Demolition Of Long-Vacant Kmart Will Make Way For New Target

ROUND LAKE BEACH, IL — Demolition crews have begun tearing down the long‑vacant former Super Kmart on Rollins Road in Round Lake Beach to make way for a new Target store.

The 190,000‑square‑foot anchor building at the Rollins Crossing shopping center has sat empty since Kmart closed more than 12 years ago, according to the Daily Herald. Village officials had taken legal steps to condemn it before Target purchased the property late last year.

Target plans to replace the former Kmart with a roughly 148,570‑square‑foot retail store, though no construction timeline or opening date has been announced.

Village leaders say removing the eyesore and bringing in the new retailer will help revitalize the commercial corridor and boost local sales‑tax revenue, according to the article.

“There’s nothing like driving by and seeing them break it down,” Mayor Scott Nickles told the Daily Herald. “It is incredible to see 13 years of empty blight removed from our community.”

Currently, Grayslake and Round Lake area residents need to travel to Gurnee or Mundelein for the nearest Target. The proposed Target at 400 East Rollins Road in Round Lake Beach will offer a closer location for many.

This acquisition, village officials said earlier this year, marks the beginning of a significant revitalization project for the Rollins Crossing Shopping Center.

The sale of the property to Target was finalized in late December 2025. Nickles said the redevelopment of the site has been a primary goal for him since he took office in 2021.

"It took a lot of time, a ton of work by village staff and village attorneys, but we are delighted to be able to announce the first step of this goal has been completed," Nickles said. "This process has been more than a decade in the making, so we are thrilled to announce something is finally happening with this site. This is a great day for Round Lake Beach."

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