OUR STORY

In 1967, Theodore Smart, Sr opened a corner convenience store in Detroit, MI and named it S-Mart. In the following decades, the Smart family grew that little convenience store into a successful national discount department store chain.
From coast to coast, Americans were offered great deals and friendly service, and everyone remembers the invitation to “Shop Smart... Shop S-Mart!” At its height, there were thirty-two S-Mart locations in eighteen states.
Things got difficult for S-Mart in the early 00s. As with many large stores, competition was fierce; national ‘box store’ brands were spreading across the country and the advent of internet shopping threatened to kill the good old
locally owned and operated national chain. During the financial crisis of 2008, Theo Jr. made the difficult decision to sell his father’s brand. S-Mart was bought out and all existing stores were either closed outright or converted to Valuestop locations.
This never set right with Bradley Smart, grandson of Theodore. And so, in 2019, he reclaimed the family brand and S-Mart’s flagship store in Detroit re-opened with its original name. In the years since, S-Mart has been on a roll! With stores
opening in Louisiana, Texas, and California, S-Mart is sweeping the nation! Our future plans include international stores and a diversification of our offerings, while retaining the Smart family’s focus on service, value, and the personal touch that Theodore Smart brought to that neighborhood store so many years ago.
Soon, the whole world will be shopping smart... shopping S-Mart!