Kmart

Gone are the days of kids taunting each other with jokes referencing wardrobe choices from Kmart purchased by moms. Our Kmart is still hanging on, and I think that says something. Martha Stewart did her time, and so did the «Big K» logo which disappeared some time ago. Sometime in the early 2000’s, Kmart incorporated Sears appliances and tools at their stores. I am chagrined to say that it probably only made a splash in the small towns an hour away from shopping metropolises.
I enjoy Kmart. It has always had something to offer that Walmart and Target do not have. And I mean in every department. A few years ago, Rebecca Bonbon was the rage, and you could only get it at Kmart. Toys and makeup offer an interesting selection. Ditto for girls’ clothing. Seasonal sales are terrific. Hats and mittens go for dirt cheap. And what’s more is that Little Caesars Pizza has Kmart’s back, and is usually somewhere nearby.
The reason I only gave it three stars is because the prices are high in general. We have to be careful what we purchase here. And, I once had a manager tell me that he was reprimanded because he was rude to a customer with a speech impediment. He told the story in joke form. I was dismayed that after a situation like that that he was still employed there. It is entirely possible that he was fired within the day, so who knows.
There is a good guy from Jeresy that works hard here, and a Charlie’s Angel that designs and promotes clothing without Barrymore collars or belled bottoms.

I visited this KMART with a friend who was trying to get her lottery tickets scanned, which is advertised as a service at KMART. The lady who helped her at customer service had difficulty with the equipment and instead of apologizing, kept leaving her to help others at the register. Instead of saying «we can’t do it» she tried on and off (while talking with customers, associates, VERY distracted) for over an hour and never finished scanning my friend’s tickets. The lady was slow, not-​customer oriented, and kept finding distractions so that she didn’t have to keep trying to help. She didn’t apologize. If they don’t have the equipment or personnel to support the lottery properly, they should not advertise the service.
A manager finally came over to help watch the registers while the lady used the scanner. But the initial employee continued to scan, talk to others, waste time between attempts, and was not called on the carpet by the manager. It sure left us having no confidence, and also not feeling welcome.
Maybe their other departments work more efficiently than customer service, but I have no confidence in their ability to support the NC State lottery. They never made a call for assistance while we were present, for 85 minutes.