Two Inland Empire Kmart’s to be Shuttered

Kmart has announced that it plans to shut 64 stores nationwide, including two in the Inland Empire.

All of those facilities will close by mid-December, including the stores at 17099 Valley Blvd. in Fontana and 81691 Highway 111 in Indio, said Howard Riefs, spokesman for Sears Holding Corp., the owner of Kmart.

Liquidation sales are scheduled to begin Thursday, Riefs said in an email.

“We have been strategically and aggressively evaluating our store space and productivity, and are accelerating the closing of unprofitable stores, as previously announced,” Riefs said of Kmart, which has struggled financially for several years. “We often hear from our members who are disappointed when we close a store, but our Shop Your Way membership platform, websites and mobile apps allow us to maintain these valued relationships long after a store closes its doors.”

The number of people who will lose their jobs was not available. Those that do will be eligible to apply for open positions at Sears or other Kmart stores, Riefs said.