Kmart on Verge of Filing for Bankruptcy
January 21, 2002 10:09 PM Subscribe
Kmart on Verge of Filing for Bankruptcy...guess you'll have to get your crap from Walmart now.
I think they just got overrun by their chief competitors. The stores are bland and dirty. Kind of how the Hills chain was in its last few years. Walmart isn't much better, but their prices are hard to beat. Target has done an excellent at tweaking certain stores to appeal to different demographics (i.e. midwestern college town vs. even more bland midwestern town). I'm sure K-Mart's recent upgrades to "Self-scan" stations haven't helped them much either.
posted by ttrendel at 10:18 PM on January 21, 2002
posted by ttrendel at 10:18 PM on January 21, 2002
Gee...this is just so exciting. An organization that sells cheap crap is out of business. Is this (or caring about it enough to post it on mefi) a sign of where american society is headed?
posted by Orik at 10:22 PM on January 21, 2002
posted by Orik at 10:22 PM on January 21, 2002
Bush and his cronies bring about the fall of K-mart!
posted by tcobretti at 10:25 PM on January 21, 2002
posted by tcobretti at 10:25 PM on January 21, 2002
I dunno, i always get this really creepy feeling when i go into a Wal-Mart, and I'm from middle-america, where wal-mart thrives. It makes me really feel on edge for some reason. too much flourescent lighting and sale signs. Can't handle it. Plus, the lefty in me refuses to buy things from them, with the whole "move in to small towns and run mom-and-pop shops out of business and make them be our cashiers" aspect. Sucks. They did it before Barnes and Noble or Starbucks. Wal-Mart started the trend, which I know refer to as the "Wal-Martization of the industry".
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:25 PM on January 21, 2002
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:25 PM on January 21, 2002
And where is all the Martha Stewart merchandise going to end up now? Look for her in one of those silly target ads soon.
posted by YohonTheLarge at 10:27 PM on January 21, 2002
posted by YohonTheLarge at 10:27 PM on January 21, 2002
I dunno. I'll feel a little nostalgic for those blue ICEE machines and the stale popcorn smell that lent Kmart a little air of Something Wicked This Way Comes. I remember sitting on those quarter-a-ride bucking pony things outside the shop. We would go to the K when I was a pup as my Mom and Dad had three young kids and they needed cheap stuff. Later, we would go for camping and sporting goods supplies.
I remember the Gun Aisle as being particularly strange to me as a kid. Like I can get shaving cream, candy and a bolt-action Remington all in the same place?
Am I the only one who has a fear of buying food at Kmart, Wal-Mart or Target?
posted by Kafkaesque at 10:30 PM on January 21, 2002
I remember the Gun Aisle as being particularly strange to me as a kid. Like I can get shaving cream, candy and a bolt-action Remington all in the same place?
Am I the only one who has a fear of buying food at Kmart, Wal-Mart or Target?
posted by Kafkaesque at 10:30 PM on January 21, 2002
Am I the only one who has a fear of buying food at Kmart, Wal-Mart or Target?
Not at all. Wal-Mart's meat is shit. I rarely eat meat, but when i do, I refuse to buy it there. Of course, chips, cereal, etc. are all standard. Tulsa, I think, is a testing ground for Wal-Mart's Markets, grocery stores w/o the traditional Wal-Mart fare. I have not been, but I've heard nothing but bad things about them. They do, however, have the self-checkout scheme which will soon become the standard.
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:39 PM on January 21, 2002
Not at all. Wal-Mart's meat is shit. I rarely eat meat, but when i do, I refuse to buy it there. Of course, chips, cereal, etc. are all standard. Tulsa, I think, is a testing ground for Wal-Mart's Markets, grocery stores w/o the traditional Wal-Mart fare. I have not been, but I've heard nothing but bad things about them. They do, however, have the self-checkout scheme which will soon become the standard.
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:39 PM on January 21, 2002
(begin rant)
Here in New York, KMart opened a few years ago (NYC), and a Walmart took over the space of the Caldor of my childhood; a Target opened in the frightening Palisades Mall, which opened near my childhood (and for good, tangential measure, my elementary school was demolished so that a Walgreens and Starbucks and Applebees could open...) Walmart is Caldor on steroids; Target's advertising masks what is, essentially, an updated Caldor. Kmart feels like Bradlees, which went out of business a few years ago. And all of these stores are not that different than Carrefour in France.
All of which is to say, all of these stores look and feel pretty much the same and are grotesque. They're all alien to New York, and I would not mind if they would all disappear and I would gladly pay $199 instead of $189 for that 20" Panasonic television I bought my mom for it to happen. OK. Maybe Manhattan could accept 1 Target. OK. But that K-Mart down on St. Marks is icky.
(end rant)
posted by ParisParamus at 10:57 PM on January 21, 2002
Here in New York, KMart opened a few years ago (NYC), and a Walmart took over the space of the Caldor of my childhood; a Target opened in the frightening Palisades Mall, which opened near my childhood (and for good, tangential measure, my elementary school was demolished so that a Walgreens and Starbucks and Applebees could open...) Walmart is Caldor on steroids; Target's advertising masks what is, essentially, an updated Caldor. Kmart feels like Bradlees, which went out of business a few years ago. And all of these stores are not that different than Carrefour in France.
All of which is to say, all of these stores look and feel pretty much the same and are grotesque. They're all alien to New York, and I would not mind if they would all disappear and I would gladly pay $199 instead of $189 for that 20" Panasonic television I bought my mom for it to happen. OK. Maybe Manhattan could accept 1 Target. OK. But that K-Mart down on St. Marks is icky.
