Sears and K-Mart Merger

[Konaguy]

Re: Waipahu Kmart Closing

I certainly won't miss the KMart. I think I've been inside one of their stores once, and vowed never again.

I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad time at Kmart . All I can say is not
every Kmart is like that.

[Konaguy]

Re: Waipahu Kmart Closing

Hey let's not stomp on Aaron's turf here.

Naw I won't hold it against him. He can always go to Costco and get real
customer service there

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Waipahu Kmart Closing

Ha ha! das cool braddah Aaron, you da man!

[pzarquon]

Re: Waipahu Kmart Closing

Sears plans Waikele hybrid
Andrew Gomes, Honolulu Advertiser, Oct. 5, 2004

Sears, Roebuck and Co. plans to open a new type of store in Waikele next spring where shoppers will be able to buy a refrigerator and the milk that goes in it. The department store retailer is establishing a chain of stand-alone stores that combine merchandise offerings of a typical mall-based Sears mixed with convenience store and consumable items such as magazines, beauty aids, CDs, juice and frozen pizzas.

So not so much "upscale" as it is a more broader array of offerings. Sears plus 7-11, or Wal-Mart plus Home Depot. Interesting. I don't know how it'll work, though... how people will be able to think "Sears" for anything beyond "clothes, tools, and durable goods." When I want detergent or a frozen pizza, I go to a department store (or CostCo)!

[adrian]

Re: Waipahu Kmart Closing

Waikele is adding more businesses lately.

When I went there this week, I saw the new starbucks and Jamba Juice, and there'll be a Gamestop opening there (yay!! Borders, Gamestop and CompUSA: stores that would serve my purpose) *squeals like a schoolgirl*

[Miulang]

Sears and K-Mart merging

Dey wen just go announce dat Sears and KMart going merge. Dey each going keep their own names (not turn into "S-Mart"). The conglomerate going get about 3,400 stores, which should start rivaling WM and Target. It will be the 3rd largest US retailer.

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1040_22-5...tag=zdnn.alert

Miulang

[pzarquon]

Re: Sears and K-Mart Merger

Interesting stuff! From the financial standpoint, it's essentially K-Mart buying Sears. Yet, the end result will be slightly more Sears stores. At first blush it seems the opposite of what was reported here in Hawaii -- K-Marts turning into Sears -- but that will actually happen nationwide, because of "the more well regarded Sears nameplate."

So we knew back in October that was something was up... we just didn't know how big the deal was.

Having a hefty "number three" behind Walmart and Target will definitely change the marketplace. But it will make the absence of Target here in Hawaii even more stark.

[Miulang]

Re: Sears and K-Mart Merger

Actually, Home Depot in second in size to WM and SMart is third.

I like shopping at Target. They're funky and fun, and Hawai'i doesn't have any stores! .

Miulang

[Mocha]

Re: Sears and K-Mart Merger

Has anyone ever figured out why Target has yet to come to our shores? And I asked on the mainland stores why Eddie Bauer closed their one store here and they said they didn't know the reason. Bath & Bodyworks would surely give Body Shop a run for it's money if they opened up here. I always buy B&BW items to give to friends here in HI. I rarely go to K-Mart but do shop at Sears, their quality in their clothingline has improved over the years.

[Miulang]

Re: Sears and K-Mart Merger

Sears bought out Lands End a couple of years ago, so that's helping improve the quality of their clothing line. And Martha Stewart's line of bedding and bath towels that are sold at KMart are actually pretty good quality, too.

Miulang

[adrian]

Re: Sears and K-Mart Merger

Who first posted this?

Its good to see that things on Hawaiithreads.com popping up now, and we knew of this a few months earlier.

[Konaguy]

Re: Sears and K-Mart Merger

What a shocker for me as I was eating my ceareal this morning at around 5am.
I saw on the headline news news ticker about this merger.Anyway I'm
not surprised this transpired as Edward Lampert of ESL Investments is
the majority shareholder in both Sears and Kmart. He made a killing today
on paper.

http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-b...-leadheadlines

Can two struggling, old-line retailers save each other from the onslaught of more successful giant discounters?

That's the idea behind Kmart's $11-billion buyout of Sears, announced Wednesday, which combines two American icons under the Sears name. Both chains will still exist, but executives signaled they plan to use Kmart locations as a platform to expand Sears.

Kmart, on the other hand, will shrink down through those conversions as well as a yet-to-be-determined number of store closings. Ultimately, though no executive would say this, Kmart could even disappear, driven out by brutal competition from Wal-Mart and other discount stores such as Costco and Target.

[Albert]

Re: Sears and K-Mart Merger

Probably be gobbled up by Wal-Mart sooner or later, will make it easier for them to grab K-Mart and Sears at the same time.

[Miulang]

Re: Sears and K-Mart Merger

Finally, finally, the boards of both KMart and Sears have agreed to the merger.

So now Martha Stewart's towels and sheets belong to Sears, which has everything.

Look out WM. #3 is gaining steam.

Miulang