former K-mart; 3101 S. Orlando Drive, Sanford, FL 32773
built 1979, Kmart lasted at this location until 1996. It was remodeled in 1992 and 2004.
an enormous 100,000ft big box store located just south of the enormous 60s-era Sanford Plaza and the second big box department store in Sanford, after Zayre. It opened with auto service and a pharmacy. Lasted a good 17 years before closing from low profits, crime problems, and other things, but, mostly due to the new Seminole Towne Centre, which was built on the other side of town (and attracted all the attention away from 17/92). not many articles or bits exist about this particular k-mart, but i've tried to piece together what i can find about it.
to attract tenants, the facility was remodeled in 2004. a furniture store named "Sticks N' Stuff" bought the space in 2008 and left between 2011 and 2012. currently, the auto bays are being used for generic furniture sales.
in 1992, the center was expanded and a space for Food Lion was built; a Garden Center was added and the Auto Service parts were relocated to the left side of the building. by this point, Kmart was competing with the larger Walmart plaza (1985) and the the other local Kmart plaza, in the Lake Mary Centre (1987-1990).
these 1992 expansions remain the only untouched, distinguishable portions of the Kmart.
the remodel already shows aging and definitively looks unmaintaned. the front doors are blocked off with paper, insulation, and cardboard. at the time of my visit, a couch was sitting out front.
the inside of the building is filled with various furnishings and appliances, presumably either left from Sticks N' Stuff or stock for the furniture sales in the auto bays.
the food lion, adjacent to the k-mart, left in the early-mid 2000's. the drywall element on the top that juts out was added in the 2004 remodel, and the blue roofs were replaced with brown shingles.
the space still has a sign for bounce-u up, but they've been gone for a few years, judging by the interior.
the empty parking lot of a dead strip mall.
and now, some aerials:
1980 - a year after the plaza opened, in it's initial configuration.
1986
1989
1994 - food lion is added and the plaza has been reconfigured.
1999 - 3 years after kmart left.
2002 - before the remodel.
2004 - after the remodel.
2016
