Kmart 1974 Commercial

[truthaintpretty]

I don't remember who started it, but a couple friends thought K-Mart was some sort of negative, low-budget thing or something when we were kids, so they laughed at it. My parents, especially my mom, always shopped there, Zayre, Venture, and Ward's. We never got screwed with anything. Now you've got WalMart and Target where everything's made overseas, and customer service is shit. I go to K-Mart now (at 41), and it takes me back. Shopped there for Christmas, but it wasn't too busy. Sad.

[supremes1964]

looks like 1964 .....not 1974  LOL

[vegmatic1966]

After getting my driver's license, me and my best friend would go over to Kmart and eat at the little diner in the back. Food actually wasn't bad but the real reason we came was next to the diner was a video arcade room. It wasn't long after that, they removed the game machines and turned the room into retail space for TV sets. This was nearly 30 years ago. I'm showing my age :)

[raxaxic]

that shaver looks like a radio

[ahitchcox]

Looks like no one came up with all the lyrics to this jingle yet.

I remember them as, "K-Mart is your saving store, where your dollar buys you more. We give your dreams a helping hand. At K-Mart stores we understand."

[cranie4]

I went to Kmart a month ago and started joking that the blue light special was in electronics. The cashier looked at me with a blank stare. She had no idea what that was. I told her "Didn't you ever wonder what this blue bulb mascot on all your signs is about?" (I'm sure she thought "Hell no, Just give me my paycheck!")

[SeattleLA]

Well, does anyone remember White Front and Zody's, and if so, your comments.

[progrocker69]

@SeattleLA I'm in Las Vegas and there was a Zody's within a mile of my house which I went to at least 2-3 times per week when I was 13-15 years old. They had a big arcade in the front with most games for 25 cents but a few classics (like Omega Race) for a nickel! And then they also had fire sale prices on all kinds of Atari 2600 cartridges during that time, like $3-$5 each and I ended up with about 40 games that way.

I miss the 80s and that store sooooo much.

[Serpo71]

20 dollars in 1974, that was expensive for a razor back then...

[doubleot]

Couldn’t I have just emailed a .pdf of my special coupon, warranty, K-Mart sales slip, and send $1 via PayPal for postage and handling by January 15, 1975 to get my $14 value? Seems easier than mailing it like they said to do.

[TheTrh2130]

Anyone remember when K Mart had a snack bar in the front that sold popcorn and sandwiches?

[kimmykun]

@TheTrh2130 Our Kmarts still have them. :)

[SeattleLA]

@TheTrh2130 I was just going to write about this, and then saw your comment. Yes, I remember. We used to get nice sandwiches in Los Angeles, early 70s, I think it was about 50 cents each. They also had many other great snack items. It seems like yesteday....

[buffaloborn71]

wow what a rip off for that shaver...i bought one at wally world recently for like 15 bucks

[JaimeLe50s]

I find that shaver expensive for that year!!!???

[Gorbachenko]

@JaimeLe50s It was probably made in America. Appliances used to be very expensive, hence the repair shops that used to flourish. I remember watching an episode of Sanford and Son where Fred buys a used, scratched up 13 inch black and white T.V. for "only" fifty dollars (the T.V. was stolen) in 1973. I also saw an old magazine ad from around 1954 that listed those run of the mill box fans on "sale" for 75 bucks!

[Christmasmemories1]

I remember being in elementary school singing "Kmart is your saving store- go in rich and come out poor."

[Reed488]

@Christmasmemories1 Hahaha!! Those are funny, creative lyrics.

[corybroker1]

Look for the 1980 Christmas commericial. It has the same theme...the savings place. You'll rember the jingle. It was a very clever commercial. What happened to Kmart? They lost it when they changed their logo. I see Sears is rebranding them again to look more like the original concept. I hope they can save Kmart.

[stayjit1]

Didn't all K-marts have a cafeteria in the back?

[SciFiLeslie]

My first thought was it looks like an old transistor radio as suggested buy a previous poster (probably several of them) I think it also looks like a Tri-corder from Star Trek! (Probably also suggested in a previous post, but I am not going looking for it!)

