Kmart Drive Thru Retail, Perry Sells, Sears and Vets….

• ToddSullivan
• December 19th, 2008

This really is a pretty neat idea from Sears Holdings (SHLD)..

Originally posted in Concentrated Value

“What’s a myGofer?

It’s a pilot concept hatched by Sears Holding Corp., owner of Kmart and Sears stores. The Joliet myGofer will be one of only two in the country, Sears Holding Corp. executives said Monday. They explained more to the Joliet City Council, which approved the concept for the Kmart near Westfield Louis Joliet mall.

It’s “a marriage between online shopping and brick and mortar,” the company’s creative director said.

It reverses the 80/20 percentage split between store floor and storage space, a top architect with the company said, giving most of the space to storage.

The Kmart store on Plainfield Road now open for Christmas shopping won’t be a Kmart anymore by next summer.

Concept of convenience
“We have embarked on a new concept,” said Steve Sunderland, vice president of concept renewal. Sunderland said Sears is on a mission to “redefine the retail landscape.”
Basically, Sears hopes to attract online shoppers to a store where they can pick up merchandise without leaving their cars if they want. The city council OK’d the drive-through lanes, which needed official approval before the 85,000-square-foot store could be remodeled for the myGofer concept.

Customers also will be able to walk into what Sears calls a “showroom” where merchandise will be on display and can be purchased on the spot as well. The showroom, however, will take up only about 20 percent of the building, and the rest will be used for storage and processing purchases. The store will continue to have 55 employees as it does now, but more of them will be full-time employees, Sunderland said.

MyGofer might remind some of the old concept of Service Merchandise, the defunct retail chain.

But Sunderland said online shopping will make a big difference at myGofer.

“It’s a concept built around convenience, value and an immense amount of selection,” Sunderland said. Customers, he said, will be able to “pick up the merchandise on their terms.”

The drive-through lane will go where the Kmart Garden Center now is located.

Full article in Suburban Chicago News

This is a very neat move. Being able to order on line and then just drive up and pick up without getting out of the car is very appealing to those who would rather not lug kids and or babies through a store. This is especially true as the weather turns. It will be the only retailer of the group Wal-Mart (WMT), Target (TGT), Macy’s (M), JC Penny (JCP) that offer the service..

On another note. I have received plenty of email the last few days about Sears Director Richard Perry selling shares. The sale is a function of troubles at his hedge fund, not an indication of his thoughts on Sears.

Also, here is a nice video about how Sears treats US Vets…

Disclosure (“none” means no position):Long SHLD, none
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