(end rant)
posted by ParisParamus at 10:57 PM on January 21, 2002
This news doesn't surprise me, since KMart has been way inferior to Walmart and Target in the last few years.
But I don't understand why so many mefi-ers are so down on this whole genre of store. In many parts of the country, these stores have provided all sorts of goods that were otherwise unavailable, and at relatively cheap prices to boot. Lots of Americans can't afford to buy their shoes at Nordstrom, and clothes at Abercrombie and Fitch.
I'm not a lover of any large corporation. But all in all, I think looking down on Walmart and Target, and the people who shop in them, is a kind of class snobbery.
posted by Rebis at 11:34 PM on January 21, 2002
But I don't understand why so many mefi-ers are so down on this whole genre of store. In many parts of the country, these stores have provided all sorts of goods that were otherwise unavailable, and at relatively cheap prices to boot. Lots of Americans can't afford to buy their shoes at Nordstrom, and clothes at Abercrombie and Fitch.
I'm not a lover of any large corporation. But all in all, I think looking down on Walmart and Target, and the people who shop in them, is a kind of class snobbery.
posted by Rebis at 11:34 PM on January 21, 2002
In other retail news, Service Merchandise just failed to make it out of bankruptcy protection, and will now close all of its stores.
Kmart started as Kresges in 1899, though they didn't start calling themselves K-Mart until 1962. It seems strange to me to see the stores that put the "mom & pop" department stores, or even lesser chains like Bradlees and Caldor's out of business fall on hard times themselves, though I guess you could consider K-Mart one of the last of the original chains, given its origins. Though I'm generally unimpressed with their merchandise (maybe because the store nearest to me can't afford or keep help and it always looks like a hurricane hit) I'd be sad to see them close.
posted by kittyloop at 11:37 PM on January 21, 2002
Kmart started as Kresges in 1899, though they didn't start calling themselves K-Mart until 1962. It seems strange to me to see the stores that put the "mom & pop" department stores, or even lesser chains like Bradlees and Caldor's out of business fall on hard times themselves, though I guess you could consider K-Mart one of the last of the original chains, given its origins. Though I'm generally unimpressed with their merchandise (maybe because the store nearest to me can't afford or keep help and it always looks like a hurricane hit) I'd be sad to see them close.
posted by kittyloop at 11:37 PM on January 21, 2002
Word, Rebis. I admittedly don't buy clothes at any of these stores due to low quality, but I do buy everything else there. I'm sorry to inform all of you but prices regulate my buys. Efficiency always wins out in the end. Recent purchases: a 5 lb. bag of cat food for $2.80, a 27 inch GE TV: $180, foosball table $80, a 'flip-hockey' game (I've been looking for one of these forever): $35.
Undercutting of prices is a natural evolution. Should we subsidize inefficiecy in stores like we do farmers? These mega-stores aren't driving Mom and Pop stores out of business. Lack of invention is. If Mom and Pop stores could offer me one thing that a mega-store couldn't, than I would shop there.
If inefficiency in the form of Mom and Pop stores is such an issue, than why all the links to Amazon and IMDB?
posted by ttrendel at 12:20 AM on January 22, 2002
Undercutting of prices is a natural evolution. Should we subsidize inefficiecy in stores like we do farmers? These mega-stores aren't driving Mom and Pop stores out of business. Lack of invention is. If Mom and Pop stores could offer me one thing that a mega-store couldn't, than I would shop there.
If inefficiency in the form of Mom and Pop stores is such an issue, than why all the links to Amazon and IMDB?
posted by ttrendel at 12:20 AM on January 22, 2002
Based on the few times I've been in the Manhattan K-Mart, it seems that place mainly caters to the hordes of NYU students looking to outfit their dorm rooms. But the whole experience of being in there is just... ick. At least Target has more of a "cheap and disposable and fun!" vibe, as opposed to K-Mart's laughable attempts at faux-upscale "fashion" in the form of Jacklyn Smith sateen sweatsuits or whatever that junk is...
posted by nstop at 12:21 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by nstop at 12:21 AM on January 22, 2002
ttrendel? What is your problem with self-scan? Once you get the hang of it, self checkout is much faster then waiting behind grandma with 85 items in a 15 items or less lane. Or maybe your to ignorant to use such a modern convience :)
YOU MEAN I HAVE TO READ AND COMPREHEND! OH SH*T!
posted by andryeevna at 12:36 AM on January 22, 2002
YOU MEAN I HAVE TO READ AND COMPREHEND! OH SH*T!
posted by andryeevna at 12:36 AM on January 22, 2002
i feel pretty damned sad k-marts is closing. my family was real poor and that's where we got most everything. i think it is a sign that the economy is going down the shitter. where's the poor folk to go now?
posted by sadie01221975 at 12:59 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by sadie01221975 at 12:59 AM on January 22, 2002
Enron strikes again!
Right you are. Apparently, donating money to Republicans is bad for business.
posted by emptyage at 1:16 AM on January 22, 2002
Right you are. Apparently, donating money to Republicans is bad for business.
posted by emptyage at 1:16 AM on January 22, 2002
It looks like Martha Stewart is about to be wooed by Target and Wal-Mart. Can you imagine Wal-Mart and Martha Stewart? Even Godzilla would be afraid of that.
posted by owillis at 1:40 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by owillis at 1:40 AM on January 22, 2002
BTW, my best friend has a great argument pro-WalMart. "They have everything" 'Tis true.
posted by owillis at 1:41 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by owillis at 1:41 AM on January 22, 2002
Rush Limbaugh has this theory that K-Mart's spokeperson(Rosie) pissed off the hoi polloi because of her antigun stance.....before you pass this off as total crap, the typical K-mart shopper here at least likes his firearms.......
posted by bunnyfire at 3:34 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by bunnyfire at 3:34 AM on January 22, 2002
In other retail news, Service Merchandise just failed to make it out of bankruptcy protection, and will now close all of its stores.
