K-Mart

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

How hard is it to change the logo to the new ones. They don't have to even change the look of the building, just replace the sign. Big Kmart is a thing of the past.

I agree. They should just remove the signs.

[TRU7536]

Here is a article i found from 1994 about the Kmart they wanted to open on the Berlin Turnpike

http://articles.courant.com/1994-07-21/business/9407210735_1_kmart-corp-kmart-shoppers-kmart-site

[AmesNewington]

I wish this would have happened. However, Kmart probably would have closed this location years ago, but maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, I do like the Lowe's Center plaza. Lowe's is a good store and the restaurants are pretty good as well. I didn't know Olive Garden wanted to open in Newington back in 1994. Did they even have Olive Garden in CT back then?? I wish they'd come to the pike. Applebees and the 99 are excellent spots.

What a great selection of stores the pike had back in '94. I would have been in heaven if I was old enough then. Ames, Bradlees, Caldor all in one strip (WOW!!!) I can't believe all the stores listed in that article are gone.

[ynkeesfn82]

The article states the store would've been built at 3250 Berlin Turnpike the site of an old Frank's Nursery. Anyone know what's on the site present day 2010?

[AmesNewington]

The article states the store would've been built at 3250 Berlin Turnpike the site of an old Frank's Nursery. Anyone know what's on the site present day 2010?

I have no idea if Frank's Nursery was where Lowe's is now. All I know is the old Cinema was there until they knocked it down in the late 90s to build the Lowe's Center. I always knew Franks to be where Savers is now (next to Connecticut Beverage Mart behind JoAnn's and Big Lots). Franks was in that spot in 1994. I remember going there many times when I was small. Maybe they're confusing Frank's with Frink's (on Pane Road). I never realized the difference. 

[CTAmeshopper]

I put it into Google Maps and this is what I got.


http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&hl=en&q=3250+Berlin+Turnpike&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=3250+Berlin+Turnpike,+Newington,+CT+06111&gl=us&ei=eE1XTOOVMcH-8AaxnbmUDg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQ8gEwAA

[TRU7536]

I wish this would have happened. However, Kmart probably would have closed this location years ago, but maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, I do like the Lowe's Center plaza. Lowe's is a good store and the restaurants are pretty good as well. I didn't know Olive Garden wanted to open in Newington back in 1994. Did they even have Olive Garden in CT back then?? I wish they'd come to the pike. Applebees and the 99 are excellent spots.

What a great selection of stores the pike had back in '94. I would have been in heaven if I was old enough then. Ames, Bradlees, Caldor all in one strip (WOW!!!) I can't believe all the stores listed in that article are gone.

I didnt realize it said anything about Olive garden, didnt read the full article. 178,000sq is HUGE! and all the stores listed are all gone! its kind of funny how much the pike has changed in the last 15 years,

[TRU7536]

The article states the store would've been built at 3250 Berlin Turnpike the site of an old Frank's Nursery. Anyone know what's on the site present day 2010?

Franks was behind the cimena. i remember it quite well, their were alot of tress and stuff and i think it is where the back of Lowes is right now.

[CTAmeshopper]

I wonder if the Watertown Kmart with the old logo is still open... 8)

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

How hard is it to change the logo to the new ones. They don't have to even change the look of the building, just replace the sign. Big Kmart is a thing of the past.

I think they should just remove the "BIG" part, and leave the Kmart logo, no matter how off-center it is.

[gu4ever]

So here they are, all different buildings, colors and inside it's the same, uneven updates a mix of old and new:

Sadly I remember when all the kmarts in NH had just the traditional store front sign graphic. I never liked the Big concept as each store was slowly changed over. I was surprised the Burlington, VT location still was fully intact with it's original store sign in 2009.

[CTAmeshopper]

How hard is it to change the logo to the new ones. They don't have to even change the look of the building, just replace the sign. Big Kmart is a thing of the past.

I think they should just remove the "BIG" part, and leave the Kmart logo, no matter how off-center it is.

then add the red Kmart underneath and replace the front plane of the sign with the red blank K one.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

How hard is it to change the logo to the new ones. They don't have to even change the look of the building, just replace the sign. Big Kmart is a thing of the past.

I think they should just remove the "BIG" part, and leave the Kmart logo, no matter how off-center it is.

then add the red Kmart underneath and replace the front plane of the sign with the red blank K one.

...and if there is a labelscar underneath, give it a nice coat of paint before applying the new one.

