Tifton Kmart, Valdosta Sears to close in January

ALBANY —The Albany Kmart is not on the latest list of closings by Sears Holdings, though the corporation has listed stores in Tifton and Valdosta as being among those that will be shuttered January.

Liquidation sales will begin at the closing stores as early as Thursday, the company said.

The Kmart located at 144 Virgina Ave. South in Tifton and the Sears store at 1709 Baytree Road in Valdosta are on the list to close in January. The automotive center at the Valdosta store will close sometime in December, Sears Holdings officials said in a news release.

Also in Georgia, Kmarts at 156 Tom Hill Sr. Blvd. in Macon and at 1203 Cleveland Road in Dalton will close, as will the Sears at 8020 Mall Parkway in Lithonia.

In all, Sears Holdings is shutting 45 Kmarts and 18 Sears stores in this latest round. The Albany Sears store that had been located at the Albany Mall was closed last March.

“Sears Holdings continues its strategic assessment of the productivity of our Kmart and Sears store base and will continue to right size our store footprint in number and size,” the corporation said in a statement dated Thursday. “In the process, as previously announced we will continue to close some unprofitable stores as we transform our business model so that our physical store footprint and our digital capabilities match the needs and preferences of our members.”

Associates at the affected stores were informed Thursday that their stores would close in late January, the company said.

“It’s important to note that these stores will remain open to serve members during the holiday season,” the statement said. “Eligible associates impacted by these store closures will receive severance and will have the opportunity to apply for open positions at area Kmart or Sears stores.”