Historic photograph - appliance dept. at K-mart showing Frigidaires

[bradross]

Found this on Pinterest - a shot of the appliance department of the K-mart in San Jose, Calif (1970). I can't remember the K-mart in my neighborhood selling large appliances. But perhaps I was too interested in the toy department back then! (K-mart was my favorite place for toy shopping.)

 

[iowabear]

Great photo.  Our two K-Marts here did not sell major appliances either, but one had a separate room for televisions and stereos just like the one shown above.

 

In the early 1980s, when coin-op video games were the rage, the stored turned that room into a video arcade.  It was a great idea, the kids played games while the parents shopped.

 

[ea56]

This looks like the KMart in Santa Rosa, Calif. in 1970. They had an appliance department like this too. This is the store that burnt to the ground 1 year ago tomorrow in the Tubbs Fire.

Eddie

 

[askolover]

Our Kmart in Florence, Alabama sold Whirlpool appliances when I was little, around 1974.

 

[rp2813]

Just like a bad accident, I can't stop looking at those hideous chairs.  Joanne Worley should be sitting on one of them.

 

 

[mrsalvo]

I agree with Greg, I remember whirlpool washers and dryers being sold, and if memory serves well, they were no higher than middle of the line models. That was a long time ago! Lol.

Barry

 

[DADoES]

 
I recall the K-Mart in the next-over big town where we went shopping carrying both Whirlpool and Frigidaire, although I don't recall if the brands were concurrent.

FedMart had Whirlpool.  There was my first viewing of a real-live LAA-9800 pair.

Gibson's Discount Center carried Hotpoint.

 

[norgeway]

the washer my Mother bought

new in 69, pictured here, model, wcdan, Custom Deluxe!

 

[joelippard]

Oh Lord, to be able to go and buy those new today!

 

[gyrafoam]

Thanks to K-Mart, Whirlpool began to catch-on around Atlanta. Oh, a few independents sold them, but, K-Mart introduced them to the masses.

You could get a basic BOL for a great price, if money was tight, and it would do a good job.

 

[gansky1]

Only reason I liked K-mart.

More chain store appliance departments, I'm not sure of the stores, perhaps someone will recognize signage. Note the warning against shoplifting and hold-ups. Take those Mr. Coffee filters out of your pocketbook, ma'am.

 

[norgeway]

oh to

Be able to time travel!

 

[vintagekenmore]

I remember Kmart selling GE washers and dryers at one point in time

 

[lotsosudz]

Santa Rosa K-Mart

In the mid seventies, I worked at K-Mart, in the appliance dept. We sold Whirlpool, and GE appliances. They were low to mid models. Booth wer good solid brands at the time.

 

[bradross]

For a trip down memory lane...

listen to this jingle "Kmart is the saving place!" The video includes additional still shots of the appliance and stereo/TV departments.

 

[turquoisedude]

GE appliances at KMart

I recall that, too. It may have been part of the Canadian KMart sales policy, but the only major appliances I remember the one near where I grew up carrying were all GE's (the Canadian-built ones, bien sûr).

 

[justjunque]

Okay. I can't deny it. Hearing that jingle again after all these years did bring a tear to my eyes.

Barry

 

[unclejohn]

If only ...

... one would be able to travel back in the past !

I too remember K-Mart, as well as the earlier S.S. Kresge chain stores...

...Oh! Also Woolco and Woolworth !! ...And a plethora of (lost) local stores !

And now Sears going to a close (Simpsons-Sears): another page to be turned.

 

[luxflairguy]

I'm surprised to see Frigidaire at KMart!  In the Seattle/Tacoma Wa area I can't remember appliances even being sold--but again...wasn't a place my parents would shop...  We  bought washers and dryers at Sears and anything else at either the department store Bon Marche (Allied stores) or at an independent.  I know we replaced the 62 GE cooktop, oven and pull-out dishwasher at Weir's Appliances on K Street.   Again, Tacoma WA  only had one KMart in the 70's...

 

[pulltostart]

The first thing that comes to mind for me when I hear "K-Mart" is the TYFSAK stickers on the check-out counters.  A reminder for the sales person to say "thank you for shopping at K-Mart"

 

lawrence

 

[fan-of-fans]

Never knew Kmart sold appliances. Much more colorful and interesting ones too, than the plain white BOL Kenmores they were selling here before they closed.

Also love the pictures. Like seeing the iron and small appliance displays too, and those huge round vents on the ceiling.

 

[48bencix]

Tore it down

They tore down our local Howe Avenue Kmart about 10 years ago and replaced it with a Home Depot. I think it was an original Kmart, and pretty much was worn out. I kind of miss it. I too, never saw appliances in a Kmart. I don't think there was one in San Francisco in 1970 when I lived there. All the Kmarts in Sacramento area are now closed. The remaining one in Placerville is on the current closing list.

 

[sfh074]

The first Kmart I remember ....

Was a Kresge's store in 1968. All the items had price tags that included a big red K on the tag. A few years later it was renamed to Kmart but all the same stuff was in the store and still had the red K price tags. Only thing that changed inside the store was they got rid of the long cafeteria food counter where you could order hot and cold sandwiches and such.

 

[wayupnorth]

We had both an SS Kresge and Super K-Mart. They all closed along with our Sears and Macy's too. Never saw major appliances in our K-Mart. My next door neighbor worked at Sears her entire life and was saddened about the bankruptcy filing but pulled her retirement out several years ago when she retired as store manager.

 

[DADoES]

 
K-Mart closed here many years ago.  Rotary Club project turned it into a Civic Center.

Sears catalog store closed many years ago.  A local furniture store brought in a Sears Hometown couple years ago when they moved into a remodeled facility.