away from kmart also but for somethings you just have to go there. dream of a target or walmart coming here is long gone.

K mart has been struggling on the main land for years. In fact, Sears purchased the company to try and keep it afloat. Now sears is having trouble since their customer service and appliances have really gone down hill. Do to that and the poor economy, Sears and k mart stores all across America are closing. Perhaps they are attempting to down size to one store, in hopes that they can save a few bucks. I hope at least one store remains. It's nice to find the products that you need.

Have to consider the upside, if KMart closes that location might make for a great Target or Wal-Mart. Having 2 different department stores like that would be great for the island (KMart west and WalMart at Sunny Isle).

I would not be surprised to see the KMart applicance store go under, its dead in there. Since HD opened up I don't know why anyone would buy an appliance for them since they mark things up so much when HD is selling things at stateside prices.

I don't wan to see any businesses go under but sometimes when a place goes under it opens up an opportunity for something better to step in. I would welcome a Target or Walmart here without a doubt.

Sean

I'd be happy if they could just get pricing consistant. Many times I have price checked the same item at both stores. Sometimes KMART West is more expensive, sometimes it's KMART East.

If KMart closes obviously that would be a hit to the local economy. Yes it would be nice if a Target or Walmart moved in but that would be at least 2-3 years from now. It would be better if KMART would just try to upgrade their customjer service. Why would Walmart move into an area that coldn't even suport a Kmart?

There will never be a Wal-Mart or Target here so just put that thought right out of your heads.

Why do you think that?

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vicanuck
There will never be a Wal-Mart or Target here so just put that thought right out of your heads.

Back in the day we never thought of a KMart setting up here either (on STT) and now have a bloody great big mall which it anchors and a Walgreen's under construction across the street ...