Well, not that I've bought anything there in the last 20 years, but that's a shame; that store is like a Rememberence of Things S&H GreenStamp.
posted by ParisParamus at 4:41 AM on January 22, 2002
Well, not that I've bought anything there in the last 20 years, but that's a shame; that store is like a Rememberence of Things S&H GreenStamp.
posted by ParisParamus at 4:41 AM on January 22, 2002
ttrendel? What is your problem with self-scan?
I want this on the Mefi Tee-Shirt!
posted by ParisParamus at 4:43 AM on January 22, 2002
I want this on the Mefi Tee-Shirt!
posted by ParisParamus at 4:43 AM on January 22, 2002
i feel pretty damned sad k-marts is closing.
Chapter 11 is not closing! It's reorganization. Maybe if K-Mark got rid of their lame-ass management and brought in some people with imagination, they'd do alright.
posted by ParisParamus at 4:45 AM on January 22, 2002
Chapter 11 is not closing! It's reorganization. Maybe if K-Mark got rid of their lame-ass management and brought in some people with imagination, they'd do alright.
posted by ParisParamus at 4:45 AM on January 22, 2002
K-Mar, the Discount Magician!
posted by ParisParamus at 4:46 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by ParisParamus at 4:46 AM on January 22, 2002
Back in my boyhood, we had the Sears store downtown, and the K-Mart on the edge of town. The former left years ago, along with most of the retail there, mostly run out by a new mall with a Penny's, Bergner's (Carson Pirie Scott), and and now the center of the universe is a strip intersection surrounded on three sides by discounters (Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart) and in close proximity to Farm & Fleet, the mall, and other lesser lights of retail.
Anyway, this isn't exceptionally surprising. Federated imploded during the last recession (more or less), and even without a recession the whole discounter segment has been undergoing a lot of stress and upheaval. Target has really captured a kind of urban-attractive high-quality-crap demographic that left stores like K-Mart unable to compete against the Wal-Marts on the lower end. In any event, they're just going into bankruptcy. There's always a chance they'll eke their way through this and emerge strong enough to stay in business as the economy picks up.
posted by dhartung at 4:56 AM on January 22, 2002
Anyway, this isn't exceptionally surprising. Federated imploded during the last recession (more or less), and even without a recession the whole discounter segment has been undergoing a lot of stress and upheaval. Target has really captured a kind of urban-attractive high-quality-crap demographic that left stores like K-Mart unable to compete against the Wal-Marts on the lower end. In any event, they're just going into bankruptcy. There's always a chance they'll eke their way through this and emerge strong enough to stay in business as the economy picks up.
posted by dhartung at 4:56 AM on January 22, 2002
> I remember the Gun Aisle as being particularly strange
That was strange. In thirty seconds, you could walk from curtains and pillow cases to tropical fish and parakeets and gerbils to tires and batteries to fishing rods and shot guns to the lunch counter.
posted by pracowity at 5:19 AM on January 22, 2002
That was strange. In thirty seconds, you could walk from curtains and pillow cases to tropical fish and parakeets and gerbils to tires and batteries to fishing rods and shot guns to the lunch counter.
posted by pracowity at 5:19 AM on January 22, 2002
The cockles of my middle-aged heart are warmed by reading the comments above--losing the places one grew up with (even K-Mart) hurts, doesn't it?
posted by Carol Anne at 5:20 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by Carol Anne at 5:20 AM on January 22, 2002
"In many parts of the country, these stores have provided all sorts of goods that were otherwise unavailable, and at relatively cheap prices to boot...I think looking down on Walmart and Target, and the people who shop in them, is a kind of class snobbery."
My relatives in outstate Minnesota think their new Wal-Mart is the greatest thing since sliced bread. They believe that only the "city slickers" see anything wrong with that. As my nephew points out, if it's the only place in town you can buy a Limp Bizkit CD, who cares who owns it?
posted by mac at 5:25 AM on January 22, 2002
My relatives in outstate Minnesota think their new Wal-Mart is the greatest thing since sliced bread. They believe that only the "city slickers" see anything wrong with that. As my nephew points out, if it's the only place in town you can buy a Limp Bizkit CD, who cares who owns it?
posted by mac at 5:25 AM on January 22, 2002
But all in all, I think looking down on Walmart and Target, and the people who shop in them, is a kind of class snobbery.
Welcome to metafilter, Rebis.
posted by glenwood at 5:53 AM on January 22, 2002
Welcome to metafilter, Rebis.
posted by glenwood at 5:53 AM on January 22, 2002
Kmart world headquarters is located about 2 miles from where I'm typing this comment. It's probably worth remembering that closing down would have a pretty serious impact on thousands of lives (although, as ParisParamus notes, Chapter 11 is not closing down). But who am I to talk? We buy all our "miscellaneous stuff" at Target.
posted by pardonyou? at 6:05 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by pardonyou? at 6:05 AM on January 22, 2002
K-Mart, like Sears, is rather clueless about how to merchandise in 2002. Then again the Gap seems somewhat clueless too these days...Maybe Americans have finally gotten tired of consuming for the sake of consuming? Naaaah.
posted by ParisParamus at 6:13 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by ParisParamus at 6:13 AM on January 22, 2002
Attention non-K-Mart Shoppers: AP has just announced that it's official....
posted by ParisParamus at 6:17 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by ParisParamus at 6:17 AM on January 22, 2002
P.S.: and you heard it here a fully 4.27 minutes before CNN.com's breaking news e-mail.
posted by ParisParamus at 6:23 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by ParisParamus at 6:23 AM on January 22, 2002
Bradlees, Caldors, Mars, Hills, Ames, Jamesway, A&S, Serv. Merchandise, KMart.
