K-Mart

[store215]

DISCUSS!

[Chris]

I just found a site. It's for K-Mart. But when I clicked on it, it has the old K-Mart logo, and get this. It's for K-Mart in Australia. Is this the same corporation? It's odd. The address is: www.kmart.com.au . Check this out, and respond.

[tokensafari]

Not sure how that works, with it being in different countries.... I believe they operate as a different corporation.. correct me if i'm wrong.  Most foreign car companies operate as different corporation here in the US. So i would think the same would apply to this as well.

[store215]

Originally posted by tokensafari
Not sure how that works, with it being in different countries.... I believe they operate as a different corporation.. correct me if i'm wrong.  Most foreign car companies operate as different corporation here in the US. So i would think the same would apply to this as well.

Ya, I'm pretty sure you are right about that. Kmart here probably has rights to the name somewhat I am assuming. At one time, I think Kmart here also managed the Austrailia kmarts.

(As a side note, the company Coles Myer
http://www.colesmyer.com/ that runs the Kmart stores there also operates Target stores (sometimes right next to each other according to some google images. with a sligtly modified logo. Kind of strange. It seems this company owns every type of store over there: wholesale, supermarket, office supplies, gas, and discount stores!

Target AU logo:

[NJF]

Here is a prototype K-Mart from a couple years ago, guess they decided not to go this route.  Looks like a 70's or 80's design in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

Much more spacious, new lighting, new colors, new floor, new decor they have these green things hanging from the ceiling, I'm not too sure what they are going to be used for but they're weird looking.  They have a whole new CS desk, they 86ed the monitor and moved it on the opposite side of the checkouts, they made the Home sections 3 X the size of what it used to be, the pantry has been moved to the left hand corner, the pharmacy stays where it is, Little Ceasers is closed and they're dismanteling it, we'll see.... it is in Bohemia, NY by the way.

[store215]

I was in Doylestown, PA earlier when I was at the Bon-Ton (which was the 1st time I had ever been in there, and the store was dead, but thats another discussion)

I then saw that Kmart replaced their sign with their newest logo, so I pulled in, and saw they remodeled the whole store!. (This is a smaller 80's Kmart which lacks an auto center)

I walked in and wow, it was so bright it hurt my eyes at first. first big change is they have the new red carts, and all matching for once! The store was quite busy too, for being 8:00 at night.

The typical red or blue stripes used to seperate departments was changed to a green line. There were splashes of yellow on the wall, with orange on things like the fitting rooms, and emergency exits. Most of the shelves were lower, and it looks like they expanded their auto and hardware departments quite a bit. It looks like the pantry was expanded by a few isles.
-The whole color scheme kind of reminded me of a cross between an older Toys R' Us, and maybe a 70'S kmart, but not in a bad way.
**-The whole store layout reminded me of Ames.**

The electronics dept. was boxed in with a seperate register, like Wal-Mart does in some stores. However, I did not like how they had many items locked in cases. (The DVD'S were NOT locked up, but the $9.99 tape players were?!?!?!). This one did have some flat screen TV's.

The furnitire was spread out on the floor, instead of being on high shelves where it could not be examined easily. (Target has it on high shelves too, which bothers me)

The service desk is no longer near the entrance, but it was off to the side, on the other side of the registers; the desk itself was brand new, but I didn't notice if the checkout lanes were or not. The snack bar was removed, which I believe they are doing in all their stores. There was something covered up, but it didn't look like a replacement snack bar. They also had a job computer up there like Target and Home Depot have.

Things that were not changed: The price scanners were still the same, as they had the BigK/SuperK logo on them, as well as the shopping baskets. They are also still using the older IBM registers. I don't think they changed the flooring, but it still looks new and was clean.

Things I was not impressed with: The clothing departments were very weak; something that should be Kmarts top priority. There were only a few shelves in the clothing departments, with a few things on each. It just looked very empty. The entrance area to the store was still dark and old looking, but it was much cleaner.

I hope they remodel the stores closest to me (70's stores), as I was really impressed overall.

[SomeBeach]

Am I the only person left who would rather shop at Kmart than any other store (possibly excluding Meijer)?

[HoJofan206]

I stopped shopping at K-Mart in 1994.  That is when they closed all 4 of our older K-Marts (that all did a decent amount of business) and opened only 1 K-Mart Supercenter way on the other side of town.  It hurt themselves because it gave all of their business to Target and Wal-Mart.  Nobody was gonna drive across town just to go to Wal-Mart.  On a somewhat funny note.  The new K-Mart was part of the first cut of underperforming stores back in 2002.  If they would have left well enough alone we might still have K-Mart in our city today.

[Jag67]

Well at least they fixed the darkness problem. I was in one of the EXTREMELY old 70's K-Mart stores with the old signage still in place when I was 3-4 years old and it was VERY dark and creepy in the way back of the store. I actually had nightmares about it lol.

[HoJofan206]

Our K-Mart in Henderson has circa 1989 written all over it.  That is when the store moved into its current location from the south side of town.  The current "Big K-Mart" store has not been updated since it opened.  I am afraid that if K-Mart decides to close another round of stores that this one might not make it.  Especially since word is that a new Wal-Mart super center will be opening just down the road.

[76fanAmesmanBBTB]

Originally posted by Anonymous
Much more spacious, new lighting, new colors, new floor, new decor they have these green things hanging from the ceiling, I'm not too sure what they are going to be used for but they're weird looking.  They have a whole new CS desk, they 86ed the monitor and moved it on the opposite side of the checkouts, they made the Home sections 3 X the size of what it used to be, the pantry has been moved to the left hand corner, the pharmacy stays where it is, Little Ceasers is closed and they're dismanteling it, we'll see.... it is in Bohemia, NY by the way.

Interesting WHAT GREEN THINGS ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

do you mean the lime green aisle signs?

[XDeSuEhTX]

For those of you who have been shoping a Super K-Mart, how was it? I have never been in one. I've never seen a K-Mart have a auto center, produce, and 1 hour photo section before seeing as I only have a Big K- Mart in my area. Also, after the wave of 2002 closings, were there any Super ones left?

Btw here is a pic I found of a closed Super K-Mart

[XDeSuEhTX]

Sounds odd, my K-mart is still red and white themed. The same as ever.

[HoJofan206]

All 5 of our K-Marts closed down in Evansville

[HoJofan206]

Our Super K-Mart looks exactly like the one in the picture above.  Even abandoned like the one in the picture.  We now have 4 of our 5 former K-Mart buildings sitting empty in town.  One gets used as a GIANT flea market once a month.  
Still has the orange and white walls when you are in it.

[Caldor1999]

Originally posted by XDeSuEhTX
For those of you who have been shoping a Super K-Mart, how was it? I have never been in one. I've never seen a K-Mart have a auto center, produce, and 1 hour photo section before seeing as I only have a Big K- Mart in my area. Also, after the wave of 2002 closings, were there any Super ones left?

Btw here is a pic I found of a closed Super K-Mart

Kmart closed Many of there super K's witch started in 1988 not 1991 i just found that out Wal Mart also did the super centeres that year lol all this was going on the year i was born any ways there are some super k's left just not many

[shakethis1234]

I know that 20% of Kmarts close to 400 of them will become sears I dont Know where maybe that has  to do something to do with that

[XDeSuEhTX]

Btw, how did Kmart manage to File Ch. 11 and make it out where so many other stores met their death?

[Zayre88]

Originally posted by XDeSuEhTX
Btw, how did Kmart manage to File Ch. 11 and make it out where so many other stores met their death?

I think it's Edward Lampert who came, invested money into Kmart to pull it out of Chapter 11.  Otherwise, i think Kmart would have needed to close even more stores and probably to finally close...

[Jag67]

K-Mart in Tonawanda, NY. I believe this store to be built in the mid-late 80's, but I'm not sure. I bought the camera I used to take these at this store And I bought it just about 1/2 hr. before these were taken lol This was also the first time I was in a K-mart since summer 2003 (Parents favor Target and (BLAH) Mal-Wart.:flaming:

[Jag67]

At large

[Jag67]

Inside love K-Mart's lights

[Jag67]

Toys dept.

[Jag67]

Here's a (Blurry) Shot of The K-Mart on Walden ave. This store dates back to the mid-70's and judging by it's traffic on any given day, it will probably close soon. Sorry about the quality.

[Anonymous]

The Mid West is loaded with Super K marts

[Zayre88]

Inside Kmart in Augusta ME.  The store is very small and old.  I think it used to be a W.T.Grant.  The ceiling is low and cluttered with pipes and A/C ducts.

Looks like if all was added after the construction of the store...!  The Auto center is now a seasonal and garden section.

[Anonymous]

The green things... lol I don't really know how to explain what they are because they really don't serve a purpose.  They hang over the main racetrack around the store every so often, I haven't been ober there in a while, I'll have to stop by sometime this weekend and see what else has been done.  They have all brand new carts.... and no!, not several different colors and sizes.... actually brand new red carts.

I hope it works for Kmart, I'd like to see them stick around.

Walmart really doesn't have too much of a presence on Long Island  ::Thank God::... people don't take to Wal-Mart's much here.  They shop at Specialty stores and mid to upscale dept. stores in most areas.... Wal-Mart's that are on Long Island are typically in more diverse areas, and usually have 3 or 4 registers open.... not too busy, it's strange.

[Zayre88]

I thought the Kmart store in Waterville ME was doomed but they invested in it.  They have new bright lighting in the entire store and it shows.  The shelves are quite full, the store is in order and clean.  They have new cash registers but they are not too busy...

Wal-Mart just moved from it's smaller store to a giant supercenter right in the back of that Kmart.

[Caldor1999]

Hears a Kmart in Greeburg wich was once a Caldor u can even tell by how it looks any way this is one of Kmarts prodotype stores i like the way they changed it