# The Kmart/Sears merger - thoughts? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 17, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326 "2004-11-17T19:53:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/1 "2004-11-17T19:53:51Z")
For those who haven’t heard (I hadn’t myself until just a few minutes ago), [Kmart Holding has bought Sears for $11 billion](http://www.freep.com/news/statewire/sw107348_20041117.htm). I’m not sure what to think of this. Kmart filed for Chapter 11 a couple of years ago and Sears closed their catalog stores a few years before that. ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/2 "2004-11-17T19:57:06Z")
At long last, Americans will finally be able to … er… get stuff. ---
**Author:** ![35340](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/8baadc/32.png) [@35340](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/35340)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/3 "2004-11-17T20:06:09Z")
Kears Sea-Mart Come see the softer side of Martha. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/4 "2004-11-17T20:11:42Z")
[Charlie Babbit] Craftsman sucks, Ray. [/CB] ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/5 "2004-11-17T20:12:15Z")
Now! Twice the power of incompetent management, shoddy quality and inept service. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/6 "2004-11-17T20:16:17Z")
Deep in the Netherworld, there is a poker table in a small, smoke-filled room. William Grant and the Woolworth brothers, Frank and Charles, look on as Sebastian Kresge rakes in the chips from Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck. Kresge chuckles to himself as he piles the little clay disks into tidy stacks. But across from him sits Sam Walton, and it’s still anyone’s game. . . ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/7 "2004-11-17T20:17:47Z")
One crappy store buys another crappy store. Yay? ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/8 "2004-11-17T20:24:28Z")
Now Wal-Mart can buy K-SMart-ears and change the name to WalK–SMart-ears. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/9 "2004-11-17T20:27:01Z")
Joe Boxer Tools / Craftsmen Underwear Martha Stewart Living Appliances / Kenmore Linens ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/10 "2004-11-17T20:28:36Z")
Finally…Martha Stewart Drillpresses. Craftsman pillowcases. Kenmore Baby clothes. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/11 "2004-11-17T20:30:01Z")
Great minds, **John** …great minds! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/12 "2004-11-17T20:30:20Z")
> [@Mynn](#): > > If you think we didn’t need a 9/11 commission and actively worked to block it until it was politically untenable to keep blocking things … you might be a republican. Your signature link ([http://http](http://http):[http://cnn.allpolitics.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=CNN.com+-+Bush+asks+Daschle+to+limit+Sept.+11+probes+-+January+29%2C+2002&expire=-1&urlID=1988536&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2002%2FALLPOLITICS%2F01%2F29%2Finv.terror.probe%2Findex.html&partnerID=2001](http://cnn.allpolitics.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=CNN.com+-+Bush+asks+Daschle+to+limit+Sept.+11+probes+-+January+29%2C+2002&expire=-1&urlID=1988536&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2002%2FALLPOLITICS%2F01%2F29%2Finv.terror.probe%2Findex.html&partnerID=2001)) needs a bit of fine tuning. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/13 "2004-11-17T20:32:41Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Great minds, **John** …great minds! 😃 Your’s is better…I’d just tweek Martha Stewart’s line to include drillpresses, demolition hammers and metal files ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/14 "2004-11-17T20:33:20Z")
Pity the Chicago folks…what with that 100,000 Watt KMart Blue Light Special being installed on the top of the Sears Tower and flashing over the city whenever ladies underwear is half off. ---
**Author:** ![ColonelDax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@ColonelDax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColonelDax)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/15 "2004-11-17T20:33:29Z")
Two companies without futures hoping to stave off the inevitable for a bit longer. If either Sears or Kmart did not exist today, would anyone invent them? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/16 "2004-11-17T20:34:11Z")
> [@JohnBckWLD](#): > > Martha Stewart Living Appliances That would explain the new George Forman Grill commercials. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/17 "2004-11-17T20:54:59Z")
Seems to undo a lot of work that Sears has been doing to improve its image, e.g. selling name brand merchandise such as Lands End. While K-Mart is pretty much inextricably associated with crap, the Sears name was conceivably redeemable. So maybe a step backwards for Sears and a step forward for K-Mart. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/18 "2004-11-17T20:55:30Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Pity the Chicago folks…what with that 100,000 Watt KMart Blue Light Special being installed on the top of the Sears Tower and flashing over the city **whenever ladies underwear is half off**. I’d kinda like an alert when that happens myself! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![taxi78cab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47c2d/32.png) [@taxi78cab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taxi78cab)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/19 "2004-11-17T21:03:36Z")
I stopped buying Land’s End stuff when Sears bought them. Now with this KMart thing, I’m REALLY not going to buy anything from Land’s End. The association with the other two is enough to bring down a decent company like LE. ---
**Author:** ![MercyStreet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@MercyStreet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MercyStreet)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326/20 "2004-11-17T21:41:05Z")
The real story for me is Vornado’s involvement. Sears and Kmart sell stuff. More important, Sears and Kmart have **valuable real estate**. Vornado is all about real estate. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-kmart-sears-merger-thoughts/275326.md?page=2)