KMART GETS BIGGER
By Adnews Staff
U.S.-based Kmart Corp. unveiled a prototype of its newest store model yesterday in Chicago. Called Big Kmart, the store carries a Big Kmart banner, instead of the traditional Kmart banner and, as the name implies, is bigger than the traditional retail stores. Big Kmart focuses on three main merchandise categories. The home fashions section contains items such as towels, dinnerware and appliances. The children's area includes infant and children's apparel and toys, while the consumables section has such items as health and beauty care products and over-the-counter drugs. A pantry area containing household items such as paper products, pet supplies, beverages and selected food items is also a feature of Big Kmart. Over the next 90 days, Kmart will install Big Kmart signs in the 297 U.S. stores already converted to the new format. The prototype will spread to the other traditional stores over the next three years. A Kmart spokesperson said there are no immediate plans to bring the Big Kmart concept to Canada. Kmart has stores in all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada.