Kmart is suffering everywhere because they're not big enough. Although I
don't
think you can compare the Kmart in the old Wanamaker spot to what's
happening
in Soho. Like you said, rents are high; for residents as well as businesses.
People need a place where they can buy things at lower prices. I saw a great
lamp that I really wanted down on the Bowery, but at 250, it was out of my
price range. I ended up buying one at the Rainbow Stores near me for 25.
The best thing about Kmart is the shoes. I can never find shoes because I
have
a wide foot. They're the only store I've found that has a good selection
where
I can pick the shoes I want instead of having to pick one of the one or two
styles
that the other stores have wide in.

I agree about the Costco phenomenon. I tried going to the one across the
river
from eighty first street or so. The problem is getting the stuff home, with
a
cab or 3 buses being the only way to get things home. And most things are
way
too big for our baronial studios.

Soho has turned into a mall, I'll buy that. The galleries are pretty much
gone.
But hey, there are more in Chelsea now than there were before. And the
little
stores have moved over to the Lower East Side, so they're there if you still
want them.

The hell with Broadway. There are dozens and dozens of off and off broadway
shows available for half the price, lots with some of the biggest stars. I
haven't gone to a Broadway show that I paid for since I moved here in 95.

I thought K-rock with Howard Stern was Viacom. WBGO 88.3 comes in from
somewhere
in Jersey if you need a jazz station (ah, you said commercial. sorry). Did
Viacom sell their stations? They had 1010wins, cbs am, cbs fm, wnew, Krock
and
some others not too long ago. The Clear Channel stations in NYC are classic
rock 104.3,
Jammin 105 for so-called R+B, Lite 106 for office muzak, and KTU for dance.

I've seen a couple of disturbing things lately. On 77th street and second
avenues,
there are four or five huge obnoxious lit signs that don't at all fit into
the
neighborhood. And over on the West Side at 79th and Broadway, there's a
giant TV
screen on top of the subway entrance. Signs of things to come...

Ray