The Slow Death of Kmart Continues

[Burb8145]

The store-closing liquidation sale has officially begun at the Super Kmart in Southgate.

[Ypsi]

The store-closing liquidation sale has officially begun at the Super Kmart in Southgate.

The liquidation prices were sweet. Had them this winter, went for random stuff and got 50-80% off. Now the Ypsi Kmart sits as empty as the neighboring farmer jack that closed probably a decade ago.

[ns8401]

The store-closing liquidation sale has officially begun at the Super Kmart in Southgate.

The liquidation prices were sweet. Had them this winter, went for random stuff and got 50-80% off. Now the Ypsi Kmart sits as empty as the neighboring farmer jack that closed probably a decade ago.

The Kmart is becoming a home furnishings store. That Farmer Jack opened in 2001 and closed in 2002 or 2003. A flash in the pan so to speak.

[SousaKerry]

Well Friday we got an early Christmas present from Sears Holdings Inc. in the form of thanks for your 4 years of service now please go F&^% yourself.

Sears Auto determined that my wife was redundant in their new structure. She was terminated with no severance package because she was only part time (that's another story) full time employees got a day of pay per year of service or something like that.

You know a store is in serious trouble when they start letting people go before Christmas rush.

My wife was the top sales person at the Jackson store on a regular basis for years beating out the full time employees. She trained the department lead, had more time in the department then anyone else, was the only person who was requested to fill in at other stores when they needed help. But none of that mattered to the bean counters in Chicago. They chose based on seniority with the company. The guy they kept had the worst sales, was kicked out of tools cause no-one could work with him, and had previously said he would not take orders from the new female assistant manager.

The Jackson store also let go 2 techs and 1 other sales person. The entire Auto Center now has 3 sales people consisting of a Manager an Assistant Manager and a Customer Service Adviser. Good luck Sears in running the place with 3 people.

Ok rant over, BTW boycott these jacka$$es and lets watch them go down the toilet.

[Benchedthatpiece]

We still have our Kmart in Sanford.... well we did last week anyway?
I'll shop there, but I'll shop anywhere except Wally World. You can't pay
me enough to shop there!


Jay

[Ben Higdon]

Well Friday we got an early Christmas present from Sears Holdings Inc. in the form of thanks for your 4 years of service now please go F&^% yourself.

Sears Auto determined that my wife was redundant in their new structure. She was terminated with no severance package because she was only part time (that's another story) full time employees got a day of pay per year of service or something like that.

You know a store is in serious trouble when they start letting people go before Christmas rush.

My wife was the top sales person at the Jackson store on a regular basis for years beating out the full time employees. She trained the department lead, had more time in the department then anyone else, was the only person who was requested to fill in at other stores when they needed help. But none of that mattered to the bean counters in Chicago. They chose based on seniority with the company. The guy they kept had the worst sales, was kicked out of tools cause no-one could work with him, and had previously said he would not take orders from the new female assistant manager.

The Jackson store also let go 2 techs and 1 other sales person. The entire Auto Center now has 3 sales people consisting of a Manager an Assistant Manager and a Customer Service Adviser. Good luck Sears in running the place with 3 people.

Ok rant over, BTW boycott these jacka$$es and lets watch them go down the toilet.

Who are the "jacka$$es"? The bean counter? Probably overworked, underpaid and following orders. Corporate managers? Overworked and underpaid may be questionable, but probably following orders. The CEO who gets a golden parachute? Sure they get ridiculous compensation, but it is likely small compared to the amount of shareholder value that is preserved/created by his or her actions. The demands of shareholders for returns on their investments determine the CEO's actions. Blame the shareholders? That could be every Joe Schmoe you pass on the street. Our economic system and consumer buying patterns create these corporations, and there will always be a range of success from the winners to the Sears's. In my opinion the easiest to blame are the people who make no effort to put their spending dollars in the hands of small business, or at least in the hands of companies who hold some values (for example, treating their employees well).

I'm sure there are plenty of people who would be happy to shoot holes in this viewpoint...just my two cents!

[J T]

Our economic system and consumer buying patterns create these corporations, and there will always be a range of success from the winners to the Sears's. In my opinion the easiest to blame are the people who make no effort to put their spending dollars in the hands of small business, or at least in the hands of companies who hold some values (for example, treating their employees well).

I'm sure there are plenty of people who would be happy to shoot holes in this viewpoint...just my two cents!

I agree with this. Listening to the news earlier, I heard Sears was planning on selling a lot of property and stores and then leasing that space back to keep the stores running. Now that sounds like a company that's in trouble.

I don't know anyone who shops at Sears (or KMart for that matter). Back in the 70s and 80s I did, but not now. Shopping at Sears is an antiquated concept and with all the options today, many of these old department stores are going to suffer a slow death, creating a lot of victims (like Kerry's wife) along the way. It's only a matter of time before that Jackson store doesn't exist any more.

[Ben Higdon]

My guess with the Jackson store is that they have a lease to ride out and are cutting the highest paid workers and leaving a bare bones crew to handle whatever customers fall in their laps until the lease is up. What point would there be in investing resources in high quality (and presumably long term) employees when you know the place is going to close in the near term?

[TSB]

Sorry about your wife and family SousaKerry but I doubt the beancounters had a hand in it. From the rest
of your post, I would guess (educated) that the selection process was determined by the lawyers.

I haven't spent much time in Kmart since my high school friend, Joe Antonini (sp) the then CEO of Kmart
was blamed for their failures that were firmly in place before his tenure.

About that time I noticed that when I went into a Kmart, the floor employees stood around talking among themselves
and avoiding contact with customers. The people at the registers were rude and the attitude of the workforce seemed
to be "this is our place, you are a nuisance."

That attitude seems to grow in businesses over time and is the kiss of death. I sense it now at Lowe's. Seniority is
a two edged sword.

If I were still running a business, I would hire your wife the day she walked in.

[TC Man]

I'm surprised we still have two "Big" K-Mart stores in the Traverse City area. I suspect the one on the east side will see it's final blow when our second Meijer store opens next year just a few miles away. The one at the Cherryland Center/Mall will last longer as it's 4-5 miles from the nearest Super Wal-Mart and Meijer. It's in the same mall as Sears, so I bet they stay.