America has a finite supply of shoppers, but an apparently unlimited amount of capital to spin off new but uninnovated chain stores.
They buildup and out in good times, then everyone is shocked when they fold in an economic downturn. The music stops, and not everyone gets a chair.
TTrendel: ...Bet your $180 television doesn't go 5 years without a repair that will cost 2/3 the price of a replacement TV. Its cheaper to hit the local repair shops and buy a used TV made ten years ago (and built to last longer than a hit sitcom). And you can thank KMart and all the other discounters for that!
posted by BentPenguin at 6:27 AM on January 22, 2002
America has a finite supply of shoppers, but an apparently unlimited amount of capital to spin off new but uninnovated chain stores.
They buildup and out in good times, then everyone is shocked when they fold in an economic downturn. The music stops, and not everyone gets a chair.
TTrendel: ...Bet your $180 television doesn't go 5 years without a repair that will cost 2/3 the price of a replacement TV. Its cheaper to hit the local repair shops and buy a used TV made ten years ago (and built to last longer than a hit sitcom). And you can thank KMart and all the other discounters for that!
posted by BentPenguin at 6:27 AM on January 22, 2002
Bradlees, Caldors, Mars, Hills, Ames, Jamesway, A&S, Serv. Merchandise, KMart.
America has a finite supply of shoppers, but an apparently unlimited amount of capital to spin off new but uninnovated chain stores.
They buildup and out in good times, then everyone is shocked when they fold in an economic downturn. The music stops, and not everyone gets a chair.
TTrendel: ...Bet your $180 television doesn't go 5 years without a repair that will cost 2/3 the price of a replacement TV. Its cheaper to hit the local repair shops and buy a used TV made ten years ago (and built to last longer than a hit sitcom). And you can thank KMart and all the other discounters for that!
posted by BentPenguin at 6:33 AM on January 22, 2002
America has a finite supply of shoppers, but an apparently unlimited amount of capital to spin off new but uninnovated chain stores.
They buildup and out in good times, then everyone is shocked when they fold in an economic downturn. The music stops, and not everyone gets a chair.
TTrendel: ...Bet your $180 television doesn't go 5 years without a repair that will cost 2/3 the price of a replacement TV. Its cheaper to hit the local repair shops and buy a used TV made ten years ago (and built to last longer than a hit sitcom). And you can thank KMart and all the other discounters for that!
posted by BentPenguin at 6:33 AM on January 22, 2002
Walmart sells khakis in my size for $15. You can't beat that anywhere else. (and I really don't like Walmart)
posted by LinemanBear at 6:40 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by LinemanBear at 6:40 AM on January 22, 2002
for those confused as to why people might have criticisms of wallmart:
Myth: Wal-Mart pays "competitive wages."
Fact: Wal-Mart Lowers Wages.
Wal-Mart workers make an average of $3 per hour less than union supermarket jobs, $2 per hour less than all supermarket jobs, and $1 per hour less than the average retail wage. An average Wal-Mart employee makes about $11,700 a year (working 30 hour weeks which is the national average in discount stores) — nearly $2,000 below the poverty line for a single mother with two children. A 40-hour week--which most Wal-Mart employees don't work--would figure out to $15,000 a year, which is the government's poverty level for a family of 4.
from wallmartyrs.com
they are also (i believe) the biggest retailer of music in the us. but they also sell guns...what to do? best censor any artist who expresses an anti-gun sentiment! and anyone else who expresses a sentiment not 'compatible' with walmart's trading practices.
mac: As my nephew points out, if it's the only place in town you can buy a Limp Bizkit CD, who cares who owns it?
limp bizkit maybe, but not:
Nirvana
Jackyl
Catherine Wheel
311
Type O Negative
John Mellencamp
Outkast
Beck
Alanis Morrisette
and the list goes on . . .
anyone who loves music should be aware that walmart do not.
posted by asok at 6:46 AM on January 22, 2002
Myth: Wal-Mart pays "competitive wages."
Fact: Wal-Mart Lowers Wages.
Wal-Mart workers make an average of $3 per hour less than union supermarket jobs, $2 per hour less than all supermarket jobs, and $1 per hour less than the average retail wage. An average Wal-Mart employee makes about $11,700 a year (working 30 hour weeks which is the national average in discount stores) — nearly $2,000 below the poverty line for a single mother with two children. A 40-hour week--which most Wal-Mart employees don't work--would figure out to $15,000 a year, which is the government's poverty level for a family of 4.
from wallmartyrs.com
they are also (i believe) the biggest retailer of music in the us. but they also sell guns...what to do? best censor any artist who expresses an anti-gun sentiment! and anyone else who expresses a sentiment not 'compatible' with walmart's trading practices.
mac: As my nephew points out, if it's the only place in town you can buy a Limp Bizkit CD, who cares who owns it?
limp bizkit maybe, but not:
Nirvana
Jackyl
Catherine Wheel
311
Type O Negative
John Mellencamp
Outkast
Beck
Alanis Morrisette
and the list goes on . . .
anyone who loves music should be aware that walmart do not.
posted by asok at 6:46 AM on January 22, 2002
Bradlees, Caldors, Mars, Hills, Ames, Jamesway, A&S, Serv. Merchandise, KMart
Don't forget B.E.S.T.....probably the worst store of the bunch.
