Kmart closing three stores in Virginia, one in Covington

(WSLS 10) - Kmart will close three stores in Virginia, according to a company spokesman. Two of those stores are located in southwest Virginia.

The Kmart store in on Mall Road in Covington will close by mid-March. Liquidation sales will begin on January 14th. The store has 36 employees, most part time.

A second store will close in Cedar Bluff in Tazewell County. The store is expected to end operations by mid-April.

Liquidation sales will begin on January 24. The Cedar Bluff store has 50 employees. Most are part time.

A third store in Virginia Beach will close by the middle part of April as well.

Employees will receive a severance package and the opportunity to apply for open positions at other Kmart and Sears stores.

Kmart parent company Sears Holdings is closing the stores are part of an on-going effort to reduce expenses, adjust its asset base and accelerate the transformation of its business model.