Retail shock as Kmart closes Northcote store

Kmart has stunned shoppers in Melbourne’s inner north with the announcement that it will shut its Northcote store after almost 40 years.

The news that the department store chain would close the doors of its Northcote Plaza outlet for the final time when the store’s lease ends on November 22 came as a blow to local shoppers.

rip kmart northcote plaza

— nicholas (@astrodawg__) February 11, 2020

rip northcote plaza kmart 🙁

— a big pretty Lizard (@birdcardigan) February 11, 2020

A Kmart spokesperson told news.com.au that it was working to place its Northcote employees elsewhere within its store network.

“Our store at Northcote Plaza will close on November 22, 2020 following a decision not to renew the lease for that store,” the spokeswoman said.

“Kmart has guaranteed redeployment for all permanent team members in another of our local stores.

While the Northcote Plaza store is closing, the Kmart brand is expanding in 2020, with a number of new store openings planned across the country throughout the year.

The closure comes in the wake of a challenging period for retail, with variety retailer Harris Scarfe winding up and Big W announcing it will close 30 stores this year in a bid to turn around an $85 million loss.