Kohl's To Open 100 Small Format Stores

Predicting the demise of Sears & Kmart since 2017!
Brian Lutz
Store Manager
Store Manager
Posts: 1425
Joined: March 1st, 2009, 5:51 pm
Location: Piedmont Triad, NC
Been thanked: 56 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Kohl's To Open 100 Small Format Stores

Post by Brian Lutz »

I'd probably describe At Home as basically taking the kind of furniture you find for sale in a Ross or a HomeGoods and turning that department into an entire big box store. A lot of the merchandise seems to be of East Asian origin, and although the build quality is generally a little better than the usual Made in China stuff but it doesn't always match the decor styles you would find in a modern home. They do seem to take over a lot of former KMart locations that would probably be sitting vacant otherwise, and they tend to have a lot less staff than you might expect of a store that size (mostly front end people during the day, I suspect most of the store's labor budget would go to after hours stocking.)

When I lived in Washington the closest store to where I lived was in Bellingham (around 50 miles away) but they have 5 stores here along the Wasatch Front, so I would assume they do pretty well in this area.
storewanderer
Posts: 14379
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Kohl's To Open 100 Small Format Stores

Post by storewanderer »

I think the store Builders Square morphed into was called Home Quarters.

I may be confused. The store I went into that I thought was this Home Quarters format but maybe it was that other one that came out of Home Base that Clown Loach mentioned. That store I went into some years ago was in Rancho Cordova in the parking lot of what is now a La Quinta at the Sunrise/50 offramp.
BillyGr
Store Manager
Store Manager
Posts: 1578
Joined: October 5th, 2010, 7:33 pm
Been thanked: 58 times
Status: Offline

Re: Kohl's To Open 100 Small Format Stores

Post by BillyGr »

storewanderer wrote: February 22nd, 2023, 11:14 pm I think the store Builders Square morphed into was called Home Quarters.

I may be confused. The store I went into that I thought was this Home Quarters format but maybe it was that other one that came out of Home Base that Clown Loach mentioned. That store I went into some years ago was in Rancho Cordova in the parking lot of what is now a La Quinta at the Sunrise/50 offramp.
HQ (Home Quarters) appears to have started from a company called W.R. Grace, then was sold to Hechingers. They did merge with Builders Square when Kmart sold off that chain, but not for too long before going completely out of business. So, I don't know if any of the Builder's Square spots ever got converted to that label, but it seems a possibility.

The only one we had here was eventually turned into a Home Depot (which it still is).

To add to that, one of those involved in HQ left and was the one who started OW (Office Warehouse).

Being this post is referring originally to Kohl's, one Builder's Square that I know of locally was taken over by that chain, and is that to this day (this one is a bit unusual for Kohl's, in that it has two entries like many did, but one is on the front and one on the side, due to having some parking there as well). Not totally certain if that entry setup existing when it was Builder's Square (thinking maybe if they had a separate entry for contractors like other similar chains do?).
buckguy
Store Manager
Store Manager
Posts: 1003
Joined: January 31st, 2017, 10:54 am
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 61 times
Status: Offline

Re: Kohl's To Open 100 Small Format Stores

Post by buckguy »

WR Grace is a huge company that started out in the shipping business in the 19th century and now is in chemicals---the shipping included bat guano which was important for fertilizer and gunpowder, so chemicals were a long-term theme, although they did a side trip into retail, industrials and if wiki can be believed, even Del Taco. Hechinger was a DIY/hardware chain that started in DC and like other DIY chains unsuccessfully spread out and tried to find a way to compete with Home Depot and bought other chains. In the end, many of their stores became Home Depots although they were smaller than the usual HDs, but many were too small or duplicated HD locations and became something else.
Super S
Posts: 2690
Joined: April 1st, 2009, 9:27 pm
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 61 times
Status: Offline

Re: Kohl's To Open 100 Small Format Stores

Post by Super S »

storewanderer wrote: February 19th, 2023, 10:45 pm
ClownLoach wrote: February 19th, 2023, 5:17 pm
dcpeachy wrote: February 19th, 2023, 1:16 pm In the last month, I've been in two of the Albuquerque stores. The NW location (freestanding, in a center with Sam's Club, Michaels, Barnes & Nobles, Dick's Warehouse Sale, Best Buy, Total Wine, HomeGoods--busy center) sounds similar, with the walls empty and long racks of clearance throughout. In the kitchen area, all appliances had signs about having great taste, but they're sold out and to go online for the items. One set of doors in closed completely. At the front, the only cashier was the manager, who was working the jewelry counter.

