Kmart in Myrtle Beach to close; liquidation sale underway

Kmart will close its store in Myrtle Beach by the end of the year, leaving only one Kmart left in the area.

Kmart at 1403 N. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach will close in early December, company spokesman Chris Brathwaite said. The liquidation sale started Sunday.

It’s the second Kmart location along the Grand Strand to close this year. The Kmart in Inlet Square mall in Murrells Inlet closed in April.

“Store closures are part of a series of actions we’re taking to reduce ongoing expenses, adjust our asset base and accelerate the transformation of our business model,” Brathwaite said. “These actions will better enable us to focus our investments on serving our customers and members through integrated retail -- at the store, online and in the home.”

With the closing of the Myrtle Beach store, there will be only one Kmart left in the area, at 1610 Church St. in Conway. Brathwaite said the company wouldn’t speculate on whether that store location might also close.

The Myrtle Beach Kmart store has 59 employees, most of them part-time/hourly, Brathwaite said. The employees that are eligible will receive severance and have the chance to apply for jobs at area Sears and Kmart stores, he said.

This story was originally published September 29, 2014 at 12:57 PM with the headline "Kmart in Myrtle Beach to close; liquidation sale underway."