We're losing our Mart of K later this month

[Pacman000]

Let's remember happier times for K-Mart:

http://www.nytimes.com/1982/09/25/business/woolworth-calls-it-quits-on-woolco.html

Not happier if you're a Woolworth's fan, but this is a K-Mart thread. 

[sprite75]

Let's remember happier times for K-Mart:

http://www.nytimes.com/1982/09/25/business/woolworth-calls-it-quits-on-woolco.html

Not happier if you're a Woolworth's fan, but this is a K-Mart thread. 

Yeah, we used to have a Woolworth's in our local mall.  We never went to the mall all that much when I was growing up so I was only in there a few times.  They had left in the mid 80s.  I know Woolworth's here in the US eventually became Foot Locker, and I think we had one for a while at the mall but they're gone too now.   

[Trevor]

Let's remember happier times for K-Mart:

http://www.nytimes.com/1982/09/25/business/woolworth-calls-it-quits-on-woolco.html

Not happier if you're a Woolworth's fan, but this is a K-Mart thread. 

Yeah, we used to have a Woolworth's in our local mall.  We never went to the mall all that much when I was growing up so I was only in there a few times.  They had left in the mid 80s.  I know Woolworth's here in the US eventually became Foot Locker, and I think we had one for a while at the mall but they're gone too now.   

Woolworths is still very active in South Africa. www.woolworths.co.za

[ER]

I think this shows us that everything ends. Woolworth's, Life Magazine, Newsweek, News of the World, the WB, K-Mart, soon Sears, newspapers everywhere are teetering. Why one day Wal-Mart, Microsoft, Apple, the big three US broadcast networks will go too. So will western civilization, Shakespeare, even China will be gone one day. Eventually the sun will do its obesity thing and sizzle the planets, our galaxy will collide with the Andromeda galaxy, and supposedly the universe will implode. Nothing lasts except eternity, and some in the neo-Gnostical community that is science ask us to trust them on faith that we should not to be too sure of that.

[sprite75]

Let's remember happier times for K-Mart:

http://www.nytimes.com/1982/09/25/business/woolworth-calls-it-quits-on-woolco.html

Not happier if you're a Woolworth's fan, but this is a K-Mart thread. 

Yeah, we used to have a Woolworth's in our local mall.  We never went to the mall all that much when I was growing up so I was only in there a few times.  They had left in the mid 80s.  I know Woolworth's here in the US eventually became Foot Locker, and I think we had one for a while at the mall but they're gone too now.   

Woolworths is still very active in South Africa. www.woolworths.co.za

I've noticed that too that they're active in places like South Africa and Australia.  There's a separate K-Mart in Australia that was founded in part by the original US company but now has no connection to them.  They are doing much, much better than the Mart of K here in the US and will probably be around long after Sears collapses.  Last year they had A$470 million in income.

Back when I worked at Wally world 20 years ago they started putting stores in Germany.  They left Germany about 10 years ago.  Main reason for the failure was that they just tried to drop Wally world into Germany and did not account for the cultural differences. 

[sprite75]

The Mart of K here is going to partially become a VA clinic.

The new home for a VA clinic in Dubuque has been chosen at 2600 Dodge Street in Dubuque. The former KMart has been vacant for about one year, but now construction on the clinic is set to begin as early as next month.

The new location would mean a quick check up for some veterans in the tri-state area, instead of spending a day traveling to and from Iowa City.

Architects are already creating designs for the outside and inside of the building.

Currently for some veterans in northeast Iowa, they describe their current check ups in Iowa City as all day events, but with a new clinic coming to Dubuque, it provides them a convenient resource to healthcare

I knew that something was up with the ol Mart of K since they had covered up all the windows and had some vehicles parked by the building. 

[Pacman000]

I should note that Sears franchises are now owned by a separate company; even if the main Sears company fails the name will live on.

[316zombie]

that is great news , sprite! the VA needs far more rural clinics.

[FatFreddysCat]

I worked for K-Mart for a couple of years in the late '80s/early '90s. I often say that the experience gave me a drinking problem, 20 extra pounds, and a 1000 percent increase in  my hatred for humanity.

...that said, I'm kinda surprised that the Sears/K-Mart chain is still in existence. The merger of the two companies in the early '00s did neither of them any good. It seems like they've been circling the drain forever.

My brother worked for Sears for many years -- but when the merger with KMart was about to happen, our uncle (who had been a big wig in Sears security, but was retired by this time) called him up and told him, and I quote -- "Get the f*** out of there. Eddie Lampert (incoming CEO) is going to RUIN that company."

...so my brother got out, and though he's jumped in and out of a couple of jobs since then, he's still glad he did. The Sears he used to work at closed for good at the end of last year.

The K-Mart store I worked at is gone as well.

Soon it'll be an all Wal-Mart/Amazon world. 

[FatFreddysCat]

A fellow former K-Mart employee sent me this article a while back: apparently they still love K-Mart on the island of Guam. The store there is a tourist attraction!

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-last-place-on-earth-where-everyone-still-loves-kmart-guam-1516118140

[sprite75]

I should note that Sears franchises are now owned by a separate company; even if the main Sears company fails the name will live on.

Yeah Sears Hometown.  We have one here.  I haven't been in it yet.  Haven't had much need to do so. 

[Pacman000]

http://www.hardwareretailing.com/sears-hometown-close-100-stores/

Sears plans to close 100 hometown stores this year. :(

[sprite75]

And now the Sears Hometown store here is shutting down.

For the second time in less than five years, a store bearing the Sears name is preparing to close its doors in Dubuque.

Sears Hometown Store has commenced a liquidation sale and will close Dec. 23, according to owner Rick Jaeger. The closure will come less than 15 months after the store opened at 2535 Northwest Arterial.

Never did get around to going there.  Just never felt the need to do so.

[sprite75]

Someone else decided to move into the western 1/3 of our former Mart of K.  That being Joann Fabrics, who are going to move from their current location behind the mall. 

They probably thought that would be a more visible spot than they were behind the mall and they are going to have more room.

[sprite75]

And now we're going to lose our Ko of Shop too.

Shopko Stores announced today that it will close all of its locations, including those in Dubuque and Dyersville, Iowa, and Lancaster, Wis.

A press release states that, "despite the company's best efforts, it was unable to find a buyer" that would enable the stores to remain open.

"As a result, Shopko will commence an orderly wind-down of its retail operations beginning this week," the release stated. "Further, the company is evaluating strategic options for its optical business."

All stores are expected to close by June 16.