The Coronado Center location (former Mervyn's, two floors) has huge areas that are completely empty with racks pulled in front of the barren space. On the second floor, home displays have been pushed together so that only the ends and the outside are merchandised. The inner shelves are empty. Even then, there is very little merchandise on the shelves. This store has also completely removed cosmetics and fragrances. As for Sephora, they're 3 doors away in the mall, which is closer than the JCPenney Sephora which was being renovated to JCPenney Beauty.
Seems like they are removing jewelry to add Sephora? I was in a couple traditional single floor stores, one with Sephora and one without. Same single entrance/exit setup with half the registers mothballed. Saw three different customers go out the supposed closed doors, one probably was a shoplifter as the checkpoint alarm beeped. The Sephora location appears to have eliminated jewelry. It's pretty clear that nobody in these stores has been trained in any way on the basics of visual merchandising. I am unsure if there is any planogram strategy aside from a few select tables and racks. These stores have really descended to the Marshall's or Ross level of execution, with prices that would make Macy's blush.
I don't understand what has happened here at all. This chain used to have good execution and decent products. There used to be multiple employees in the store trained on visual merchandising and it was basically their job to do just that.

I am not sure if there is no planogram strategy or if the stores just aren't following any such strategy. Basic presentation and housekeeping (neatness, folding items, etc.) seems to be very variable by store location with some stores still trying and others completely clueless.

The home category in general confuses me. It seems like the home category is just completely gone at this point at physical retail stores. Save for Target, specialty stores like Williams Sonoma, and Wal Mart, the category is basically dead at department stores, BBB is more than half closed or closing, that "At Home" thing seems to be expanding but I am not convinced what type of inroads they may make out west.
I was briefly at a Kohl's in Vancouver, WA today, and noticed the empty, bare walls surrounding the rest of the store. It also had one set of doors locked, and I also noticed that the recessed can lights by the entrance had old mercury vapor/metal halide bulbs that were shifting to a red color. The store gave a vibe that things were a bit "off"
ClownLoach
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
Posts: 2689
Joined: April 4th, 2016, 10:55 pm
Has thanked: 39 times
Been thanked: 288 times
Status: Offline

Re: Kohl's To Open 100 Small Format Stores

Post by ClownLoach »

Super S wrote: April 6th, 2023, 4:14 pm
storewanderer wrote: February 19th, 2023, 10:45 pm
ClownLoach wrote: February 19th, 2023, 5:17 pm

Seems like they are removing jewelry to add Sephora? I was in a couple traditional single floor stores, one with Sephora and one without. Same single entrance/exit setup with half the registers mothballed. Saw three different customers go out the supposed closed doors, one probably was a shoplifter as the checkpoint alarm beeped. The Sephora location appears to have eliminated jewelry. It's pretty clear that nobody in these stores has been trained in any way on the basics of visual merchandising. I am unsure if there is any planogram strategy aside from a few select tables and racks. These stores have really descended to the Marshall's or Ross level of execution, with prices that would make Macy's blush.
I don't understand what has happened here at all. This chain used to have good execution and decent products. There used to be multiple employees in the store trained on visual merchandising and it was basically their job to do just that.

I am not sure if there is no planogram strategy or if the stores just aren't following any such strategy. Basic presentation and housekeeping (neatness, folding items, etc.) seems to be very variable by store location with some stores still trying and others completely clueless.

The home category in general confuses me. It seems like the home category is just completely gone at this point at physical retail stores. Save for Target, specialty stores like Williams Sonoma, and Wal Mart, the category is basically dead at department stores, BBB is more than half closed or closing, that "At Home" thing seems to be expanding but I am not convinced what type of inroads they may make out west.
I was briefly at a Kohl's in Vancouver, WA today, and noticed the empty, bare walls surrounding the rest of the store. It also had one set of doors locked, and I also noticed that the recessed can lights by the entrance had old mercury vapor/metal halide bulbs that were shifting to a red color. The store gave a vibe that things were a bit "off"
I cannot figure out why they pulled everything off the walls above 5 feet but didn't install any kind of signage or graphics. In addition they removed all of the previous hanging signs and graphics, replacing with little tiny department signs that remind me of the cheap junky signs JCPenney uses these days. These dumb little signs couldn't be wider than 18 inches. Nobody can use them for navigation of the store. Can't see what the sign says until you're standing directly underneath it. Also every store I've seen has mothballed half the registers and closed one entrance... But the doors aren't actually locked or alarmed (they're designated fire exits) so shoplifters are just rolling right out undetected now that the registers aren't staffed. Zero deterrent to theft with this strategy, I'm sure theft goes up with the single entry exit with that unattended door.

