It’s Official! Something Fun Is Moving Into Nampa, Idaho’s Sad, Empty Kmart

Blue light specials are still a thing. According to ScrapeHero, there are still a few Kmart stores left around the country. Their data shows that there are at least eight stores left in the United States, but they’re all on the East Coast or in the Midwest. Kmart hasn’t existed in the Boise area since 2018. 

Ray’s Diesel & Automotive Repair moved into Kmart’s old auto-care center on the portion of the “Big K” store in Nampa in 2021, but most of the 90,000-square-foot retail space has been empty for five years. Spirit Halloween used it as one of their locations in 2023, but like pop-up Halloween stores do, they packed up and left when Spooky Season was over. The building’s parking lot has been used for seasonal events like the Hopkins tree lot or off site car sales. 

Well, it looks like over the next few days the lights will be on and there will be a ton of activity inside! Listeners tipped us off that the old Kmart is getting a more permanent tenant in a matter of days. The Big Box Outlet is scheduled to open there. Looking through old Facebook posts, it appears that their physical location has been closed since February 2023 but the unique retailer started teasing its return mid-February. 

READ MORE: 15 Stores That Could Make the Boise Factory Outlets a Fun Place to Shop Again

Owner, Tim Cook, better known as “Captain Tim” to shoppers, shared via social media that Big Box did lose the lease for 352 Caldwell Boulevard in Nampa after calling the building home for six years. With a lot of love and support from friends, family and investors, Cook was able to make a deal on the old Kmart building. They’ve been cleaning up their new location and will be ready to welcome back shoppers on March 9. 

What Can Shoppers Expect from Big Box Outlet?

The discount store is sort of like shopping dozens of yard sales all in one place under one roof and inside away from the elements. They’re constantly freshening up the inventory of low priced items, so like a yard sale, you never know what you’ll find. Their website explains that electronics, toys, clothes, books, chargers, phone cases, small appliances, hunting gear, fishing “stuff” and tools are fairly regular items, but they carry way too many things to list them all. 

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You may remember the name Big Box Outlet for their generosity during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. They offered school age children free lunch when area schools were closed.