K-Mart

[store215]

Not sure if anyone has checked out the new NBC comedy 'Superstore', but it is most definitely being filmed in a former (or possibly still operating?) Kmart. I've only seen the first episode so far. Pretty cheesy storyline with some funny bits of retail humor, but you can clearly see a lot of Kmart stuff around like the registers and counters, price tags, (and even a 'blooper' where you can see someone quickly pushing a Red Kmart cart (the 'theme' of this fake store is all blue)).

Edit: Upon further research, it looks like it may be being filmed in the still-open Burbank, CA Kmart. The outside shots of that store definitely match the show.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Walmart (formerly Kmart), Huntsville, Alabama

Isn't it strange that Walmart store would take over a 1960s-era Kmart store?
More on the subject can be found here: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lxjHhI1X-2E/VEr0hkgkUCI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/LcXDSAA6JQM/s1600/Wal-Mart%2B(former%2BKmart)%2BHuntsville%2C%2BAL%2B1.JPG

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

The first Kmart in Australia, located in Burwood East, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, which opened in 1969. The Coles supermarket used to be a Kmart Foods from its opening in 1969 until the 1970s. Kmart Australia started out as a joint venture between G.J. Coles & Coy (later Coles Myer) of Australia and the S.S. Kresge Co. (later Kmart Corporation) of the United States. Coles would take full control of Kmart Australia in the 1990s after buying Kmart Corp.'s share of the company. The company is now a division of Wesfarmers Ltd.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Has anyone here seen the movie previews for 2015 movie "Joy"? An old-school Kmart was featured in it.

[Kmart4life]

Wow, I walked into my Kmart this evening and I thought I had walked into Walmart because it was a mad house. I don't think I've seen a Kmart that busy in a long time. The parking lot was completely full so the wife dropped me off and she drove around as I picked up a few things.

[danfifepsu]

Wow, I walked into my Kmart this evening and I thought I had walked into Walmart because it was a mad house. I don't think I've seen a Kmart that busy in a long time. The parking lot was completely full so the wife dropped me off and she drove around as I picked up a few things.

OMG. where?

[Zayre88]

Has anyone here seen the movie previews for 2015 movie "Joy"? An old-school Kmart was featured in it.

No but It's nice to see that in the tv ad for the movie!

[Kmart4life]

Where is here in Lakeland Florida and it looked busy tonight as well, frankly since reverting back to Kmart in 2010 it has done pretty good. Many people here were surveyed and asked if they would shop at Kmart if it returned and the people said yes. It seems to do well around Christmas too. :)

[danfifepsu]

more stores are closing!!! what will be left in 2018?

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

The tragic death of Kmart? Investors question 'Asset Strip' of Sears Holdings

WATE 6 On Your Side Staff
Published: January 13, 2016, 2:46 pm  |  Updated: January 13, 2016, 2:46 pm

KNOXVILLE (WATE) â€" Kmart, once one of the top American retailers, is drawing a lot of curiosity from investors.

Some analysts point a finger at Eddie Lampert. Lampert, a hedge fund titan, bought Kmart when it was in bankruptcy in 2003 and quickly married it with Sears to from Sears Holdings. Lampert is the company’s chairman, CEO and leading shareholder.

“What he’s done brilliantly is manage these brands into oblivion while squeezing billions of dollars of cash into his elusive businesses,” said Robin Lewis, CEO of The Robin Report, a retail strategy newsletter.

Lewis believes Lampert has no intention of ever truly trying to turn either Kmart or Sears around. “It’s my opinion that he planned this from the very beginning,” he said.

Sears raised eyebrows when the struggling company borrowed $400 million from Lampert. The unusual agreement spooked Wall Street, plunging stocks.

“It’s shady because there is clearly a conflict of interest here,” said Brian Sozzi, who closely tracks the retail industry as CEO of Belus Capital Advisors.

However, Sears spokesperson Howard Riefs disputed the notion that Lampert is to blame. “Eddie is a long-term owner-investor who has invested significant equity capital demonstrating commitment in the company,” he told CNNMoney.

There is no question that Kmart has spiraled for a lengthy period. Despite shedding assets, Sears Holdings Corporation stocks still continues to drop. Sears said they are just trying to get their brands back on track.

“Store closures are part of a series of actions we’re taking to reduce on-going expenses, adjust our asset base, and accelerate the transformation of our business model,” said Riefs. Kmart saw a 7.5 percent sales decline in the third quarter of 2015, forcing them to close stores throughout the country. They’ve seen a 67 percent plunge in a little more than a decide.

Kmart had 2,165 stores in 2000, according to CNN. In 2016 they have under 1,000 with many more closings on the way.

The biggest beneficiary of Kmart’s crumble is Target. During the same period, Target’s sales nearly doubled to $72.6 billion. Kmart’s holding company, Sears, hasn’t done much better. Their sales are also down 54 percent.

ABC News and CNN contributed to this report.

---------------------------------------------------
3 Tennessee Kmart stores close due to declining sales

Stores close in Cleveland, Clarksville and Memphis, according to Sears Holdings Company



WATE 6 On Your Side staff
Published: January 13, 2016, 6:21 pm

KNOXVILLE (WATE) â€" Sears Holdings Corporation said they are closing three stores in Tennessee.

Howard Riefs, Director of Corporate Communications with Sears Holdings said the Kmart store in Cleveland will close to the public in mid-March. Stores in Clarksville and Memphis will close in mid-April.

