K-Mart

[reitelle]

Me and a lot of people I talk to always get this uncomfortable cramped feeling when we go to Kmarts. Its like we feel like we don't belong there or something. Also, the Kmarts look really cheap and dirty on the inside, like they are Dollar Generals. I think if they redecorated the stores and make more clear-cut divisions and higher ceilings, Kmarts would seem more inviting. I honestly avoid going there, (typically opting for the Walmart next door unfortunately), because of these reasons. :(

[Zayre88]

Kmart brings back blue-light specials
Kmart looks to build excitement with revival

By Sandra M. Jones | Tribune reporter
July 24, 2009

Attention Kmart shoppers: Blue-light specials are back. Again.

The discount chain is reviving the gimmick that became famous for creating bargain-hunting mayhem. But this time blue balloons instead of an oscillating blue bulb will alert shoppers to the aisle where a few products are on sale for an hour.

"We asked ourselves: How do we bring some fun and excitement back to the store?" said Tom Aiello, a spokesman for Kmart, a unit of Sears Holdings Corp. in Hoffman Estates. "We have incredibly priced items that we couldn't offer all day long, but we could offer for an hour."

Kmart tested the blue-light promotion in stores last weekend. Another sale is scheduled for Saturday.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-fri-notebook-kmart-blue-lighjul24,0,970796.story

[patk]

Kmart brings back blue-light specials
Kmart looks to build excitement with revival

By Sandra M. Jones | Tribune reporter
July 24, 2009

Attention Kmart shoppers: Blue-light specials are back. Again.

The discount chain is reviving the gimmick that became famous for creating bargain-hunting mayhem. But this time blue balloons instead of an oscillating blue bulb will alert shoppers to the aisle where a few products are on sale for an hour.

"We asked ourselves: How do we bring some fun and excitement back to the store?" said Tom Aiello, a spokesman for Kmart, a unit of Sears Holdings Corp. in Hoffman Estates. "We have incredibly priced items that we couldn't offer all day long, but we could offer for an hour."

Kmart tested the blue-light promotion in stores last weekend. Another sale is scheduled for Saturday.

the last time they did that some k-marts GOT THE AXE:huh:

[XISMZERO]

Here's the Kmart in Lindenhurst, NY with a cheap orange paint job. Taken 7-24-09.

Any idea what it was? My money is on WT Grant.

[wiseguy93]

[wiseguy93]

located on Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN

[TRJ22487]

Originally posted by wiseguy93
located on Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN

Wow that one basically looks like the vintage Kmart
I visited in January 2009 in South Burlington, Vt

It barely looks any bigger but just has the Big logo slapped on
Just funny to think how any common Target or Walmart would dwarf that.

[tntornadox]

Originally posted by wiseguy93
located on Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN

This store has since closed.

[tntornadox]

Originally posted by dmx10101Here's my update of your layout. I moves a few things around on the left to make more sense, like the pharmacy is now next to the health and beauty. The food section is no longer next to the fitting room s and sandwiched in with the clothing depts. Intimates dept has been added and jewelry/accessories combined.

Thanks for your input, while I agree your layout is the most sensible, I used retail psychology to plan the other- there is a reason why groceries and electronics are furthest from the door- the retailer hopes you will pick up more items to/from those areas and drive more sales in the process.

[d_fife]

Originally posted by wiseguy93
located on Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN

I went here last year

[Parrot32X]

Originally posted by Parrot32X
This is the former Kmart store located at the Grand Vue Plaza in Hazard, KY. It opened along with the rest of the shopping center in the 1970s, and remained at this location when it moved about a mile away (next to Kroger's) in 1987. Soon afterward, Big Lots opened up and done business here for a few years until 1995, when Roses shut down. Then, that store became Big Lots' new home, and this building became Wright Lumber Co., a small hardware chain only in East Kentucky consisting of three stores (Martin, London and this one.) After the one in London closed as well as Lowe's opening in town in 2005, the one in Martin is now the only location left. As a result, the building is now vacant. Here is a view of it:

<iframe width="425" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=12,5.46,,0,4.2&amp;cbll=37.288869,-83.207492&amp;panoid=&amp;v=1&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=us"></iframe>
<small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;ll=37.287148,-83.208969&amp;spn=0,359.980688&amp;t=h&amp;z=16&amp;layer=c&amp;cbll=37.288869,-83.207492&amp;panoid=otDz8TzUwKzeEJIsaHUirw&amp;cbp=12,5.46,,0,4.2" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>

Here is the current Kmart that replaced the old Grand Vue Plaza location in Hazard, KY. It moved to the Town & Country Plaza in 1987 in an old TG&Y store. Out of all the Kmarts I've seen both online and in real life, this one is the most unusual. While most have a separate garden center entrance (even the old location had one), this one does not have one, so the merchandise is placed in various spots outside the store. Also, this means that the only way to enter and exit the store itself is to go into the main entrance. It does have an Olan Mills Portrait Studio, but lacks the other special departments. It is (as of August 1st, 2009) the only business left in the plaza (not counting the church in an old American General Finance building), although a salon will be opening up in this area soon. Anyway, here's the store itself:

[Parrot32X]

More of the Hazard Kmart. This was taken under the greenhouse structure of the old Kroger's adjacent to it.

