K-Mart in the 70's

[BendyZaius]

Some of my fond K-mart memories:

The ICEE stand right at the entrance with the giant ICEE bear sitting on top. I haven't had a cherry ICEE is 25 years, bet it would bring back memories.

The really lame cafeteria way at the back of the store with the fake wood-grain tables and orange booth seats. You could park your shopping cart right outside where you were eating to keep an eye on your toys.

The racks of great monster and sci-fi 8mm films over in the camera dept (pre-vhs days of course). They had awesome box art. We had an 8mm camera and projector but my parents only used it to film holidays etc.

One of the best arrays of gumball machines anywhere at the exit. You could get really neat jiggler toys etc for 25 cents.

K-mart was the best. Its sad to go in there now and see what it has become, but at least its still hanging on. (Damn you Walmart!)

[brannon86]

K-Mart

Oh yes, the Icees. I had to have an Icee at K-mart. I mostly got the banana flavour(when they had it), but I got cola alot also. Cherry was good also. I remember the gumball machines at the exit door going out, with the mood rings, rubber balls, and other toys in the round, plastic ball containers. Also, do you remember the giant pixi sticks in the long box? They were near the exit door also. I guess you could get one when you came in , because the exit was right by the door coming in. They were divided by a metal petition.Also, I remember the sprorting goods department being in the back of the store. I bought alot of my snorkeling equipment back there. AMF Voit mask and fins and snorkel. I bought alot of my shoes also from K-mart. Those cheesy 70 no name brand ones, Ha....

[Ranger 3]

One thing I remember out our K-Mart in the 70s was the giant Pez vending machine. Worked like a cigarette machine- the despenser and candy came in a cardboard box.

M

[brannon86]

K-Mart

Oh yeah, I remember that to. Wow, thanks for bringing that up. Another memory triggered....

[brannon86]

Its Saturday, Im watching my favorite Saturday morning tv shows. Im also waiting on my grandparents to come into town, then we can all go to K-Mart (like we always do when they come)and then I can spend my allowance on Megos, Adventure People, Hot Wheels, etc, then get an Icee. NOOOOOO! Wait! What am I saying? Ok, I just woke up from my dream. Damn It......Oh well, its 2008, and Im 40 years old (about to be 41). Back to reality....

[kryptosmaster]

One thing I will NEVER understand is how every Kmart I have ever been in smells the same. And its the same smell from the 70s too. How is that possible?

Mark

I think that same thing about Wal-mart, only it's not a GOOD smell to me. It smells like a goodwill/thrift store.

Rich

[kryptosmaster]

My allowance was only 2.00 a week and it was the hardest thing in the world to wait 2 weeks in order to have enough to buy a $2.99 Mego.

I

You got $2? Man I was getting ripped off at $1.25 a week! LOL
Of course that was more than enough to go to a matinee movie at the local theater and get popcorn AND candy!
Try THAT today!!!!!

Rich

[kryptosmaster]

We lived out in the boonies in a village in western NYS called Angola. We didn't have anything like a Kmart nearby. We had to drive maybe 10-15 miles to one but we went quite often. You could get just about anything you needed at a Kmart back then. I think the biggest competitor in my area was a store called Twin fair and that store was the BOMB! I LOVED Twin Fair but the store I loved best for toys like Megos was called Two Guys!
That's the store I think of when i think of Megos. You didn't have to ask me to get in the car twice when Two Guys was mentioned as the destination!
But I do recall tons of Megos on the pegs at Kmart pluis the other knockoffs too. Can never remember if it was AHI or Lincoln but I got one of the Wolfman there.

Rich