Kmart has opened the first of 52 new K hub concept stores in Cobram, Echuca and Seymour in Victoria, which were transformed from Target Country stores.
Three additional Victorian stores in Castlemaine, Kyabram and Woodend are expected to open in September with the remainder of the stores rolling out in 2021.
In May, parent company, Wesfarmers announced that it would close or convert up to 167 Target stores with 92 stores becoming Kmart locations.
The K hub concept stores are home to the most popular Kmart products across kids, home and clothing categories, with a curated collection designed for a smaller format. All previous Target team members have been offered the opportunity to join Kmart with in-depth training and support.
K hub customers are still able to shop the full Kmart and Target product range online and have items delivered or take advantage of Click & Collect with no additional shipping cost. This service will be expanded later in the year to include Catch.
According to Kmart Australia and New Zealand retail director, John Gualtieri, things may look a little different to what customers would expect from Kmart but there are plans to evolve the look and feel of the K hub concept over time.
“We have given the store a ‘light touch’ make over for now, so that we are not inconveniencing the community with a long store closure. Our priority is getting the store up and running so that people still have access to the products they need,” he said.
“At Kmart, we are on a mission to make everyday living brighter for Australian families by providing easy access to the everyday items they need at the lowest possible price. It’s how we make shopping more accessible to more people; and that’s at the heart of everything we do.”
The health and safety of Kmart customers and team members remains the number one priority, so safety procedures were implemented in anticipation of the opening of these new stores.
“Cleaning and sanitisation were a key focus, as well as external crowd control and 1.5 metre physical distancing. We thank our customers for supporting us with this and want to give a special thank you to the community of Seymour, who were also required to wear a face covering (unless government exempt) when they popped into visit us,” Gualtieri said.