[SciFiLeslie]

My first thought was it looks like an old transistor radio as sggested buy a previous poster (probably several of them) I think it also looks like a Tri-corder from Star Trek! (Probably also suggested in a previous post, but I am not going looking for it!)

[NightSociety]

Kmart used to be the KING of Big-box stores until the late 80s.

Now is All WAL-MART! "Save Money. Live Better"

[jln55]

I worked at Kmart circa 1977. It was newly opened. I started out at $1.85 per hour. They played that jingle incessantly between salvos of Musak. We actually had employees on the floor that would HELP PEOPLE! We had a cafeteria, an automotive section with a garage, and endless gossip.

[MrJacMac1986]

I was 7 in 1974 too.I remember seeing one of the Saturn 5 rockets being launched to the Moon on the many TV's on display at Kmart. Think it was Apollo 15 or 16.Could have been the Saturn 5 that put Skylab in orbit.I remember the smells that you mentioned.I first became interested in women there when I was 7.I thought the women pictured on the bra and pantyhose boxes there were beautiful.So much for thinking women had cooties.Remember the Muzak?Walmart just isnt the same.I miss Kmart circa 1974

[MrJacMac1986]

@brannon67 I have good memories of Kmart too.I am about your age.I remember going to look at the pictures of the women on the pantyhose boxes and getting "stimulated"because they looked like they were nude.All this when I was 7.But being a hypocrite and telling my male schoolmates that I thought gals had "cooties".I also remember watching one of Saturn 5 rockets launching to go to the moon at Kmart.Think it was Apollo 15 or 16.Remember the cheesy Muzak on the speakers.Walmart isnt the same.

[c8udyp]

Is that a shaver or a transistor radio?

[driski90]

I also remember when K Mart would change the song during the Holidays to "K Mart is your Christmas store....save on gifts your looking for!"

I love K Mart!

[Sheri451]

I remember that song.

[mca1218]

OMG...I'm 12 years ago again. I remember that "savings place" jingle very well.

[grands1am]

I'm addicted to the song in the background. Here are the chords, if anyone cares:

(A) K-Mart is your (C#m) saving store (D) no idea what they're (E) saying here. Ba ba (F#m) bada ba, ba (/E) bada ba (/D) ba, ba (A) ba ba ba (D) BA (E6) BA (A) BA!

[TerryT1976]

@grands1am The second line is, "Where your dollar buys you more".

[axcz3]

@grands1am your soo cool, damm i agree with you, ahhh the 70's i wish i could be there right now. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT !!!

[axcz3]

@grands1am what are the words tho? I cant make out all of them darn it ! I think its,: " Kmart is your savings place, with the brands your looking for.."

[TerryT1976]

@axcz3 Actually it's:

Kmart is your savings store

Where your dollar buys you more"......

[axcz3]

@TerryT1976 Ahhh, yes, okay, good to know, thanks a lot. I wish someone would put up more cool 1970's commericals like this. Anyone know where to go and view other than the ones here of course. Thanks, Bob---

[napalm5]

@grands1am you sir are hillarious!

[vegas787]

Loved the subway sandwiches in the snack bar!

[lcvd1]

I thought this Remington Mark I shaver was a transistor radio, LOL

[fiwaszewski]

WOW, where did the years go??

[220love07]

WOW! this takes me back. my grandmother used to be so embarassed when i sang that song. she would beg my mother not to take me there!! lol

[flamingcurent]

Wow that shaver looks like a radio!

[backflow3908]

i was born in 1974!

[99ONTGUY]

I turned 20 in 1974!

[blkattk2]

1974 was a very good year!

[BurgerChefGuy]

I sure miss the old beginnings of the current K Mart Corp---the old SS Kresge Co and Jupiter Discount stores. Kresge is what that big "K" stands for. The red "K" and green "MART" lettering on the old store signs related to the old red front and green front stores that Kresge operated way back when. Depending on the color of the storefront you knew whether it was an under one dollar or over one dollar format. Boycott WalMart and shop at the original Discount Giant---Our Beloved K-Mart!

[wyliesnyder]

Amen to that.

Love K-Mart

[teletubetodd]

Dig that jingle! I remember K-Mart well, and I also remember my disappointment when my neighborhood Big K closed down. First Woolworth's, then K-Mart! Where have all the dime stores gone?