I have to be honest. Every time I would go to Kohl's I would find at least one item I would want to buy. Usually I wouldn't because it wasn't on sale and/or was some kind of arcane coupon exclusion (like no Adidas discounts on days that end in Y) so I put it back. The last three times I've visited I found one decent polo shirt about 90% off but nothing else I'd buy at any price.

Operations keep getting worse and merchandise keeps getting worse. I have no idea how they keep the doors open. If I had a million dollars in my pocket I would still probably walk out empty handed.
storewanderer
Posts: 14379
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Kohl's To Open 100 Small Format Stores

Post by storewanderer »

The Kohls with the closed entrances in my area have them locked and in some cases chained/gated off (multiple complaints to Kohls about that resulted in the chains being opened sometimes now)- that is a major violation of fire code. If they want to close those entrances they need to make them into emergency entrances and accessible for people to get out of in the event of a fire.

I wondered what was with those odd department signs at Kohls, I thought they were temporary or something. They'd be better off with no signs.

At this point to me Kohl's feels further down the road of "zombie" than Sears did about 5 years ago. What is odd to me is how quickly Kohl's has declined. Sears was in a long slow decline for decades. Kohl's basically from the second it reopened from COVID closures has been in a literal free fall on merchandise, quality, operations, and environment.

Some of the most odd/strange service interactions I've had recently have been at Kohls. This service is really bad. It is the type of attitude/interaction I expect to have at a low grade fast food place (like a Burger King or something). Completely unprofessional, unfocused, immature, sloppy, and just bad. I don't know what happened as Kohls employees even very young ones used to at least be neatly presented and polite.
ClownLoach
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
Posts: 2689
Joined: April 4th, 2016, 10:55 pm
Has thanked: 39 times
Been thanked: 288 times
Status: Offline

Re: Kohl's To Open 100 Small Format Stores

Post by ClownLoach »

storewanderer wrote: April 8th, 2023, 1:41 am The Kohls with the closed entrances in my area have them locked and in some cases chained/gated off (multiple complaints to Kohls about that resulted in the chains being opened sometimes now)- that is a major violation of fire code. If they want to close those entrances they need to make them into emergency entrances and accessible for people to get out of in the event of a fire.

I wondered what was with those odd department signs at Kohls, I thought they were temporary or something. They'd be better off with no signs.

At this point to me Kohl's feels further down the road of "zombie" than Sears did about 5 years ago. What is odd to me is how quickly Kohl's has declined. Sears was in a long slow decline for decades. Kohl's basically from the second it reopened from COVID closures has been in a literal free fall on merchandise, quality, operations, and environment.

Some of the most odd/strange service interactions I've had recently have been at Kohls. This service is really bad. It is the type of attitude/interaction I expect to have at a low grade fast food place (like a Burger King or something). Completely unprofessional, unfocused, immature, sloppy, and just bad. I don't know what happened as Kohls employees even very young ones used to at least be neatly presented and polite.
Today I had to use the local Kohl's for some Amazon returns due to the new policy of a $1 fee to return at a UPS Store if an Amazon or Kohl's is closer to your house. It just keeps getting worse. Most of the remaining pictures or graphics in frames on the walls have now been turned backwards so you see framed wrinkled white paper. There is a obvious push away from brand names. I noticed Under Armour and Adidas brands have mostly disappeared in the last three months and replaced with some weird new Kohl's house brand with a three letter random name I already forgot (like those weird foreign brands on Amazon with random alphabet names). The quality looked terrible, colors were unpleasant and I didn't even look at the price because I wouldn't wear that junk if they paid me to do it.

