Inside the Former Headquarters of Staple Michigan Supermarket

Now that the long-vacant building has officially been torn down, we thought we'd look back inside the former headquarters of K-mart which originated here in Troy, Michigan before moving to Illinois.

Before filing for bankruptcy in 2002 and merging with Sears in 2005, K-mart was a superpower in the grocery market with over 2000 locations in the US. It was known for its "Blue Light Specials", where the stores would have steep discounts for a very limited time whenever a blue light would begin flashing throughout the building.

The headquarters opened in 1976 and was made by a Detroit-based architecture firm. The building won many awards due to its unique design. Upon being abandoned in 2005 following the moving of the headquarters, the building proceeded to sit empty for many years. At one point there were talks of turning the building into a shopping mall, but those plans fell through. As a result, the building was officially torn down in 2023.

The only bit of life this building has since its shuttering was its use in the 2012 remake of "Red Dawn". When looking through the photos of the headquarters, you'll notice one of the walls has "POLICE" in big letters. The unique structure and way the building was overtaken by the wild created an atmosphere for a disaster film that was oddly fitting for the sad tale of this building.

While the old headquarters no longer exists, there are still a few K-marts in operation around the world. To see the inside of the last functioning US stores, check out this video.