Kresge, having established full ownership of the Detroit location, re-opened it as the first S.S. Kresge variety store in May 1899. The business was incorporated, as the Kresge Company, at this time, with a corporate headquarters set up in Detroit. In 1912, there were eighty-four Kresge units. This number had grown to 211 by 1922.
A Canadian division was established in 1929, with nineteen north-of-the-border stores by year's end. The store count in 1932 was 677 {US} and forty-two {Canada}. The count had fallen a bit by 1942, with 669 {US} and 62 {Canada}.
By the 50th anniversary of the chain in 1949, there were stores in twenty-five states; these encompassing the northeastern quarter of the United States. The emphasis on center city stores began to shift in 1950, when one of the first suburban shopping center Kresge operations was dedicated at Whitehall, Ohio's TOWN & COUNTRY DRIVE-IN SHOPPING CENTER.
The Kresge Company opened its first full-fledged Kmart on March 1, 1962 and began to concentrate on the expansion of that "deep discount" chain. In 1962, there were 701 Kresge variety stores {US}, fourteen Kmart stores {US}, 102 variety stores {Canada} and four stores in Puerto Rico. The store count in 1972 was as follows; 435 Kresge units {US}, 433 Kmarts {US}, eighty-five Kresge units {Canada} and fifty-three Kmarts {Canada}.
The Kresge Company opened its first full-fledged Kmart on March 1, 1962 and began to concentrate on the expansion of that "deep discount" chain. In 1962, there were 701 Kresge variety stores {US}, fourteen Kmart stores {US}, 102 variety stores {Canada} and four stores in Puerto Rico. The store count in 1972 was as follows; 435 Kresge units {US}, 433 Kmarts {US}, eighty-five Kresge units {Canada} and fifty-three Kmarts {Canada}.
The official name of the concern was changed to Kmart Corporation in May 1977. There were a total of 1,367 Kmarts {US & Canada} and 430 Kresge & Jupiter stores {US & Canada}. In 1982, the Corporation was overseeing 2,055 Kmarts {US & Canada} and 319 Kresge and Jupiter stores {US & Canada}. In 1987, the remaining Kresge and Jupiter stores were sold to the McCrory Corporation, with Kmart now focusing on its discount department store business.
KRESGE JUNIOR-ANCHORED SHOPPING MALLS:
*WESTGATE CENTER, Fairview Park, OH (1954)
*MONMOUTH CENTER, Monmouth County, NJ (1960)
*SHARPSTOWN CENTER, Houston, TX (1961)
KRESGE JUNIOR-ANCHORED SHOPPING MALLS:
*WESTGATE CENTER, Fairview Park, OH (1954)
*MONMOUTH CENTER, Monmouth County, NJ (1960)
*SHARPSTOWN CENTER, Houston, TX (1961)
