Kmart Big Bear Lake store will close in early 2021

BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. (KABC) -- Kmart is closing its Big Bear Lake location at the end of February. The move is a disaster for the community as Kmart is the only large retailer on the mountain selling household goods.

"We don't have anything out here. We mainly have Stater Bros. and little supermarkets," said Andrea Gamez, who grew up in Big Bear. "Things like that. There's not many clothing stores or big stores out here other than Kmart."

Mountain residents and tourists will now have to make an hour trip down and back up the mountain to get items that aren't groceries.

"We'd have to go down to either the high desert or down to Walmart in Apple Valley or Victorville," said Laura Shaw, a Big Bear resident. "Or we would have to go the opposite direction and go down to Redlands and San Bernardino."

Now the question is, will another big box retailer take Kmart's place? Locals say they should because of weekend tourists boosting sales.

"We have a huge influx of population, so we need a bigger store," said Penny Lajoie, who has lived in Big Bear for the last three years.

There is still no official word on if another store is coming to the location in Big Bear Lake.