The Big DumpTruck

I'm not too sure how I feel about the big Sears-Kmart merger. I don't think I like it. I like Sears, I really do. And I like them more now that I can buy Lands End clothing there. Big bonus.

I don't like Kmart. I used to - I actually grew up a 9 minute walk from the one at Twin City Mall. (Yes, 9 minutes. I used to work at Victory in high school and knew exactly how long it took to get there. I have added a bit of time to get across streets, etc.)

But at some point, all the Kmarts seem to go down the Ames road. Trashy junk. The one at Twin City was a filthy mess. The aisles were always a wreck, the shelves were bare. I think they decided to appeal to a decidedly downscale market, if you catch my drift. Now I'm told the store got a new manager who really cleaned the place up, but it's just so not the Kmart of my youth. I can't explain it. It has a kind of a "dark" feel, but I can't explain what I mean by that. It's a harsh feeling. I don't get that vibe from other stores, so maybe they need to change their lighting or something so it's less harsh. Or make the whole store more airey, somehow.

So what I'm saying is I think Sears is going to watch their reputation go in the crapper, unless they keep the two completely distinct. That's my opinion and I'm sticking with it.