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Attention Kmart Shoppers: The Rise and Fall of America's First Big Discounter

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Description

The blue light is still on... but for how much longer? At its peak, Kmart was the undisputed king of discount retail. Over 2,000 stores blanketed the nation, from small towns to big cities to mid-sized suburbs from coast to coast. And yet, less than 20 years later, Kmart was forced into bankruptcy, while its throne was taken by two small regional competitors that were growing to massive size: Wal-Mart and Target. How did it go so wrong? In Attention Kmart Shoppers, historian Ben Schultz traces the company's whole history, searching for the keys that gave Kmart its power and the missteps that allowed upstarts like Sam Walton to gain an advantage over it. He discovers that the very same Kmart corporate identity (or lack thereof) which made it such a success in the '70s became a huge liability when it ran into the '90s. Inside: the forgotten origin of the blue light special. Why the company's founder almost nixed the Kmart name for sounding "too Jewish". How Martha Stewart ended up in the discount aisle – and why it wasn't enough. The hedge fund manager who bought Kmart out of bankruptcy, merged it with Sears, and walked away a billionaire while workers lost their pensions. What happened to 3,000 empty buildings across America – and where to find the remote handful of Kmart stores that still survive today. Meticulously researched and compulsively readable, this is the book for anyone who saw their local Kmart disappear and wondered how such an empire could crumble so fast. Perfect for fans of Sam Walton: Made in America, The Walmart Effect, and Nickled and Dimed. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Luminare Press


Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more


Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 14, 2025


Language ‏ : ‎ English


File size ‏ : ‎ 16.2 MB


Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported


Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled


X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled


Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Well written and meticulously researched
Format: Paperback
A great read by a new author, whose clear love of local histories shines through this work. The rise-and-fall story of Kmart, as he describes it, is not only a cautionary tale for the retail sector, but a parable for how the economy of our nation and our world has changed in just a few short decades. It was a pleasure to read but gratifying also to see the depth of research and thought that went into the presentation of this tale. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2025 by G. Wirth
    • A good business history lesson
Format: Kindle
A good business history lesson. Not a big fan of Mr. Lambert. He destroyed two iconic businesses. Recommend the book to read.
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2026 by D. Kuerschner
    • Why Politics?
Format: Kindle
Seriously - it was an enjoyable read and an interesting tale, but January 6th and the Minneapolis riots had ZERO to do with Kmart’s rise or fall. It is very disappointing that an otherwise good story has to be polluted by the selfish and needless political rhetoric of the author. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the author’s position, it was a needless distraction that took away from an otherwise good read. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2026 by Monorailred
    • Well-done and the price is right
Format: Kindle
Being an apparently self-published book, this is well researched and professionally done. Often self-published ones have spelling and grammar errors, mistakes, or sometimes even seemingly written by A.I. and inaccurate. I loved the links to newspapers and such that were used in research. I wish there had been interviews with former employees, a list of various store numbers and addresses and such, but that may not have been feasible or even possible. The ending seemed a bit abrupt to me, but maybe that's just me wanting a little more. Nonetheless, I got the digital book for $2.99 and do not regret it, but even the hard copy would be well worth it. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2025 by Terry
    • Decent Read
Format: Kindle
A good overview of the rise and fall of Kmart, but a bit superficial with the details. Based on the citations the author did his research, which is based on news articles and shareholder reports and reads as such. His main theme on the complacency that ultimately led to the company's demise is on point. But there was so much more going on behind the scenes that can't be conveyed by relying on news articles only. What's missing from the book is more about the people who took the company down the road to its end. Many are mentioned in passing, but not much else. Without adding into the narrative the personalities and decisions of the CEOs and other executives, the story is somewhat lacking depth to its context. Adding more detail with background to the pre-bankruptcy leadership after Mr. Fauber ofJoe Antonini, Floyd Hall, Chuck Conoway, James Adamson, and their numerous lieutenants would bring much more to the story. As written the book tells the story, but there was so much more going on that's not captured here. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2025 by Mark Godau
    • Really good read.
Format: Paperback
I got the book on Monday and I am half way done with it because I can't put it down. Who would have thought that a book about a store that is more or less gone from the landscape would be this interesting, but there you go. I am really enjoying the story so far. You can tell that the author did his research and has a passion for telling the story about the once mighty Kmart. I haven't been in one for probably ten years now (and at the time the store was really depressing), but what a trip down memory lane it is. I hope the author write more books about bygone stores from the 70s and 80s. If they do, I will read them! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2025 by Wesley Hansen
    • Good Insightful story of K-Mart
Format: Kindle
What I liked about the book was how it went behind the scenes of its rise and fall. This is a good book for business and economic majors. I would habe liked to habe seen more nostalgia in it, but I thought the story was interesting and sad nonetheless.
Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2025 by Timothy
    • Thank u
Format: Paperback
Enjoyed this book. Could not wait to receive it.
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2026 by Steven Owens

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