The Cleveland store, located at 200 Paul Huff Parkway, will begin its liquidation sale on Thursday, according to Riefs. He said the store employees 67 people, but most associates are part time or hourly. Eligible associates will receive severance and have the opportunity to apply for open positions at Sears or Kmart stores.

Customers with layaway contracts

Customers with layaway contracts at the store have a couple of options. Riefs said they can:
1.Pay off their contract early
2.Transfer their layaway contract to a neighboring store or online

Riefs said transferring contracts, requires cancelling a contract and re-creating it. He said the process can be initiated by customers and done by an associate in-store.

Copyright 2016 WATE. All rights reserved.

[Hudsons81]

Two Michigan stores will be among the rounds this time-the Birchwood Mall Sears and the Ironwood Kmart.

[danfifepsu]

list of closings I got

Honoululu HI
Greenville MS
longview tx
clarksville tN
cleveland TN
Dundias MN
Virginia MN
Superior WI
IRonwood MI
Covington VA
Virginia BEACH VA
Cedar Bluff VA
Milledgeville GA
Daytona Beach FL
Pescos (Tampa Bay) FL
Anaeheim ca
Chula Vista ca
Citrus Heights ca
San Mateo ca
peirre sd
mitchell sd
Canton Il
Ottumwa IOWA
Terre Haute IN
Zanesville OH MAysville Pike
Boardman OHIO
STuebenville OH
North Topeka KS
Pocatello ID
North Logan UTAH
Prescott Valley AZ
Glendale AZ
Dothan south AL

[danfifepsu]

so is Florence Alabama too

[TheFugitive]

I have some extended family in Ironwood, Michigan.
Little mining town WAY over in the Western U.P. on the border with Wisconsin.

The economy there is so depressed even the job losses from one Kmart
closing will be locally significant.

[danfifepsu]

of the one that got damaged by the tornado in prattville al its closing and so is dublin ga. the list is at least 40. how many will Kmart have left by 350?

[danfifepsu]

http://www.richfieldreaper.com/news/local/article_06a0ce48-bfcd-11e5-9b9b-bf819b0fad93.html

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

If the Kmart in Waupaca, Wisconsin closes, I believe that the prescriptions from Kmart's pharmacy will be transferred to the Shopko Hometown store's pharmacy across the street.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

My prediction for what the newspaper headline/article would look like before the last Kmart shuts its doors forever could look like:

The Anytown Times

"K-TASTROPHE!:
FINAL U.S. KMART CLOSES DOWN FOR GOOD IN 202X."

"Attention, Kmart Shoppers: Look for Markdowns on Merchandise All Over the Store! Nothing Held Back!"

"Not even the Sears partnership could save this forsaken place! Kmart kept digging their own grave. Sears was the final nail in their coffin! I look back on my experience at the 'Big K' with mixed feelings. We've had good times and bad times working there. Now it's time to say goodbye." - Says a former Kmart employee who worked at the Anytown Kmart from 1992 to 2007.

Kmart will turn the blue light off one last time.


^^^
What the future may hold for the "BIG K".

[TheFugitive]

Apparently Kmart has settled on a revival strategy.

They are going to become Big Lots.

http://nypost.com/2016/02/17/kmart-to-stock-shelves-with-bankrupt-companies-products/

[danfifepsu]

Apparently Kmart has settled on a revival strategy.

They are going to become Big Lots.

http://nypost.com/2016/02/17/kmart-to-stock-shelves-with-bankrupt-companies-products/

whast that mean for current merchandise? also sometimes sucha s the Florida KEys and Madawaska ME have Kmart as their ONLY STORE, and Hyannis Mass too, waht will happen???

[BillyGr]

It doesn't sound like anything will happen tor current merchandise - this will be an addition to that, in order to offer special deals and prices to encourage people to come into the stores (and of course hopefully buy other stuff while they are there).

Or, in other words, return them to their origins (after all these are not much different from the "blue light specials" they were once known for - special deals for a limited time).

[TheFugitive]

At Ames I worked with a lady from Madawaska, Maine.

That place is REALLY remote.  If they lose their only store I don't know what people will do.

[danfifepsu]

what is remote? And could they cross over to Canada to go to Walmart in Endsmonton. the Kmart there is the size of the one we had in Laconia,

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Apparently Kmart has settled on a revival strategy.

They are going to become Big Lots.

http://nypost.com/2016/02/17/kmart-to-stock-shelves-with-bankrupt-companies-products/

I wonder what this will mean for the Sears stores...
Will Sears become a TJ Maxx or a Gordman's-type store?

[danfifepsu]

and Kmart couldnt make it with its supercenter concept. and the had a CArribean expansion plan but bankruptcy halted that.

[Hudsons81]

and Kmart couldnt make it with its supercenter concept.

Ironically, the only Kmart left here in Downriver Detroit IS exactly that concept.

[danfifepsu]

if a Kmart goes from 8 am to 10 pm to 9 am to 9 pm for hours, does that mean it will close?

[TheFugitive]

Probably means they are trying to shave a little payroll, and/or they are having problems
restocking the store so they want to extend the amount of time that a stock crew has to
work without customers in the store.

I was recently in a Kmart at 8:30PM and I was the only customer in the store.

[danfifepsu]

this is one one in PResque Isles hours now, why those hours? http://www.kmart.com/stores/maine/presque-isle/4709.html

[danfifepsu]

a theory I have of Kmart cutting STORE HOURS all OVER is due to the increase in minimum wages, to offset the loss of money that will cause.