# Does KMart have a lot of names? I hear ads for Big-K, Big-KMart, Super-KMart,.others?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-kmart-have-a-lot-of-names-i-hear-ads-for-big-k-big-kmart-super-kmart-others/20424>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 24, 2000, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-kmart-have-a-lot-of-names-i-hear-ads-for-big-k-big-kmart-super-kmart-others/20424 "2000-05-24T17:41:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
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**Author:** ![Bullroar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Bullroar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullroar)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2000, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-kmart-have-a-lot-of-names-i-hear-ads-for-big-k-big-kmart-super-kmart-others/20424/1 "2000-05-24T17:41:41Z")

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Does KMart have a lot of names? I hear ads for Big-K, Big-KMart, Super-KMart, just K-Mart …

(any Kresge’s 5¢ & 10¢ dimestores left in small towns, I wonder?)

Any one work there?

Are they different? (I know some stores have a lot more food)  
and are we supposed to pick up on the distinctions?

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**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2000, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-kmart-have-a-lot-of-names-i-hear-ads-for-big-k-big-kmart-super-kmart-others/20424/2 "2000-05-24T18:02:18Z")

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All of the Kresge stores have long since gone the way of the dodo. About 15-20 years ago the company removed all traces of the Kresge name, even changing from the “S.S. Kresge Co.” to “K-mart Corp.”

I think the naming convention goes like this:

K-mart = smaller stores and older stores which have not been remodeled.

Big K-mart = Larger, newer or remodeled stores intended to better compete with Wal-mart.

Super K-mart = Largest K-mart stores where both groceries and dry goods are sold.

I don’t believe ‘Big K’ is being used by the company for any of it’s stores, though the logo for the Big K-mart looks from a distance like ‘Big K’ - the “mart” part of the logo is written inside the K.

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**Author:** ![Bullroar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Bullroar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullroar)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2000, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-kmart-have-a-lot-of-names-i-hear-ads-for-big-k-big-kmart-super-kmart-others/20424/3 "2000-05-24T19:08:53Z")

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Thanks!

And to think my great grandmother did laundry at the Kresge’s mansion in Detroit. I’d forgotten about that until you mentioned the S.S. (True.)