[nims57]

Originally posted by Parrot32X
More of the Hazard Kmart. This was taken under the greenhouse structure of the old Kroger's adjacent to it.

Did this Kroger close? When?

[Parrot32X]

This Kroger closed in late 2002, even before Hazard's Wal-Mart turned into a Supercenter (I'm guessing it was intense competition from a Food City nearby). Meanwhile, a CVS was next to it (originally a SupeRx Drug, then Revco) up until 1999, when it left to locate in a larger, free-standing location. Around the time Kroger's closed, a Dollar General moved into the CVS spot until 2005, and it closed as well, leaving Kmart as the only business in the plaza. Now, Karma Spa and Salon is moving from its North Main location to the CVS spot; however, the Kroger's is still available.

[TRJ22487]

The Kmart in Keene, New Hampshire closed in 2005 to become a Sears Essentials, then a Sears.
However, as of August 2009 this sign still remains on one solo light post

[Parrot32X]

Originally posted by nims57

Originally posted by Parrot32X
This Kroger closed in late 2002, even before Hazard's Wal-Mart turned into a Supercenter (I'm guessing it was intense competition from a Food City nearby). Meanwhile, a CVS was next to it (originally a SupeRx Drug, then Revco) up until 1999, when it left to locate in a larger, free-standing location. Around the time Kroger's closed, a Dollar General moved into the CVS spot until 2005, and it closed as well, leaving Kmart as the only business in the plaza. Now, Karma Spa and Salon is moving from its North Main location to the CVS spot; however, the Kroger's is still available.

Most Kroger Superstores and Greenhouses I think had SupeRx at one time.

I had done a little research, and Kroger actually owned Hook's/SupeRx Drug Stores from 1985 until 1994, which explains why most of the SupeRx locations were next to Kroger stores.

[catsnap1972]

Unfortunately it looks like their latest attempt to revamp has been less than successful.  The majority of the expanded tool department is being removed little by little, and the vacant space reconfigured.  It appears that the paint mixer that was previously removed is making a return to some stores.  Major appliances remain for now.

[XDeSuEhTX]

Poor Kmart, is there anything that can save you from the inevitable?

It's hard to watch this slow and painful decline. Their biggest of all problems is the complete loss of consumer confidence.

[catsnap1972]

Originally posted by XDeSuEhTX
Poor Kmart, is there anything that can save you from the inevitable?

Other than people start shopping there, not really.

There's a bunch more that are slated to close in the coming months

[gu4ever]

The "new" Kmart logo on the building in Claremont, NH.
It was huge and worth stopping to take a picture of.

[ameskmart1]

Missoula, MT (Taken 10/2008)

[wiseguy93]

located at 1419 Hershberger Road NW, Roanoke, VA.

[wiseguy93]

This Kmart is located in Mountain View Square

[Zayre88]

Originally posted by gu4ever
The "new" Kmart logo on the building in Claremont, NH.
It was huge and worth stopping to take a picture of.

Amazing to see a Northern New England Kmart store with a modern logo, probably the only one!

[nims57]

Originally posted by Zayre88

Originally posted by gu4ever
The "new" Kmart logo on the building in Claremont, NH.
It was huge and worth stopping to take a picture of.

Amazing to see a Northern New England Kmart store with a modern logo, probably the only one!

And it has an internet cafe!

[gu4ever]

A new sign on the Lilac Mall.

[gu4ever]

The interior sign over the Kmart entrance.

[Zayre88]

Originally posted by gu4ever
A new sign on the Lilac Mall.

Wow! Amazing to see another Kmart with a recent logo in NH.

They probably had to change because the exterior of the mall was being renovated.  Otherwise, i'm pretty sure they would have kept the old style entrance with old logo.

[Marc82]

Originally posted by gu4ever
A new sign on the Lilac Mall.

Ugly.

[Zayre88]

Originally posted by Marc82

Originally posted by gu4ever
A new sign on the Lilac Mall.

Ugly.

I agree, I like the fact that it's new and a much needed refresh, but done the wrong way for some reason.  They need to pick one logo and make it right everywhere.