Miami has one of the last Kmart stores left in the country — and it’s different

MIAMI — Tucked in the corner of the Kendale Lakes Shopping Plaza, there’s a small, two-room storefront, roughly the size of a neighborhood CVS. A yellow poster hangs off the side reading “We’re open, come on in!” Another above the front entrance announces “Home appliance sale!”

Inside the last Kmart store in Florida and one of only two left in the country, it’s quiet. Really quiet. Eighties pop music plays over the speakers, occasionally interrupted by a COVID-19 era announcement asking customers to wear masks and maintain distance in order to keep their community healthy. Red and yellow “Sale” tags dot the store, advertising 25%, 30%, even 50% off items.

There’s a stand-up display poster board tucked into a corner separating the two rooms that seems a relic from another era. The script on the sign should prove immediately familiar to viewers of the old Johnny Carson late night talk show. The late-night talk show host often used the phrase in his comedic segments: “Attention Kmart Shoppers — Blue Light Specials.”