[CTAmeshopper]

Agreed of course they could revert to the 70's-90's logo of Kmart  ;D

[store215]

All the stores around me in southeastern PA have the old logo, save for one that I know of in Doylestown, PA, a mid-80's? location that was completely remodeled (new everything except for the floor, and "reflectors" placed around the tube lighting)  back around 06? when they introduced the new logo/color scheme. The whole store looked really nice, even with the retro interior color scheme. Here is a pic of it: http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=qqp2xn8r544q&scene=20834410&lvl=2&sty=b&where1=4377%20W%20Swamp%20Rd%2C%20Doylestown%2C%20PA%2018902-1039 . In a very upper-middle class area, and it's far enough away from a Target/Walmart, so it must do well.
All the other ones have old logos, but received new shopping carts, and now, the checkstand lights were all redone. The one closest to me added a self-serve mini snack bar (while the KCafe space still sits empty), and a local auto shop took over the service bays, and was repainted on the outside as well with red instead of orange. Business seems much better than it used to, even with the reopening of a nearby Walmart that was closed for about a year to add in fresh groceries (and cut back other departments). For whatever reason, still the old logo still remains and the receipts still print out saying **Welcome to your Big Kmart Store # ***.

[ynkeesfn82]

I wonder if the Watertown Kmart with the old logo is still open... 8)

I don't know if they still have the old school logo, but the Watertown Store is still open. I typed in my ZipCode - 06010 (BRISTOL) and 6 locations popped up:

Waterbury (which is Ghetto Mart)
Watertown
Cromwell
Torrington
Southbury
Vernon

[dmx10101]

Sears Holdings narrows loss in Q2

HOFFMAN ESTATES , Ill. (Aug. 19) Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based retail giant Sears Holdings posted a net loss of $39 million in the second quarter -- a big improvement over the $94 million loss posted in the same quarter last year.

Comparable-store sales at U.S. Kmart and Sears stores slipped 2.2%. Comps fell 2.8% at Sears Domestic, with weakness in power lawn and garden, tools and consumer electronics, the company said.

Revenues for the company and its 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada were $10.458 billion, down slightly from $10.551 billion in the same quarter last year. 

"Kmart continued to improve its performance during the second quarter, as an improvement in its gross margin rate led to increased profitability," said W. Bruce Johnson, Sears Holdings' interim CEO and president. "Overall, our total revenues declined only slightly despite the uncertain economic environment faced by our customers.  Expense discipline remained constant in the second quarter as reductions in selling and administrative expenses were achieved even as we continued to invest in initiatives designed to improve our customers' experiences." 

He pointed to investments on multi-channel retailing offerings and the launch of the "Shop Your Way Rewards" program, as two key initiatives. Under the rewards program, 1% of purchases at Kmart, Sears and mygofer.com are refunded in the form of store credit to the customer's loyalty card. 

The decline in total revenue for the quarter was primarily a result of a 2.2% decrease in domestic comparable-store sales and the effect of having fewer Kmart and Sears full-line stores in operation, partially offset by an increase of $96 million due to changes in the Canadian foreign exchange rate. 

A decrease in gross margin rate of 40 basis points at Sears Domestic was primarily due to reduced margins in home services, and a decrease in gross margin rate of 150 basis points at Sears Canada, the company said.

Operating income for the second quarter of 2010 and 2009 includes expenses of $37 million and $103 million, respectively, related to domestic pension plans, store closings and severance.

[MikeRa]

All the stores around me in southeastern PA have the old logo, save for one that I know of in Doylestown, PA, a mid-80's? location that was completely remodeled (new everything except for the floor, and "reflectors" placed around the tube lighting)  back around 06? when they introduced the new logo/color scheme. The whole store looked really nice, even with the retro interior color scheme. Here is a pic of it: http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=qqp2xn8r544q&scene=20834410&lvl=2&sty=b&where1=4377%20W%20Swamp%20Rd%2C%20Doylestown%2C%20PA%2018902-1039 . In a very upper-middle class area, and it's far enough away from a Target/Walmart, so it must do well.
All the other ones have old logos, but received new shopping carts, and now, the checkstand lights were all redone. The one closest to me added a self-serve mini snack bar (while the KCafe space still sits empty), and a local auto shop took over the service bays, and was repainted on the outside as well with red instead of orange. Business seems much better than it used to, even with the reopening of a nearby Walmart that was closed for about a year to add in fresh groceries (and cut back other departments). For whatever reason, still the old logo still remains and the receipts still print out saying **Welcome to your Big Kmart Store # ***.

