Rural King headed to former Kmart site?

Jul. 20—The owners of a former Kmart building on U.S. 41 South have purchased an improvement location permit for a 40-foot sign to include Rural King and Hobby Lobby.

The former Kmart is owned by The Teachers Retirement System of Kentucky, which received an improvement location permit on March 31 for the pole sign at 4651 S. U.S. 41.

The permit states the improvement use is for "new pole sign — Hobby Lobby & Rural King."

The permit indicates the sign would cost $80,000 and cover 372 square feet.

Jared Bayler, executive director of the Vigo County Area Planning Department, said Rural King representatives contacted the department earlier this year for signage requirements. Bayler said no other permits, including construction, have been received by his office regarding Rural King.

In October 2021, construction design plans were filed with the state's Department of Homeland Security under Hobby Lobby to remodel 55,857 square feet of the 166,314 square foot building.

On June 16, another construction design plan was filed with the Department of Homeland Security under "Hobby Lobby 129R" to remodel 60,067 square feet of the building.

Telephone messages seeking comment were left Wednesday with representatives of Rural King at its Mattoon, Illinois, headquarters and with Teachers Retirement System of Kentucky, based in Frankfort. It owns the 22.97-acre site that includes the former Kmart building.

Kmart opened in the building in August 1994 as a Super Kmart, but the Terre Haute store lost its "super" status in 2013.

Kmart pulled out of the building in April 2016. The store was shuttered as part of a closure plan through Sears Holdings Corp, which also closed several Sears stores in 2016.

Reporter Howard Greninger can be reached 812-231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com. Follow on Twitter@TribStarHoward.