Dying Kmart

Once an old favorite and now a largely ignored one, Kmart, is gasping for breath as it's holding company Sears (also in trouble of failing) announces more closures of K Mart stores. I rue the death of K Mart as it has been a part of American culture and low cost shopping since it's founding in 1962. The Kmart of old was the Wal mart of today, the quintessential replacement of the old time department store. It gave quality goods at low prices. Who could forget the rambling of the Dustin Hoffman autistic savant character, Ray, in the film repeating over and over to Tom Cruise that in order to buy underpants "got to go to Kmart" in order to get them. For Only Kmart sold the best underpants.

I like Kmart and still visit one of the few remaining stores here in Portland. I know the merchandise is dated and I hear the K mart jokes. But I feel nostalgic when in the store at the same time that I notice the lesser quality of its often dated goods, the thin crowd of shoppers and the unkempt look of a business not able to hire enough employees to keep it eat and clean. But I buy things there because I like the offerings, especially the throwback items. Maybe an old timer like me still appreciates Kmart because he likes being able to purchase the same outdated clothes or shoes always worn and still desired.

I miss the standard greeting Kmart gave to all who walked threw its doors, "Welcome to Kmart"! It always seemed that they meant it and wanted me there for more reasons than spending money. And every Kmart shopper remembers the  announcement in the store that came every few minutes. "Attention Kmart Shoppers", the voice announcing the sale of the moment that was only to last a matter of a few more minutes. "Our Blue Light Special today is....."  Shoppers everywhere in the store would descend as directed to the sale item area of the Blue Light special. (And there really was a revolving blue light shining at the sale area)  Middle aged women in tennis shoes at a Blue Light sale are like a special forces strike against an enemy.

I have bought so much at Kmart during my life, for myself, my daughter and just about everyone else in my life who needed something and wouldn't sneer that it came from Kmart.  Kmart had it all. My parents passed down to me their love for Kmart, because when growing up we had Kmart stores everywhere.  It was the go-to store then,  as Wal mart is now. Wal mart should send a thank you note to Kmart for inventing to concept of the low-cost, everything you need outlet.  For some years now, broken by Wal mart and modern shopping preferences that have made Kmart a dinosaur, Kmart has been spiraling downward while looking emptier and shabbier. Yet, even in it dying days, it still has the ambiance of what made it special to so many. It was a friendly, no, it was a comforting place. The sterility of most of today's stores is such than those who never shopped at Kmart will never understand that.

Every time K mart sheds a few dozen more stores, I remember what Kmart was and what it meant to me. And it also reminds me of what is to come, more favorites holding funerals for a style of merchandising that is almost extinct.  Yet, somehow today's sterile shopping experience, the one click method, will never be a fun as was Kmart. Even when Kmart ultimately dies, it will still be with me. Oh well, it was a great ride while it lasted..