Anyway, I won't like it if K-Mart closes down. There are only two discount stores anywhere near being close to my apartment in Boston: Bradlees and K-Mart. Bradlees went under this summer, and if K-Mart goes....the nearest Target is a good thirty minutes away....not fun.
Not like shopping a K-Mart was ever great, it had a vibe somewhere between a flea market, a Russian supermarket and total anarchy.
posted by thewittyname at 6:51 AM on January 22, 2002
Don't forget B.E.S.T.....probably the worst store of the bunch.
Anyway, I won't like it if K-Mart closes down. There are only two discount stores anywhere near being close to my apartment in Boston: Bradlees and K-Mart. Bradlees went under this summer, and if K-Mart goes....the nearest Target is a good thirty minutes away....not fun.
Not like shopping a K-Mart was ever great, it had a vibe somewhere between a flea market, a Russian supermarket and total anarchy.
posted by thewittyname at 6:51 AM on January 22, 2002
> probably the worst store of the bunch.
Two Guys.
posted by pracowity at 7:07 AM on January 22, 2002
Two Guys.
posted by pracowity at 7:07 AM on January 22, 2002
The clothing and merchandise sold at K-mart and other discount stores is inexpensive, but it's also poorly made. An impoverished family can buy clothes at K-Mart for less than they can buy them from a higher quality manufacturer (and I'm not talking about brands and labels, here, I'm talking about construction and quality) but the clothes from these places fall apart in record time. So not only do families who can ill afford it spend money on goods that won't last their worth, they have to turn right around and spend the same money on more cheap crap when their first purchases wear out. The first load ends up in a landfill, and the family is out income.
I've never bought a garment or shoe at a big discount chain that hasn't shrunk disproportionately, fallen apart, lost vital fastening mechanisms, or faded strangely within a month of purchase. However, by keeping an eye on closeouts at stores or from manufacturers that I know sell quality merchandise, or knowing what to look far in consignment shops, I can buy long-lasting goods thus saving money and lessening the amount of worthless stuff I collect.
The same can be said for furniture, home accessories, linens, etc. Yeah, that bookshelf only costs $19.99, but it's going to fall apart on you in three months. You'll have to spend more money for a new one and toss the broken bookshelf in the trash. This other bookshelf on sale at a local furniture dealer costs $69.99, but will still be steadily holding books when your kids are in college.
posted by jennyb at 7:13 AM on January 22, 2002
I've never bought a garment or shoe at a big discount chain that hasn't shrunk disproportionately, fallen apart, lost vital fastening mechanisms, or faded strangely within a month of purchase. However, by keeping an eye on closeouts at stores or from manufacturers that I know sell quality merchandise, or knowing what to look far in consignment shops, I can buy long-lasting goods thus saving money and lessening the amount of worthless stuff I collect.
The same can be said for furniture, home accessories, linens, etc. Yeah, that bookshelf only costs $19.99, but it's going to fall apart on you in three months. You'll have to spend more money for a new one and toss the broken bookshelf in the trash. This other bookshelf on sale at a local furniture dealer costs $69.99, but will still be steadily holding books when your kids are in college.
posted by jennyb at 7:13 AM on January 22, 2002
yes Asok, and I beleive they use those guns to force people to accept that wage.
posted by Mick at 7:16 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by Mick at 7:16 AM on January 22, 2002
The Walmart TV I bought in 1990 still works fine, thank you, and the only repair I've made is replacement of the remote control. Can I thank Walmart for that, or should I give the credit to RCA, who made the TV?
posted by faceonmars at 7:25 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by faceonmars at 7:25 AM on January 22, 2002
jennyb - if you have children, then clothes wearing out in a couple of months is no big deal. They outgrow them.
Better to spend $10 on shoes that will fall apart just as the kid outgrows them than to spend $100 on shoes that will be beautiful but too small in 6 months.
Aside from that, you are correct. I wouldn't take cheap furniture if they were giving it away.
And, if you're a reader of Terry Pratchett, he makes a good point in at least one of his books: it is cheaper to be rich. Back to shoes (assuming adults here): $10 for shoes that last 6 months = $20/yr for shoes. $200 for shoes that last 20 years = $10/yr [and it really is possible to have shoes last that long]
Anyway, K-mart screwed the pooch by being underpriced and out-managed by WalMart, and not building an image to compete with Target. Folks might forget that K-mart was once a model of supply chain efficiency, and "key card" inventory controls were state-of-the-art. But they rested on their laurels too long.
posted by yesster at 7:37 AM on January 22, 2002
Better to spend $10 on shoes that will fall apart just as the kid outgrows them than to spend $100 on shoes that will be beautiful but too small in 6 months.
Aside from that, you are correct. I wouldn't take cheap furniture if they were giving it away.
And, if you're a reader of Terry Pratchett, he makes a good point in at least one of his books: it is cheaper to be rich. Back to shoes (assuming adults here): $10 for shoes that last 6 months = $20/yr for shoes. $200 for shoes that last 20 years = $10/yr [and it really is possible to have shoes last that long]
Anyway, K-mart screwed the pooch by being underpriced and out-managed by WalMart, and not building an image to compete with Target. Folks might forget that K-mart was once a model of supply chain efficiency, and "key card" inventory controls were state-of-the-art. But they rested on their laurels too long.
posted by yesster at 7:37 AM on January 22, 2002
mick, I was going to post a long reply to asok's attempt to hijack the thread, but you said it better and simpler.
posted by pardonyou? at 7:47 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by pardonyou? at 7:47 AM on January 22, 2002
but the clothes from these places fall apart in record time.
