KMART FOLKS ONLY- post your comments here
 

We were singled out and told that our comments were not welcome elsewhere, so here is our spot to write in-jokes.

So how much do you tip the chickens on Kauai?

Give 'em ~:&gt;~:&gt;~:&gt; a few <font color="blue">cent<font color="black">ipedes, so they won't have to cross the road.:O)
</font></font>

Does it count if I only buy Martha Stewart from K-Mart?

I'm lying. Actually I got the coolest Christmas tree ever from K-Mart last year. It is pink fiber optic and it spins:-D

I like the KMART on Kaua'i the best even though I have to run through the rain and dodge chickens to get inside.


-Bill

I liked them better when they were Kresges, Kmart, not the chickens.

I actually went to a Wal-Mart to buy a fancy new-fangled coffee maker, does that mean I am eligible?

2/3rds of our K-Mart's have been knocked off by Tar-jay' (Target).

No offense to the Klub, but we stopped at the KMart in Kauai to buy sweatpants for the kids for the no-door heli-ride (forgot to pack warm clothes for the tropics - go figure!).

After that experience, I have to say, I still subscribe to the &quot;Rainman theory&quot;...... (Don't make me say it.)

I feel so left out!!!!

How one starts a voting proposition about opening a K-mart in San Francisco?

GoT -

Your tree spins?!? How cool is that. Anyway, am I crazy, or have I seen the fake trees that pipe out Christmas songs?

I like Kmart ok, but I really wish we could get a Target in Honolulu.

Faina....Here are the K-Marts closest to San Francisco:
Pinole
San Leandro
San Mateo
Hayward
Pleasant Hill
Get Mr Faina.Get the car.Go to K-Mart.Post a report. :D

LOL BeachBoi some report this would be:
&quot;I left my heart in San Mateo&quot;

Faina...I was in Dallas a few Thanksgivings ago with my TA...We got up early and he notcied from the newspaper that K-Mart not too far away was open on TG Day at 7am!! We had nothing else going on till early afternoon so we hopped in the car and went to KM..The place was MOBBED!! We couldnt figure out exactly why till we got to the check out line.They had a specific TV on sale that day only--$89!!! snd everyone but us had one.We laughed about it all weekend. :D

Hi TXgrandma, &quot;so how much do you tip the chickens on Kauai?&quot;. Well the last time I was there I ran around tipping over eve rchicken that I saw. Someone evidently complained and I have been banned from ever returning to Kauai. Those darn Kauai officials have no sense of humor at all!!

Kmart sucks in our town, where Wally is king! Rumor has it, he'll have to move over soon, 'cause WE'RE GETTING A Targee'!(That's French for Target!).

Can someone please tell me the difference between the shopping experience at Target v.s. Walmart...I just don't see a difference! (But everyone I've spoken with in our town is SO excited about the Target coming) #-o.

I remember a couple years ago some negative publicity about Target not supporting our military in some way...I think some veterans organization collecting at the entrance or something like that?

Belle

Belle,
It's an urban legend: http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/target.asp

I love Target; much better than Wally world.

Hi Belle, we have both a Walmart and a Target in my city.

I find our Walmart store so depressing. The employees all look so sad and overworked. They are nice but they all have such a miserable look about them it breaks my heart. Certainly not like the bubbly employees that WalMart presents on their TV ads. The store is gloomy and messy. The register lines are so long and slow.

The Target store is fresh and invivting. The employees all seem happy although I am sure they would like to make a higher wage. The store is laided out well with lots of variety.
Register lines are quick to get through. They never hesitate to open up registers if there gets to be a longer line.

Not sure if all of this is true in other cities. It could be the difference between the store managers in our city.

Regarding the military and Target. I have never heard anything negative regarding that and Travis AFB is just a few miles south of us. In fact I often see the AF people shopping in Target even though they have a PX on base. But again, maybe that is a regional difference also?

Yeah, I think my DIL told me that back then, but had forgotten, Thanks! Belle

But, please do say WHY you like it better. I've scoped out Target in the town I'm originally from, don't see a real difference between KMar, WMart (other than it's alittle newer) and Target.

What exactly brings you back to Target?

Belle

LoveItaly: Thanks! We must have been posting at the same time!

Our WMarts are not as you describe...that is our KMarts in this area. Wmart is pretty much as the TV displays in our area (with a few exeptions).

In Mobile, Target is just another Walmart in affect IMHO.

Again, thanks, I can understand why you'd prefer your Targets!

Belle

Well, I can't speak for all Kmarts, WalMarts, and Targets, but a few months ago I went shopping with a friend for ready made curtains.

The &quot;help&quot; staff at WalMart looked like they had just emerged from some major catastrophe, like an earthquake or a tsunami. They LOOKED dazed. They could not help. We could find only one curtain that my friend liked, and, of course, it was just one of a pair.

The KMart gal was no more helpful than the WalMart person, although she lacked the shocked look. We could not find anything that didn't look cheesy or cheap. Both the Wal Mart and the KMart had curtains chaotically all over the place, some in their packages and some out.

