You have got to be kidding me

[Racket_Man]

Here it is the first week in October 2016

AND I just viewed my first Xmas themed commercial on TV at 2:30am in the morning for K-Mart no less.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIH6PeGVJ2Q

This was released 3 WEEKS AGO (at least on YouTube when I looked it up just now) in the middle of September.

YES I KNOW all of the major bog box stores have the Xmas crap out NOW BUT this is .............

BZZZZZZZZZZZ
***** smoke ******
BSOD



reboot failed
System Dead

[EricKei]

Pff. I'm sure the big man has an arrangement to buy wholesale anyway. Kmart my ass.

[catcul]

Catcul's future children: "Daddy, what's Kmart?"

In all seriousness, the closest Kmart to me that's not going out of business is in Clemmons. That's a 30 minute drive.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Catcul's future children: "Daddy, what's Kmart?"

In all seriousness, the closest Kmart to me that's not going out of business is in Clemmons. That's a 30 minute drive.

I think that might be the closet one to me now.

Greensboro just lost their last store (out on Bridford Parkway) back in 2014. That building is now occupied by Gabe's.

IIRC Reidsville lost theirs last year as well and I don't recall if Burlington still has one.

*edit*

Just checked their website store locator - Burlington no longer has one as well.

Closest ones to me now are Clemmons and Raleigh.

I think one can order online and have it shipped. That'd be the only option for me to purchase from them now.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Catcul's future children: "Daddy, what's Kmart?"

K-Mart was a retail store, just like Montgomery Ward and Western Auto.

[Racket_Man]

K-Mart was a retail store, just like Montgomery Ward and Western Auto.

WOW someone remember Montgomery Ward (Monkey Wards to all you oldsters out there )

[wolfie]

So K-Mart is like the U.S. version (even though they had branches here) of Simpson's, Eaton's, Woodwards, Woolco, Bargain Harold's, etc.?

[EricKei]

Yes. They're part of the same company as the similarly-precarious Sears department stores. They were once a direct competitor to WalMart.

[MoonCat]

So K-Mart is like the U.S. version (even though they had branches here) of Simpson's, Eaton's, Woodwards, Woolco, Bargain Harold's, etc.?

Actually K-Mart is kind of the cheaper version of Target. And I mean cheaper as in more cheaply made stuff.

There's one not far from where I live. The shoe dept is crap - cheapest junk you can find. Bed linens and towels, stuff like that, is okay. Most of the store is a mess, though. They don't have enough people to keep up with the mess the customers make. And I never go in there during holiday shopping season - it's a madhouse.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

WOW someone remember Montgomery Ward (Monkey Wards to all you oldsters out there )

I remember Monkey Wards . . . . my mom worked for them briefly in the mid 70s.

She decided she didn't like it and went back to restaurant work IIRC.

And we did have a Western Auto store here when I was a kid as well. My late stepdad used to work behind the WA store - that was where the paint company's shop was located. They offered retail paint sales OTC in addition to contract work IIRC.

Speaking of retailers that have are long gone now, does anyone remember Service Merchandise or Brendle's?

[Ironclad Alibi]

Speaking of retailers that have are long gone now, does anyone remember Service Merchandise or Brendle's?

I remember Service Merchandise. i think my brother worked there sometime around his high school years.

I also remember J. M. Fields, an early version of the big box stores.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I remember Service Merchandise. i think my brother worked there sometime around his high school years.

I also remember J. M. Fields, an early version of the big box stores.

We didn't have a J. M. Fields, but we had Brendle's, Service Merchandise (formerly Ellman's) and a Best Products store.

The former Best Products store became a doll market (specializing in antique and collectible dolls and accessories.) Mom once took one of her Lee Middleton dolls in for a christening gown and IIRC she paid over $100 for that (almost 20 years ago now.)

I shudder to think what they would charge now.

Speaking of the former Best Products location, it was next door to what once was Peaches Records and Tapes. I bought so many 45's and LPs from that store I should have had stock in the place.

[notalwaysright]

Aw, poor K-mart. There is one in the shopping center that my work is in. I keep waiting for it to close, but it never does. I used to walk over for a couple things they sold for cheaper than Target, but the last two times I went both things were out of stock. And even before that, there was one cashier, very poorly trained (slooooow, I try not to blame but it was painful) and the general feeling in that store is sadness.

So now, even though it would save me a trip to my least favorite part of town, I don't bother shopping there. I know they have layaway, so maybe it's not terrible to have Christmas commercials, to get people started on their payments now?

[Racket_Man]

Speaking of retailers that have are long gone now, does anyone remember Service Merchandise or Brendle's?

GREAT store Service Merchandise I bought a lot of decent electronic type stuff back in the 1970's (in HS) when they were a big thing. I think they lasted until like the mid 1990's when I lived in the Chicago area. I had a store near where I lived.

Another similar store was Anchor Distributers. BOth great stores with decent stuff at a decent price.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

GREAT store Service Merchandise I bought a lot of decent electronic type stuff back in the 1970's (in HS) when they were a big thing. I think they lasted until like the mid 1990's when I lived in the Chicago area. I had a store near where I lived.

Another similar store was Anchor Distributers. BOth great stores with decent stuff at a decent price.

So did I back in the day (80's/early 90s.)

My first computer, the old Commodore 64c came from Service Merchandise. So did at least 2 pairs of Fisher stereo speakers, at least 2 One Step cameras (including the pink/gray one I received for HS graduation which I still have,) assorted jewelry/watches/small housewares . . . you name it, Mom probably bought it there (or at Brendles' or Best Products.)

And one more thing I recall coming from SM - the first computer desk ensemble I had when I had gotten the Commodore. This one came in 4 pieces - desk/hutch/corner unit/printer stand. It had been discontinued and Mom was able to purchase the floor demo model at a discount.