Actually, I have a blue-and-white striped shirt from Kmart that's lasted me two-and-a-half years, without fading or shrinking much, etc. Like to wear it in late spring and summer, and under a cardigan in other seasons. In other words, it's had a workout, and has held up. Kmart's kitchen stuff has been some of the best around my place too, even for its price.
posted by raysmj at 7:48 AM on January 22, 2002
Actually, I have a blue-and-white striped shirt from Kmart that's lasted me two-and-a-half years, without fading or shrinking much, etc. Like to wear it in late spring and summer, and under a cardigan in other seasons. In other words, it's had a workout, and has held up. Kmart's kitchen stuff has been some of the best around my place too, even for its price.
posted by raysmj at 7:48 AM on January 22, 2002
I thought that Walmart and Kmart were juggernauts that regularly undersold merchandise at certain outlets in order to remove competition from local businesses. I'm very suprised that Kmart hast gone under.
ParisParimus - The Kmart in Union Square in New York has been tremendously successfull, despite the fact that it clashes with the bohemian lifestyle of the neighborhood. Its interesting that most of the rants against the store come from testimonials of people who obviously shop there!
Its weird to me that when a business fails more often than not there are a horde of gloating MeFiers only too ready to dance on its grave, and in no industry more so than technology. This news made me glum about the economy, perhaps more so than usual because Kmart just seems so representative of America at large to me. Like it, or not.
posted by xammerboy at 8:37 AM on January 22, 2002
ParisParimus - The Kmart in Union Square in New York has been tremendously successfull, despite the fact that it clashes with the bohemian lifestyle of the neighborhood. Its interesting that most of the rants against the store come from testimonials of people who obviously shop there!
Its weird to me that when a business fails more often than not there are a horde of gloating MeFiers only too ready to dance on its grave, and in no industry more so than technology. This news made me glum about the economy, perhaps more so than usual because Kmart just seems so representative of America at large to me. Like it, or not.
posted by xammerboy at 8:37 AM on January 22, 2002
While quality varies from area to area, the general rule of thumb is "Target has overpriced stuff because they're trying to have this upperclass image, Wal-Mart has all the low-priced crap you need on a daily basis, and K-Mart is trying to do both and failing".
Am I the only one who has a fear of buying food at Kmart, Wal-Mart or Target?
I dunno, but we switched all our grocery shopping to Wal-Mart a while back, and have saved a considerable amount of money. The meat at our store is also higher quality than the competition (Albertsons and Winn Dixie), and the generic brand (Great Value, or whatever) is actually really good for most things. I just hate being in Wal-Mart at 5pm on a weekend, ugh. It's a freak show, it really is.
You know, with all the layoffs in the IT world, I'm really surprised at the number of people who apparently turn their nose up at shopping at these places. It's great and all for you to be noble and Stick It to The Man, but when I've got 50 bucks to buy what I need for the week, I know where I'm shopping.
posted by SiW at 8:42 AM on January 22, 2002
Am I the only one who has a fear of buying food at Kmart, Wal-Mart or Target?
I dunno, but we switched all our grocery shopping to Wal-Mart a while back, and have saved a considerable amount of money. The meat at our store is also higher quality than the competition (Albertsons and Winn Dixie), and the generic brand (Great Value, or whatever) is actually really good for most things. I just hate being in Wal-Mart at 5pm on a weekend, ugh. It's a freak show, it really is.
You know, with all the layoffs in the IT world, I'm really surprised at the number of people who apparently turn their nose up at shopping at these places. It's great and all for you to be noble and Stick It to The Man, but when I've got 50 bucks to buy what I need for the week, I know where I'm shopping.
posted by SiW at 8:42 AM on January 22, 2002
It's a freak show, it really is.
That's the biggest, numero uno reason I can't stand these stores. If that's classist, I apologize. But I will go far out of my way not to be surrounded by people having conversations with cans of Underwood spread when I go to the store. I used to go to our local Ralph's supermarket here in SoCal, but I was constantly being accosted by whack jobs and people who seemed to feel I owed them a conversation because I needed to buy lunch meat at the same time as them.
It's worth it to me to spend more money and shop at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.
Similarly, for clothes, I echo the sentiment about the longevity and quality of the purchases at Macy's as opposed to Target or Mervyn's.
That's the trouble with classists.
posted by Kafkaesque at 8:59 AM on January 22, 2002
That's the biggest, numero uno reason I can't stand these stores. If that's classist, I apologize. But I will go far out of my way not to be surrounded by people having conversations with cans of Underwood spread when I go to the store. I used to go to our local Ralph's supermarket here in SoCal, but I was constantly being accosted by whack jobs and people who seemed to feel I owed them a conversation because I needed to buy lunch meat at the same time as them.
It's worth it to me to spend more money and shop at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.
Similarly, for clothes, I echo the sentiment about the longevity and quality of the purchases at Macy's as opposed to Target or Mervyn's.