The Kmart at the NE corner of 9th and Market Street (Former Gimbel Brothers/Stern's/clover location) has the current Kmart logo on the front windows at the NE corner entrance, but still has the old "Big Kmart" logo on the building

[amesguy95]

Minor updating of the Kmart in Yorktown Heights, NY. Brand new shopping carts, some plasma screen TVs added to the store.

[jmcnamara96]

I just got the ten deadlt sins of kmart book cant wait to read it

[Zayre88]

I just got the ten deadlt sins of kmart book cant wait to read it

I always wanted to read this.  I believe it's the story that led to the bankruptcy in 2002. 

Another book could be written about 2002 to the merger with Sears to today!

[nims57]

When did "family dining" at the Waterville store close? What was that like? What era Kmart is this?

Can anyone name ANY other Kmarts with "family dining"?

[Zayre88]

When did "family dining" at the Waterville store close? What was that like? What era Kmart is this?

Can anyone name ANY other Kmarts with "family dining"?

That Kmart opened in 1977 in a former Mammoth Mart.  The restaurant was on the left side of the entrance in a separate area.  It had a caferetia look with booths, hanging lamps and it's own entrance outside.  I think it closed sometime in 2009.

[BillyGr]

I was going to say (with the limited amount that were ever around here) that some (maybe most/all??) of the Super K stores had the eating area with a separate entry.  In fact, I think the one in Queensbury (the only Super K still open in this part of NY) still has the spot, though it is semi blocked off and often used as storage.

[Zayre88]

Kmart closing South Phila. store, eliminating 114 jobs

Read more: Kmart closing South Phila. store, eliminating 114 jobs - Philadelphia Business Journal

Kmart will close a South Philadelphia store early next year, eliminating 114 jobs, according to a notice filed with the state on Thursday.

The 424 W. Oregon Ave. store is expected to close Jan. 9. Terminations are expected to occur over a two-week period starting Jan. 2, according to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed with the state Department of Labor & Industry.

Kmart, which has roughly 1,300 stores, is owned by Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based Sears Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:SHLD).

http://philadelphia.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2010/10/04/daily37.html

[MikeRa]

That location is a late 1970's Kmart that shares the shopping center with a Pathmark that probally opened at the same time.

Next door (to the east) is an abandoned Acme Markets that started as a "A Frame" Acme that was expanded on the left, doubleing the size of the store.

[dmx10101]

I got my usual email from kmart with their specials, etc in it, but I noticed this at the bottom of the email-




Seems that they are finally opening new stores again?!

[store215]

I got my usual email from kmart with their specials, etc in it, but I noticed this at the bottom of the email-




Seems that they are finally opening new stores again?!

The Florida one on there was already listed in Google...seems like it was just remodeled.
The Michigan one pops up as a Sears Essentials store, so it looks like they aren't really "new" locations.

[dmx10101]

Kmart continues to out perform Sears stores....

Sears Holdings third quarter disappoints

HOFFMAN ESTATES , Ill. (Nov. 18) Sears Holdings reported a net loss of $218 million, or $1.98 per diluted share, for the third quarter 2010 compared with a loss of $127 million, or $1.09 per diluted share, in 2009.

"While Kmart improved profitability, our third quarter results were disappointing, in large part due to lower sales of apparel and appliances at Sears," said Bruce Johnson, Sears Holdings' interim chief executive officer and president.  "Our seasonal apparel sales were down, with the unusually warm weather being a contributing factor."

Total revenues decreased $512 million to $9.7 billion for the quarter, as compared with total revenues of $10.2 billion for the same period last year.  The decline in total revenue for the quarter was primarily a result of a 4.8% decrease in domestic comparable-store sales and the effect of having fewer Kmart and Sears Full-line stores in operation, partially offset by an increase of $54 million due to changes in the Canadian foreign exchange rate, according to the company.

The domestic comparable-store sales decrease included declines of 0.7% at Kmart and 8.2% at Sears Domestic.  Kmart's quarterly decrease in comparable-store sales was primarily driven by the food and consumables and pharmacy categories, the company reported.  Sears Domestic's sales decline was primarily driven by declines in the home appliances, apparel, and consumer electronics categories, all of which experienced a greater decrease in the month of October, the company reported. 

[MikeRa]

Here is a pic of a Kmart in St. Mary's GA: