So as I was Saying
The announcement came a few days ago. I read it with great trepidation. The Kmart store, where I spent a great deal of time in when I was a kid, was on the hit list, and would soon be closed. I hadn't been in that store in a few years, but hey, my disappointment should be evident.
When I was seven years old, we moved to a subdivision in the middle of nowhere. Literally. The pavement ended at our street (actually a block up, but is anyone counting?), and turned into gravel from there on. Of course, that areas is now all built up, but back then, the only thing you could see were acres of cornfields. Until one day, about a year after we moved in.
It was less than a mile away, and it would spring up out of sea of nothingness. In all of it's aqua marine (remember the smocks all the clerks wore) glory. A Kmart store was built on that empty field. A tornado had knocked down a drive-in theater that was at that spot, and the only things left standing were a bunch of speaker poles. But once that store opened, the world would arrive for for an eight year old kid.
And it had everything. A great toy department for when I was real young, and cool sporting goods (okay, the quality wasn't the best, but it was cheap). There was also a place to get your car fixed, and get your pictures taken. They had it all. At the front door, there was a big air popper,, so the whole place smelled like popcorn. My friends and I thought this was the greatest place in the world.
When I was about ten, I was allowed to walk (or ride our bikes) the mile on way to the store. I think it can safely be said, that for the next four or five years, I was at that place every day. There was no need for a reason, maybe it was buying baseball cards, or eating the sub sandwiches they sold. At the time, I thought those subs were great. When I was in my 20's I stopped in for one, and realized how bad they really were.
There was also an important lesson that I learned at Kmart. That is, never forget mothers day. Now let me preface this by saying that I really don't buy gifts well (HK and I really don't exchange presents for Christmas or birthdays. She sees what I give her, and tells me not to spend the money. That's why she is a keeper. That and she hangs drywall).
Anyway, I was ten or eleven years old, and didn't check the calendar, or whatever, and missed mothers day. Of course my sister remembered what she was supposed to do, and she was only eight. And mom gave me the "I'm not mad, only disappointed" thing.
I did get a bit lucky though. My buddy next door neighbor forgot, and his mom wasn't disappointed, she was mad. And she called my mom to express her ire. Ten minutes later, he and I made the trip to the store. my mom got a pair of grass clippers.
The thing is, the kids weren't the only ones who liked Kmart. The adults loved it. For entertainment, our next door neighbor would head over and chased the 'blue light' around. ("Attention Kmart shoppers...For the next five minutes, and five minutes only..."). Believe me, it was a lot simpler time.
And of course, things change. Kmart had some problems, and ended up struggling as a retailer and are closing many of their locations, including the one I grew up in. I do remember the last thing I ever bought there. It was about eight or nine years ago, and I needed to take something to a bowling league potluck. I stopped in and picked up a bag of potato chips. Say what you will, they were gone at the end of the dinner.
So now, as they are closing that store it just goes to show, or as Rosanne Roseannadanna (from Saturday Night Live) used to say, "It's always something.' Another vestige of my youth is gone.
Oh well. It's not like they banned the Big Mac or anything.
We will talk soon, like Thursday with another Person of the Week
Jeff
When I was seven years old, we moved to a subdivision in the middle of nowhere. Literally. The pavement ended at our street (actually a block up, but is anyone counting?), and turned into gravel from there on. Of course, that areas is now all built up, but back then, the only thing you could see were acres of cornfields. Until one day, about a year after we moved in.
It was less than a mile away, and it would spring up out of sea of nothingness. In all of it's aqua marine (remember the smocks all the clerks wore) glory. A Kmart store was built on that empty field. A tornado had knocked down a drive-in theater that was at that spot, and the only things left standing were a bunch of speaker poles. But once that store opened, the world would arrive for for an eight year old kid.
And it had everything. A great toy department for when I was real young, and cool sporting goods (okay, the quality wasn't the best, but it was cheap). There was also a place to get your car fixed, and get your pictures taken. They had it all. At the front door, there was a big air popper,, so the whole place smelled like popcorn. My friends and I thought this was the greatest place in the world.
When I was about ten, I was allowed to walk (or ride our bikes) the mile on way to the store. I think it can safely be said, that for the next four or five years, I was at that place every day. There was no need for a reason, maybe it was buying baseball cards, or eating the sub sandwiches they sold. At the time, I thought those subs were great. When I was in my 20's I stopped in for one, and realized how bad they really were.
There was also an important lesson that I learned at Kmart. That is, never forget mothers day. Now let me preface this by saying that I really don't buy gifts well (HK and I really don't exchange presents for Christmas or birthdays. She sees what I give her, and tells me not to spend the money. That's why she is a keeper. That and she hangs drywall).
Anyway, I was ten or eleven years old, and didn't check the calendar, or whatever, and missed mothers day. Of course my sister remembered what she was supposed to do, and she was only eight. And mom gave me the "I'm not mad, only disappointed" thing.
I did get a bit lucky though. My buddy next door neighbor forgot, and his mom wasn't disappointed, she was mad. And she called my mom to express her ire. Ten minutes later, he and I made the trip to the store. my mom got a pair of grass clippers.
The thing is, the kids weren't the only ones who liked Kmart. The adults loved it. For entertainment, our next door neighbor would head over and chased the 'blue light' around. ("Attention Kmart shoppers...For the next five minutes, and five minutes only..."). Believe me, it was a lot simpler time.
And of course, things change. Kmart had some problems, and ended up struggling as a retailer and are closing many of their locations, including the one I grew up in. I do remember the last thing I ever bought there. It was about eight or nine years ago, and I needed to take something to a bowling league potluck. I stopped in and picked up a bag of potato chips. Say what you will, they were gone at the end of the dinner.
So now, as they are closing that store it just goes to show, or as Rosanne Roseannadanna (from Saturday Night Live) used to say, "It's always something.' Another vestige of my youth is gone.
Oh well. It's not like they banned the Big Mac or anything.
We will talk soon, like Thursday with another Person of the Week
Jeff
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