Kmart’s “Blue Light Special” – Boy, do I remember those days

Kmart was born as the S.S Kresge Company in 1899. The company was founded by Sebastian Spurling Kresge.

He started his career working with another giant retailer named John McCrory in Memphis, Tennessee.

However, after the partners went separate ways, Kresge became the store’s sole owner. Soon, he built several stores in eight cities between Chicago and Pittsburgh.

Kresge’s stores expanded steadily from the 1920s to the 1960s.

Then, in 1962, retail pioneer Harry Cunningham drove the retailer into the large-scale discount market with the construction of the first full-sized Kmart in Michigan.

Two Kmart locations had opened when the first Walmart store opened in Rogers, Arkansas. Harry Cunningham and Sam Walton, founders of Walmart, were inspired by Anne and Hope’s store based in Rhode Island.

In 1965, the “Blue light special” was introduced to advertise products on sale at Kmart.

“Attention Kmart Shoppers” became the announcement that was heard over the loudspeaker to alert the shoppers.

By 1976, S.S. Kresge made history by opening 271 stores in 1 year. It also became the first-ever retailer to launch 17 million square feet of sales space in a single year. In its successful days, Kmart sold products endorsed by various celebrities like Jaclyn Smith & Martha Stewart. In 1977, nearly 95 percent of the S.S Kresge sales were generated by Kmart stores, and soon it changed its name to Kmart Corporation to reflect this.

Related Posts

A Surprise Dinner Invitation That Changed Everything

I hadn’t heard from Hyacinth in quite some time, so when she invited me to dinner, it caught me completely off guard. I hoped she wanted to…

The Dog They Wanted Us to Put Down Is Why My Daughter Sleeps Through the Night

Six months after my divorce, we adopted Tank from the shelter. They had labeled him “unadoptable”— he was too large, too strong, and had an “intimidating presence.”…

Grandfather’s Warning About His Mattress Uncovers a Town-Wide Scandal

After her grandfather passed away, Brooke returned to his home to sort through his belongings. Remembering how he always warned her never to touch his mattress, she…

What’s The Purpose Of The Fabric Strip Across Hotel Beds

The colorful strip of fabric placed across many hotel beds, known as a bed runner, may seem decorative or unnecessary at first, and guests often remove it…

My Stepmom Gave Me a Funeral Urn for My 17th Birthday — I Wish That Were a Joke

Just before her 17th birthday, Lila expected little from her stepmom Monica— maybe a card, maybe cold pancakes. But instead, Monica handed her a pink funerary urn,…

Dolly Parton grew up ‘dirt poor’ and she now generously donates to charities

Dolly Parton is without a doubt one of the most iconic singers that have ever walked this Earth. She isn’t just a blond bombshell whose incredible looks…