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| From | Stewart Mason <flamingo@theworld.com> |
| Subject | Re: New York notes |
| Date | Thu, 04 Dec 2003 14:30:35 -0500 |
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At 01:48 PM 12/4/2003 -0500, Ray wrote:
>Kmart is suffering everywhere because they're not big enough.
As someone who used to work for KMart -- hands down the worst job I have
*ever* had, and that includes the time I worked in a slaughterhouse --
trust me, that's not the only reason they're suffering. Poor store layout
and design and a terrible merchandise mix are a lot of it, but what it
boils down to is that KMart's management has stuck to the playbook they
helped pioneer in the '60s, and they haven't realized how shopping patterns
have changed in that time.
>Although I don't
>think you can compare the Kmart in the old Wanamaker spot to what's
>happening in Soho.
Is that KMart the one that's in...I forget the name of the square, but it's
a few blocks from St. Marks Place and near the Voice building? I've ducked
in there a couple of times to use the restroom, and it reminded me of one
fundamental thing: I have never been in a KMart that wasn't just dirty and
jumbled.
Personally, we do a lot of our shopping at Target -- primarily because
there's a Target about a mile from our house and it's either that or the
overpriced and dirty CVS on Comm Ave -- and I'm always struck about how
brilliantly a simple concept like using good graphic design in your print
and TV ads as well as your in-store signage, and integrating a few lines of
affordable but well-designed household goods into an otherwise entirely
standard discount store mix, works in transforming a store into a place
that's a pleasure to shop in. Fundamentally, Target isn't that different
from KMart or Wal-Mart, but where shopping in KMart is a horror and
shopping in Wal-Mart is a chore, shopping in Target is fun.
And frankly, any store that uses Suicide Commandos and Lene Lovich songs in
their TV ads has my vote anyway.
S
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