The "K-Mart" experience

[pisces]

K-mart might be in bankruptcy, but you'd never know it from my very pleasant experience there yesterday.

Consumer Reports recently did a rating of all the wholesalers with, of course, K-mart coming in last and, naturally, Costco, coming up first.

Well, that hasn't been my experience. All K-mart's shelves were stocked quite nicely, linens and towels, which was pretty much what I was in the market for, were folded nicely in neat piles and there was a general order and lack of clutter, unlike WalMart which tends to clutter its sales floor with big piles of merchandise unshelved.

Listen, I've jeered Martha Stewart in the past, I even did a negative review on epinions a while back on her. That was with her TV show, but I'm telling you her Everyday collection at K-mart is nothing but quality all the way.

I bought a huge Martha Stewart Everyday 100% cotton blanket (It gets a little chilly here at night) in white for $12.99 with a special discount of 10% that I think K-mart has going on right now for two days.

I saw a gorgeous Martha "Velux" blanket in sort of a beige-y gold in a high threadcount polyester--those sort of fancy hotel style blankets--for only 14.99 with 10% discount. I didn't buy it because its not that cold here at night, but I am thinking about going back since I'm sure the price will go up around fall/winter when I could use something like this.

Also, all of Martha Stewart Everyday blankets and bedding are packaged really nicely in a sturdy plastic that zips up and around. The quality of the packaging, and the products themselves outdoes even such department stores as the JCPenny Collection where I usually buy linens and bedding back when I could afford it.

Anyway, I then bought another one of her 100% Egyptian cotton bath towels in black, which I find are big enough to use as a beach towel. Very fluffy and only $6.99, but then even less then that with the discount.

K-mart's house brand "Home Essentials" is not nearly as nice or as high quality as Martha Stewart Everyday. I know she's having problems and troubles, but I give her a lot of credit for putting out quality stuff.

So anyway, I then bought for $19.99 one of her cast-iron skillets with ridges which came with a Martha recipe for spice-rubbed grilled salmon. At first I thought it came with the salmon, gasp, but then I realized, no, just the recipe. Haven't used it yet. And, no discount on any of her cookware. But, I'm quite pleased. It's hard to find a quality cast-iron skillet that is light enough to maneuver and not warped or busted, since I usually by cast-iron at yard sales and swap-meets.

SOME OTHER THINGS I SAW: The Martha Stewart Colored Straws for 99 cents--in Martha's favorite colors--had a good laugh at those. Her cooking utensils: Passed on those. I can buy my own Chinese strainers and rolling pins from kitchen discount outlets and see no particular reason for purchasing special Marth utensils. Her flatware is a little oversize and too big.

All in all, I think K-mart has a winner with Martha Stewart Everyday, and I will definitely be purchasing more of her stuff in the future.

Plus, all of the service and sales people at K-mart were very nice and helpful. As opposed to the cold service you get at Costco where they tell you to get out if you don't pay the membership fee!

Bankruptcy or not, I think K-mart is a winner.

[frazzledspice]

K-Mart is the only store I know of where a customer can self-scan their purchases, pay by credit or debit card, and check themselves out.

This is pretty innovative, and can be quite helpful when lines are long.

But the lines are never long in the K-Mart in our town, whereas the Wal-Mart parking lot is always full about 15 cars back.

I shop at K-Mart occasionally, but find the one-stop grocery/other necessities shopping at the Wal-Mart Supercenter to be more convenient.

Much as I like Wal-Mart for everyday shopping, I think that it needs some competition, and that's why I shop at K-Mart sometimes.

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

I love Kmart. I've never had some of the problems others have mentioned. Target is OK for some stuff, but there's other stuff that you just go to Kmart for.

My favorite is the Kmart in Penn Station - the only place in midtown Manhattan where you can get No Nonsense pantyhose (to replace what you snagged on the train), a plant (for the secretary whose birthday you just remembered), and a CD (to listen to on the commute home).

[pluckyduck]

Our local K mart is a dive, but it is one of the very few RL stores I frequent. As much as I don't care for Martha The Person, I love Martha's line at Kmart. Makes me willing to pick my way through the boxes of cereal strewn in the aisles.

Andrea

[taurusmoon]

I truly believe that the Kmarts in this area exist solely as one of the trials of Tartarus.

Ain't no way, no how I'd step foot in one. Well, okay that's a lie. I've gone in there in an act of desperation, but each time I swear it's the last. Unfortunately, I've lied those times too.

Sara

[pisces]

Nothing could be worse than Costco. I've been stopped at the door because I didn't purchase a membership. Just to browse?

I think all these membership wharehouses are nothing but big scam-artists. I guess it's good business. They don't have to pay service employees, other than the front door wardens. I'm taking my dollars elsewhere, though.

I don't know how Costco came out first in Consumer Reports.

And, it's unfair to compare a Wharehouse Superstore, Costco, with a Variety Store which is more what Kmart is. Consumer Reports just lumped them all together, even though they all sell different merchandise.

[magenta321]

Pisces, they actually sell very similar merchendise.

Yes, Costco focuses on food and Kmart focuses on clothes and home goods, but they both go both ways. One can buy food, electronics, home good, clothing, office supplies, cds, dvds and a lot of other stuff at both stores.

Personally, I don't enjoy either store. They are a means to an end.

I like shopping online soooo much better