The Amazon return line has blown up but there is only one employee assigned who must stop every few minutes and process the returned items somehow. I suspect that the upcoming UPS contract negotiations and possible strike are driving a wedge between UPS and Amazon. My understanding of UPS Access Points and stores is that they were getting paid $1 per box to handle the Amazon returns, so now Amazon wants to steer clear of them and has basically decided to pass that cost directly to the customer unless a UPS Store is closer to their house than the other options. I expect the distance requirements will be phased out next and the customer will have to pay regardless to use any UPS method for a return. I have heard UPS Stores are now reducing the number of packages they will let a mailbox customer receive per month because they were tired of being Amazon's pickup counter and warehouse for free (Amazon delivery drivers are allowed to deliver there if the customer has a mailbox rental). So basically it sounds like very soon Amazon customers will be forced to deal with Kohl's for any in person return unless they're near a WFM or Fresh. Kohl's seems completely uninterested in handling this challenge, and woefully incapable of accepting more traffic. This is going to be a real mess.
rwsandiego
Store Manager
Store Manager
Posts: 1242
Joined: April 3rd, 2016, 10:57 pm
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 55 times
Status: Offline

Re: Kohl's To Open 100 Small Format Stores

Post by rwsandiego »

I was out and about yesterday, saw a Kohl's sign, and decided to stop in. What a 180 degree turn from a few years ago.

Upon walking in, the store seemed to be the Kohl's of the past. Neat, orderly, nicely stocked jewelry, and a nicely stocked Sephora section. However, when I walked to the back of the store, I noticed the home department was practically devoid of merchandise. They had some nice Vera Wang towels, but lots of out-of-stocks. The men's socks/ties/belts section was not very well-kept (very unusual for Kohl's) but unlike @ClownLoach's experience they had plenty of Under Armor, Adidas, Nike, and Gold Toe socks. I found two packages of extended-size Adidas socks on a BOGO 50% off special and bought them. I didn't check other men's merchandise, so for all I know the brand names started and ended with socks.

The kitchen department was an entirely different story. The racks were spaced pretty far apart, merchandise was thin, and the cookware section was pretty empty. Small electrics were pretty thin save for a bunch of Toastmaser and Black and Decker stuff selling for $12.99 and $29.99, respectively. Shoes were well-stocked, and an employee offered to help me.

I noticed the little department signs, which looked like something out of an outlet store. I kept walking around thinking "why did they spend labor dollars on these crappy signs when there were perfectly good signs before?"

As @storewanderer said, I was surprised at how far they slipped and how quickly it had happened. I could always find at least something to buy at Kohl's, but on this trip it was hard to do so.
ClownLoach
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
Posts: 2689
Joined: April 4th, 2016, 10:55 pm
Has thanked: 39 times
Been thanked: 288 times
Status: Offline

Re: Kohl's To Open 100 Small Format Stores

Post by ClownLoach »

rwsandiego wrote: April 16th, 2023, 4:59 am Upon walking in, the store seemed to be the Kohl's of the past. Neat, orderly, nicely stocked jewelry, and a nicely stocked Sephora section. However, when I walked to the back of the store, I noticed the home department was practically devoid of merchandise. They had some nice Vera Wang towels, but lots of out-of-stocks. The men's socks/ties/belts section was not very well-kept (very unusual for Kohl's) but unlike @ClownLoach's experience they had plenty of Under Armor, Adidas, Nike, and Gold Toe socks. I found two packages of extended-size Adidas socks on a BOGO 50% off special and bought them. I didn't check other men's merchandise, so for all I know the brand names started and ended with socks.
Must have been a larger store because most of the Sephora departments wipe out jewelry entirely. They downsize it to a few Timex watches in plastic boxes on a table and a couple spinner racks of earrings but otherwise completely exit jewelry in the standard size stores.

I tend to wear polo shirts everywhere and have more in my closet than I want to confess to here. Adidas tend to be my Top pick and usually I would see a great selection of them at Kohl's along with Nike, but they don't go on sale often and coupons wouldn't work. Now they have just a few basic quality Adidas polo's in single colors, no Under Armour, and again a few basic single color Nike polo's. No fancy designs, no climate technology, nothing. They wiped out the entire line of quality items and brought in some low end house brand to replace them. They still carry the items online, but at full MSRP with coupon exclusions so I would just skip it and see if the same styles show up at the Adidas Outlet store in a few months. The house brand stuff looked lower quality than comparable Target and even Walmart house brands for a higher price. The Target "All in Motion" is actually good quality and a fair price. This Kohl's tech something brand was thin and flimsy looking, clearly wouldn't last more than a couple of washes and I wouldn't buy one at any price.
Post Reply