Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Kmart Metairie update 2016


Here is a quick update with more photos of this store.
Some shelving has been removed to open up the electronics department. It still appears well stocked unlike some Kmart stores that have downsized the electronics selection and thrown in random items to fill the empty space. 

Tons of closeout items from the Brinkmann company

No more music CD's but still a good selection of DVD and Bluray discs.

A somewhat hidden online ordering kiosk in the back of the electronics department.
The lease program is being advertised in several areas of the store. 
Kenmore TV advertisement, several Kmart stores put up these signs.
Dollar merchandise display.
Sears appliance and mattress department
Sports gear with new men's clothing signage in the background.

Front of the store clothing departments and registers.
I still have yet to see an active blue light special on my recent visits to Kmart stores.
Bonus photos from the Mandeville La. Kmart electronics/auto department
After another electronics department downsizing, the auto department items were moved in to fill this area. This has got to be the most unusual use of former Kmart electronics space I have seen.

The music CD's were removed from this location as well. The last stores I visited that still had music CD's were the locations being closed last summer.


Thursday, December 1, 2016

Hastings Lake Jackson Texas

Hastings Lake Jackson Texas 
Opened in 2005 after moving from the Brazos Mall, this Hastings was located next to a Target store. The former Hastings store at the Brazos Mall was replaced by Ross. This store was opened a few years before Hastings changed the look of their stores and still had the retro store design. 
There is a small shopping center in front of the store partially blocking the view from the highway. This is about all of the store you can see from the highway.
A typical Hastings Superstore had these departments

Movies for sale and to rent
Music CD's and Records both new and used
Video Games for all major consoles for sale and to rent
Books new and used
Comics
Fan zone with collectibles from the big 3 major sports and all teams
Toys and collectables
Electronics with TV's, CD players, record players, walkmans, tablets 
Phone accessories
Guitars and musical instruments
Gag gifts
T-shirts
Outdoor sports
Science projects
Hobby shop with build it yourself cars and RC cars
Skateboards
Magazines and newspapers
Greeting cards
Board games
Magic and Pokemon games
and more

Hastings had a lot of things in one store and you could easily spend hours browsing in the store. Hastings was in the beginning stages of adjusting the products in the stores to increase profits when the company went into bankruptcy. 

Gotta love the flannel shirt. These signs were already dated when the store opened up in 2005.
Here we are in the movie department. Collectibles and blankets were placed on empty movie shelves probably to clear out the back warehouse of goods for the sale.


This location did not get the 2016 refresh and still had a very large movie department for the size of the store. 

If you needed help, these information stations were the place to go.
You can see the video game department here in the back of the store.
This is near the entrance from the movies to the back of the store.
You can easily find the movie section from the middle of the store with the bright blue walls. This is near the comics and middle of the store.
The music department was at the back center area of the store. 
These photos were taken in the second week of the closing sale, the products were still somewhat organized at this point. 

Looking from the center of the store to the book department.
The edge of the instrument department facing the books.
Hastings had lots of records for sale as well as CD's. The t-shirt wall is in the background.
Another view of the music department with collectable toys on display.
Now onto the Book department

Kind of a faded sign, but you gotta love the old school leather jacket. 
All of the walls are painted green in the book department, except for the kids book department.
Here is the preschool and child toy department. 
The newsstand. 

Looking from the book department all the way across the store to the movies.
An old TV, that used to play whatever movie or TV show they were promoting or the clerks felt like watching. There was a TV in between each register aisle.
A register aisle, with two TV's in view.
An up close view of the older Hastings logo, that was on displays around the store.
A final view of the store facing the book department and cafe.