That's the trouble with classists.
posted by Kafkaesque at 8:59 AM on January 22, 2002
Maybe the Big K can hire Arthur Anderson and figure out how to fix this whole mess.
posted by Mack Twain at 9:28 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by Mack Twain at 9:28 AM on January 22, 2002
I do my shopping at upscale yard sales. I guess that makes me a cheap snob.
posted by bunnyfire at 9:37 AM on January 22, 2002
posted by bunnyfire at 9:37 AM on January 22, 2002
I just hate being in Wal-Mart at 5pm on a weekend, ugh. It's a freak show, it really is.
But all in all, I think looking down on Walmart and Target, and the people who shop in them, is a kind of class snobbery.
Always a Blue Light Special on that here.
posted by y2karl at 9:54 AM on January 22, 2002
But all in all, I think looking down on Walmart and Target, and the people who shop in them, is a kind of class snobbery.
Always a Blue Light Special on that here.
posted by y2karl at 9:54 AM on January 22, 2002
1. Trader Joe's, while not cheap, is at least cheaper than most health food stores around me. Good eating for vegetarians, like my husband...
2. Hey, y'all are forgetting Woolworth's! Those Five and Dimes count too, y'know...
posted by metrocake at 10:41 AM on January 22, 2002
2. Hey, y'all are forgetting Woolworth's! Those Five and Dimes count too, y'know...
posted by metrocake at 10:41 AM on January 22, 2002
pardonyou?: how was asok attempting to hijack the thread? walmart was mentioned in the FPP and there is only so much that can be said about kmart filing for bankruptcy.
if we cannot discuss the fact that all three of the giant retailers are corporations that do whatever it takes to increase profits, what are we left with? people having conversations with cans of Underwood spread (which of course i enjoy reading as well).
thanks, asok, i hadn't heard about the walmart music issue before.
posted by danOstuporStar at 10:46 AM on January 22, 2002
if we cannot discuss the fact that all three of the giant retailers are corporations that do whatever it takes to increase profits, what are we left with? people having conversations with cans of Underwood spread (which of course i enjoy reading as well).
thanks, asok, i hadn't heard about the walmart music issue before.
posted by danOstuporStar at 10:46 AM on January 22, 2002
Perhaps I should have said "It's a zoo, it really is.".
My point was that it's always packed with people buying the same essential crap that I am, the electronics department is a madhouse, there's never anyone around to help you, the decibel level is way too high, many aisles are ransacked with products all over the shelves and floor, and there's often an unpleasant odor drifting around.
posted by SiW at 11:05 AM on January 22, 2002
My point was that it's always packed with people buying the same essential crap that I am, the electronics department is a madhouse, there's never anyone around to help you, the decibel level is way too high, many aisles are ransacked with products all over the shelves and floor, and there's often an unpleasant odor drifting around.
posted by SiW at 11:05 AM on January 22, 2002
There is a Super Wal-Mart about 15 miles from me. Open 24/7, clean, well staffed(never had to wait to be checked out more than 5 minutes) and well stocked. The meat department is great, as are the deli and bakery. The only thing I can think of that I have never purchased from them is furniture, only because they did not have what I wanted.
The closest K-Mart on the hand is 70 miles away. I have been there, did not buy much, dirty and dark compared to Wal-Mart.
posted by bjgeiger at 11:48 AM on January 22, 2002
The closest K-Mart on the hand is 70 miles away. I have been there, did not buy much, dirty and dark compared to Wal-Mart.
posted by bjgeiger at 11:48 AM on January 22, 2002
At least in my community, Wal-Mart and Kmart basically have the same problems. The prices are not significantly different between them. Both of them have narrow overstuffed aisles with shelf tags missing or misplaced so you never know how much an item costs. Parking lots blanketed in trash, and locations impossible to get by walking and well out of the way of bus travel. Marginally polite staff, long lines, and not enough registers. About the only thing that I will say for Wal-Mart is that it is the only place I can go when I need and Allen wrench at one in the morning, and even then the local hardware store will probably have a better selection, better quality, and better prices.
I'm not rich myself but I don't see how Wal-Mart is such a big deal. Certainly, I could probably shave off 10 percent of the sticker price going to Wal-Mart, but that sticker price is balanced by the fact that Wal-Mart is both remote and packed. The fact that I can go into a local store describe what I need in vague terms, pay and get out in five minutes as opposed to 30 minutes for Wal-Mart is definitely worth the markup. Likewise, I tend to buy my books and CDs from local shops because I know I never have to search for anything, I simply say the title and it is either in my hand or on order for me in under five minutes.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 12:32 PM on January 22, 2002
I'm not rich myself but I don't see how Wal-Mart is such a big deal. Certainly, I could probably shave off 10 percent of the sticker price going to Wal-Mart, but that sticker price is balanced by the fact that Wal-Mart is both remote and packed. The fact that I can go into a local store describe what I need in vague terms, pay and get out in five minutes as opposed to 30 minutes for Wal-Mart is definitely worth the markup. Likewise, I tend to buy my books and CDs from local shops because I know I never have to search for anything, I simply say the title and it is either in my hand or on order for me in under five minutes.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 12:32 PM on January 22, 2002
i worked for kmart for two years. hopefully this restructuring will help straighten out the hideously out of whack corporate structure. they've been making last-ditch efforts at improving the quality of the stores with employee incentive programs, but it doesn't work. employees don't get paid nearly enough (kmart isn't unionized), and even when they do get adequate pay their hours are jerked around so much that planning even two weeks into the future can be risky. the management is usually structured so that you have at least three managers telling you what to do at any one time, and all three of them meet and reach consensus on the fact that you never get your work done.
but that's really just why the stores can get dirty -- most of a floor person's job at kmart is cleaning and straightening. the employee rudeness is a little more complicated.
