Kmart Needs a Roomie: Who Should Share Homewood Store?

By Joe Vince

The parent company for Kmart wants to lease space in four of the national retailer's Illinois stores, including its Homewood location, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Sears Holdings Corp., which owns Kmart, is seeking "sub-tenants" to share space at the locations and are not looking to replace or close the stores, the report stated. The effort is part of a move by Sears to "shore up" finances through leasing or selling its real estate holdings, the report continued.

READ: Check Out the Full Chicago Tribune Story for More Details

This isn't the first time Sears has tried such a leasing strategy. The women's clothing chain Forever 21 created a "shop-within-a-shop" in a Sears store in Costa Mesa, CA, and Whole Foods Market leased part of a Sears location in North Carolina, the report stated.

Those two examples show that Sears isn't afraid of renting to outlets that have a more contemporary image than the department store chain has. That could some interesting parings on par with The Odd Couple at the Halsted Street Kmart. Maybe Urban Outfitters could be the Felix to Kmart's Oscar. Perhaps the upscale frozen yogurt chain Pinkberry's could open a stand to offer shoppers after they've snacked on a slice of pizza from Little Caesar's.

YOUR TURN: What type of business would you like to see lease space at the Homewood Kmart? Should it be a clothing boutique or other type of retailer? Or would you rather see some food-related business, such as a specialty grocer or restaurant? Share your suggestions in the comments section. 

Two Ways to Stay Connected to H-F Patch:

• Subscribe to our newsletters to have headlines and breaking news delivered to your inbox.
• "Like" our Facebook page for updates throughout the day.