Kmart on North Division closing; Lowe’s moving in

The north Spokane Kmart store, 6606 N. Division St., will close in mid-November, officials from Kmart’s parent company said Tuesday.

Current landlord Plaza 1 Limited LLC has agreed to lease the land for Lowe’s to build a bigger store at the present Kmart site. Lowe’s will close its store several blocks north of Kmart and move into its new building in 2012.

Kimberly Freely, a spokeswoman for Sears Holding Corp., the parent company of Kmart, said 68 jobs will be eliminated. Those workers are able to apply for jobs at area Kmart or Sears stores, she added.

“Workers who qualify will also get severance, of course,” she said. 

Freely said the company has not announced plans to open a new north Spokane location.

Tom Sowa