Maplewood History: The Rise and Fall of the Maplewood K-Mart

So I’m curious: what eventually went in to the original, smaller Shop ‘n Save space three blocks to the east?

Once Goldies burnt down, the downtown shopping district began slowly to go downhill, many people stopped shopping the small town stores and opted for the malls in the county. I remember when the parking garage under Kmart had to have structural support installed in between pillars which were poorly poured. When cars would go over the whole structure shook. At the end larger chunks of concrete were breaking up. I don’t think it was built well to begin with.

I remember that garage well. I grew up in Brentwood in the 70s and 80s, and yes Maplewood was pretty rundown back then. The garage, I remember when you walked on the upper level how you could feel the structure vibrating and shaking when cars drove by.

I remember 40 years ago moving here and having my family asking me what I was doing moving to Maplewood. They thought it was such a rundown place and often pointed to the Kmart store as a place only poor people shopped at. I never did ask but maybe for them Walmart or Venture or Target were upgrades? My kids used the lower parking lot area a lot on Sundays when it was pretty empty and raining outside. We would be riding bikes down there, roller blading sometimes playing wiffle ball with the neighbor kids.