i don't want to sound bitter, but i feel like i can shed some light on why people are not as polite as you'd want them to be at kmart. most of the people i worked with were smart people who really deserved a better (and better-paying) job. they got stuck there because they had kids or student loans or credit card debts. they felt -- quite rightly -- that the job was somehow beneath them. this, however, was not the reason i saw for their impatience with customers. the reason they got impatient was that they were treated like absolute dirt by the kind of customers who came in thinking kmart was beneath them and that therefore the employees are all stupid people.
i encountered this almost every single day when i worked there. i actually somewhat liked my job because i liked dealing with people, and the people who shopped there because they needed to (save the underwood spread conversationalist) were very nice, very grateful to have stuff they could afford. people who came in and compared kmart to macy's or stores like that were usually quite rude.
i don't know, i sound like a bitter ex-employee, but i feel like i ought to stick up for the people i worked with. granted, we had a nice store (actually looked better than our target) in a nice neighborhood. but the classism on this thread is a little disturbing, and as far as i observed during my two years there, it is the root cause of the employee rudeness you are all decrying.
posted by pikachulolita at 2:21 PM on January 22, 2002
but that's really just why the stores can get dirty -- most of a floor person's job at kmart is cleaning and straightening. the employee rudeness is a little more complicated.
i don't want to sound bitter, but i feel like i can shed some light on why people are not as polite as you'd want them to be at kmart. most of the people i worked with were smart people who really deserved a better (and better-paying) job. they got stuck there because they had kids or student loans or credit card debts. they felt -- quite rightly -- that the job was somehow beneath them. this, however, was not the reason i saw for their impatience with customers. the reason they got impatient was that they were treated like absolute dirt by the kind of customers who came in thinking kmart was beneath them and that therefore the employees are all stupid people.
i encountered this almost every single day when i worked there. i actually somewhat liked my job because i liked dealing with people, and the people who shopped there because they needed to (save the underwood spread conversationalist) were very nice, very grateful to have stuff they could afford. people who came in and compared kmart to macy's or stores like that were usually quite rude.
i don't know, i sound like a bitter ex-employee, but i feel like i ought to stick up for the people i worked with. granted, we had a nice store (actually looked better than our target) in a nice neighborhood. but the classism on this thread is a little disturbing, and as far as i observed during my two years there, it is the root cause of the employee rudeness you are all decrying.
posted by pikachulolita at 2:21 PM on January 22, 2002
SiW, I beg your pardon. Excluding the first quote then, I would tend to stand by the comment otherwise.
posted by y2karl at 3:22 PM on January 22, 2002
posted by y2karl at 3:22 PM on January 22, 2002
Yes, freak show of people. Like the Palisades Mall--evil enclosed.
The Kmart in Union Square? Its on Astor Place. It is sort of cool that there's direct access from the Subway....sort of like BHV on the 1 line in Paris. Ok, maybe not.
Also, thanks for the Two Guys picture P...y!
posted by ParisParamus at 3:35 PM on January 22, 2002
The Kmart in Union Square? Its on Astor Place. It is sort of cool that there's direct access from the Subway....sort of like BHV on the 1 line in Paris. Ok, maybe not.
Also, thanks for the Two Guys picture P...y!
posted by ParisParamus at 3:35 PM on January 22, 2002
Because I can never keep my mouth shut, I also wanted to comment on the "quality items will outlast the cheap stuff and in the long run you save money".
This is generally true, but the problem is that a lot of people buying the cheap clothes do it because e.g. the kids need school clothes NOW and they don't have the extra $30 to buy the quality-made merchandise. It's a depressing cycle when you know full-well the sweater is going to shrink up after 5 washes, but if you don't buy something this weekend the kids have nothing to wear for the week.
(wrenching my posts back on topic) This is why the thought of KMarts closing is such a big deal; many people are going to have a hard time buying their essentials without the big K. Case in point, the town we're moving to next week only has a KMart. The closest alternative is 60 miles away..
posted by SiW at 7:18 PM on January 22, 2002
This is generally true, but the problem is that a lot of people buying the cheap clothes do it because e.g. the kids need school clothes NOW and they don't have the extra $30 to buy the quality-made merchandise. It's a depressing cycle when you know full-well the sweater is going to shrink up after 5 washes, but if you don't buy something this weekend the kids have nothing to wear for the week.
(wrenching my posts back on topic) This is why the thought of KMarts closing is such a big deal; many people are going to have a hard time buying their essentials without the big K. Case in point, the town we're moving to next week only has a KMart. The closest alternative is 60 miles away..
posted by SiW at 7:18 PM on January 22, 2002
ParisParmus - caught you out there Kmart shopper! ;-)
posted by xammerboy at 7:37 PM on January 22, 2002
posted by xammerboy at 7:37 PM on January 22, 2002
There is a Super Wal-Mart about 15 miles from me. Open 24/7, clean, well staffed(never had to wait to be checked out more than 5 minutes) and well stocked.
what alternate dimension is this in?
posted by tolkhan at 6:41 AM on January 23, 2002
what alternate dimension is this in?
posted by tolkhan at 6:41 AM on January 23, 2002
K-Mart, Wal-Mart, and Target could all go out business for all I care. I have Meijer.
And self-scan checkouts rule. Or maybe I'm just antisocial.
posted by dagnyscott at 7:39 AM on January 23, 2002
And self-scan checkouts rule. Or maybe I'm just antisocial.
posted by dagnyscott at 7:39 AM on January 23, 2002
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posted by raysmj at 10:15 PM on January 21, 2002