The Target store was a totally different experience. The gal came over immediately, offered suggestions on several choices, and helped find a pair of curtains where the packages hadn't been previously opened. She seemed to be someone from our planet, Earth. The curtains section was very neat and tidy.

We then went to Sears for pleated curtains. I can't recall what the Sears experience was like, except that we walked out empty-handed.

Last stop was JCPenney's. There were so many choices, I got bored and hungry at the same time. My friend and the saleslady chatted up a storm, my friend made a magnificent order - that was back in August. She has yet to receive half of those custom-made curtains.

Since I don't usually shop in any of those stores, I found the whole experience fascinating. The most I do is to go to Target's to get a storage bin/other small thing once in a blue moon. That's because the Target is convenient.

You asked about the difference in shopping in those stores, this is just one person's experience.

Hi easytraveler and belle, yes that is my experience in our Target store. Everything is in their packages. Everything is laid out so neatly. There is a lot of variety, aisle after aisle. If they are out of something (not on the shelves) the employee always says, &quot;we just got a shipment let me run in the back and see if we have it&quot; and within a few minutes they are back with a big smile and usually the item. If they don't have the item they will tell you &quot;after 2:00pm tomorrow it will here and on the shelf&quot; for example.

At our Walmart everything is such a mess. I tried to find some icecube trays awhile back (I don't have an ice maker in my refrigerator). Where they should have been was empty. I finally found an employee. She was pleasant to me (looked dazed easytraveler is the best description!) and it must of taken 20 minutes to find them. There were a couple behind the shelf that had saranwrap in another aisle. I said &quot;why are they here?&quot;. She said in a tired tone of voice &quot;oh I guess some customer dumped them here&quot;. I said &quot;well doesn't Walmart go through and put items back where the belong?&quot; Stupid question I will be the first to admit because the obvious answer was no they don't! The poor thing looked at me and said in a defeated voice &quot;I don't know&quot;. So I went and after standing in the long line for almost 10 minutes I left, leaving the trays by the candy display. Went around the corner, walked into Target. Picked up the ice cube trays, went to the register etc and was back in my car within 5 minutes.

But again, it no doubt depends on which stores one goes to and in which city/area. Happy shopping!

So, is this the KMartKlique??

I have nothing to say about the store or Kauai but I feel sorry for those who are so affected by this.
I hope there is a medical breakthrough soon and a cure (Kure?)is found :D

Belle-You might be merging the veteran's group urban legend with Target's decision to not allow the Salvation Army to stand outside and ring their bells at the stores. I think they made that decision last winter and took a lot of heat for it. It sounded bad at first, until it was explained that Target has long had a no-solicitation policy, and SA had been granted an exemption to that. Target was just trying to close the loophole once and for all, and still gives a ton of money to charities (including SA).

Fess up, people, who else can't get this song out of your head:

Take me out to the K-mart,
take me out with the crowd

Hi The Weasel, I bet you are correct! Target did ban the Salvation Army from collecting outside their doors last year. Quite a fuss was made. That happened here in our city also. I can't remember the end results. I almost think they finally allowed them to but honestly can't remember.

And TXgrandma, my apologies. You did say &quot;KMART FOLKS ONLY&quot;..we broke the rules talking about Target and Walmart.
Guess we can't read or don't retain instructions well, LOL. Sorry! Take care.

<font color="red"> Yes Scarlett, this is the KMartKlique! </font>

For those unaware of the &quot;in-joke&quot;...

K aua'i
M eans
A nother
R ainy
T rip
... or something like that. :D

<font color="red"> and Scarlett, no worries... <i> WE'LL </i> continue to smile. All is well. </font>

ALOHA!

Ya'all are invited to a GTG. Click on my name.

KMART

<b>K</b>auai
<b>M</b>orons
<b>A</b>lways
<b>R</b>egurgitating
<b>T</b>rash

Faina, I left my liver in <i>SAN RAQUELLLLLLLLL</i>
(God Bless the late, great, Dr Don Rose)

Count me in!

Having lived on an 8-square mile island for the past 13 years with NO shopping to speak of (not even a pair of tennis shoes, blue jeans, or your preferred brand of shampoo), my first stop when back in the US is ALWAYS one of either Target, Wal-Mart or Super K-Mart.

To have so much in one store is just beyond my comprehension now, even though I had it enmass before. Heck, I've been known to make the mouths of cashier's drop in Eckerd Drugs, Walgreen's, or Duane Reed with my mass shopping spree of things that people pick up in little bits on a daily basis. :D

Gotta take that twice a year splurge when I can, though. ;)

So, you're in good company TXgrandma. And, I'm from TX, too, BTW. :)

Yes TheWeasel, I think that was it, but there was an additional 'urban legend' regarding the military...thanks for clearing it all up!
Thanks to LoveItaly and easytraveler for sharing your experiences...Kmart is that way here, but not Walmart. Maybe Target will be even better, we'll see ( I don't recall that being the case when I've been to the one in Mobile, however.

It's funny how things change, when I was in college, Parisian was the store with helpful, knowlegable employees that would search for things on the rack for you etc. Now, in our area, they are the absent or preoccupied or self absorbed ones.


And thanks to makai1 for explaining the inside meaning of Kmart. Sorry for trying to horn in on the club! Maybe one day, I'll be a card carrying member!(Ha!):))

Belle

I've never been to a KMARt because I don't drive, nor a Target.

Wow! How do you get by without driving? Do you actually have decent public transportation where you live? Or what???

Orcas, like Portland, Boston (where cigale lives) has a good system for city folk to avoid having to drive.
And with the traffic that I remember when we were in Boston, I think even less cars would be a good thing.
Sooo many people in NYC don't drive either.

Oh Boston! It is so true, Scarlett. I think it is best if they don't drive. We have friends from NJ who moved here. It's sort of like NYC, I guess. They got so very many tickets at first, as the police tried to rein them in. They were shocked they couldn't schmooz their way out of tickets. One of them even tried arguing with a police officer. It didn't go over too well.
I had trouble when I first moved to Seattle from Portland, if you can believe that. I was used to more polite traffic (Bostonians can't believe traffic could be more polite than Seattle). Also, I have to admit, I was used to cops that used to let you go a bit over the speed limit. I got a lesson in that on my third day in the Seattle metro area and have been crawling on the residential roads ever since.
Sigh. All our KMarts have closed. But we do have Targets. Have you discovered TJ Maxx and Marshalls yet? Don't know if you had them in FL. And Nordstrom's rack, of course. Good shopping!
Have you noticed we west coasters close out the US board at night?

Yes, it does get a bit more quiet in the US at night :)

I lived in NY before my year in Hell -er- Florida. So I do know about Marshalls and of course, Nordstroms!!
I got my new Portland raincoat in Norstroms :D

I try not to speed when driving here because I still have my Fl drivers license..I know the police will have no mercy LOL

They will have no mercy, even when you get your Oregon license.

I was in Portland last weekend. I thought of you as I drove into town. I really miss it. We ate at a great Lebanese restaurant on the east side called Yah Alla, or something like that.

We went to the Beaverton Farmer's Market. It was so great - windy, with orange leaves blowing over the grass, nearly blowing the tents over. They had a band playing traditional band type music. We got some yummy pastries, coffee and sat on a bench watching the world go by. Got great apple cider.

Do you know about the in-home studio tour art show every year? We just discovered it! It's on the eastside one weekend, and on the westside the next, which was last weekend. Several artists open their homes and you can go from house to house (driving carefully so as not to get a ticket, of course). They have wine and cheese. They sell calendars in June with the tour on them. Here's the website:

http://www.portlandopenstudios.com/

It is too cool. I hope to come for it next year. We just stumbled upon it last weekend, as one of my friend's neighbors is an artist and her house was on the tour!

Enjoy, Scarlett! I'm so glad you moved here. Do you know of the cool dog parks to take Pup?

A sweet friend of mine, elaine, sent a book called A Bark in the Park..all the parks that allow dogs or have off leash areas for dogs in Portland and surroundings.
We took him to Gabriel Park and we have been invited to a Poodle Party at Council Crest :)
Pup is very happy here, he is welcome in all stores ( but groceries) and he is happy that so many people want to pet him ((&amp;))
I am so glad I am here too :D

Thanks for the link!!

Hey, i just wrote to you Scarlett, on another thread (teh one about who writes all the responses about worldwise places) and asked about Pup the Poodle.
Since the topic now seems to have veered away slightly from KMart or KMART, I will add that my kids/grandkids are probably moving to Portland. They have a househunting trip planned for mid November. Thanks for the glowing description, Orcas.

Just read this one after many more posts and days.

LoveItaly, our few remaining Wal-Marts are like yours exactly. One in Bridgeview, IL looks like the insides were mixed with a mixmaster.

Our Targets are totally the opposite and carry different brands in many cases than do the K-Mart or Wal-Mart stores. And I think that outside of J.C.Penney they have the biggest, trendiest, and widest assortment of housewares in one place. For instance, outside of IKEA or Carsons, you will be more apt to find the exact Oxo peeler or higher end small appliance at Target than anywhere. It's to the point where young ones are registering for their showers at Target, Pier One, Field's. (Not a group normally combined, IMHO.)

Near Chicagoland and in MI, Wal-Marts and Targets are not similar except maybe in the size.

The biggest difference between Target and the other big box stores is that Target hires some of the best designers in their field to design lines for Target at reduced prices.

Example:

A Liz Lange Maternity top in her store $200

A Liz Lange Maternity top in Target $35

Their list of designers is impressive:

Isaack Mizrahi

Liz Lange

Michael Graves (how many can afford one of his designs elsewhere?)

Sonia Kashuk (her sable makeup brushes at Target are one of the best deals on the planet)

Mossimo

Great store, one of my favorites for the money instead of cheap ripoffs.

Fantastic home furnishings.