[TheLizardKing1967]

Didn't they have color TV in 1974......LOL

[kjames32209]

i KNOW!!! That's what I was thinking! LOL! Geez...I was born in 74...PLEASE tell me they had color!! :-)

[autumnenergy]

Nope !

[therealgreatqball]

Funny thing is, I actualloy have a Remington Mark-I. Got it at the Salvation Army for a dollar.

[elkinsinbox]

You can't shop anywhere anymore because department store employees have become so mean. You can't walk down the aisles without an employee giving you the mean look. That's part of why the economy is in a recession because stores expect their employees to act mean with their customers. And to stare you down while you're shopping.

[mixnremix]

I notice that about the employees at the Wal Mart I shop at in Ghetto Garland, Tx.

[tranurse]

i remember when kmart had the best popcorn. when i was little in jax, fl, the kmart on beach boulevard had popcorn and a small deli kind of thing in the middle of it. then we moved across town, and the kmart there had a cafe, i just remember getting icees there. then it became a little caesers. now it's gone.

[kjames32209]

I was just in that Kmart on Sunday! LOL!!

[JoshuaTaylor]

They still had black and white ads in '74 ?

[MightySaturn5]

All tv went color in January of 66', of course there were some shows like Bonanza (early 60's) and the Superman tv show (later 50's ) that were already in color.

there were absolutely no black and white ad's in 74', this must have been a b&w copy of the original color version.

[autumnenergy]

If you want to call that "color". I just remember a lot of green and orange people floating across my television screen as I held the rabbit ears in one hand and lifted my left leg for the best reception, while praying my grandmother didn't turn on the cake mixer while my favorite TV program was on !

[theelvisguy]

I prefer Target.

[headlongthruthegloom]

The Kmart in Oxford, Ohio used to have a cafe that featured All U Can Eat Fish & Chips on Friday night. This was during the 80's. Don't think it's there anymore. Man, that was some good eatin'!! (For poor students anyway!)

[videogamelovergirl12]

i wish we had a kmart here...we do,but its,like,an hour away in portland,OR.

we live in medford.=-(

[Intelpentium54321]

hmm its in ct. Interesting. Thats

[uselesslop]

We have Kmart in Australia. It is now owned by Wesfarmers but started out as a partnership in the late 60s between Kmart Corp in US and GJ Coles in Australia. Kmart had majority shareholding but sold out to Coles who run supermarkets. We used to have cafes in our Kmarts too...They were great. Loved the pancakes and crinkle cut chips and gravy....nowhere do you see a cafe quite like those anymore. Simple pleasures that we apparently outgrew. Not me!

[DukeFilmsInc]

I love that k-mart is never too busy.....unlike a certain walmart. I hope they dont go the way of mervyns

[splattergirl72]

The Kmart in Hamilton,Ohio had a cool little cafeteria that was replaced by a Little Caesers Pizza in the late 80s.The store is still there, but sadly there is no food to be had there now. I used to love the hot pretzels. When my mom took us out shopping at Kmart, I knew I was gonna get a pretzel,too, and maybe a new Strawberry Shortcake doll if she had just gotten paid.

[ZombiedustXXX]

The Rialto, CA location was closed a long time ago, and is now used as a social services building by the County of San Bernardino Dept. of Behavioral Health.

[ZombiedustXXX]

I grew up with the K-Mart store in Rialto, CA on Route 66, down the street from the one of those legendary Wig Wam motels on Foothill.

This store had a mini supermarket attached to one end called Bazaar, and auto repair and garden dept. on the other. This store also had seperate cafeteria and Icee / popcorn / cold submarine sandwich areas. The floor around the Icee island was always a sticky, dirty, disgusting mess, but the place was happening in the 1960's-'70s.

[MJoz58]

I remember when K-Mart used to have a sit down cafeteria in them... anyone else remember that?

[hardlines4]

Yes I do.... and air popcorn & subs and slushies 2.... Bring me back to those great days!!

[punishedexistence]

Super K still does. I'd never eat that crap though, but it's still there.

[jayburd14]

My dad was a K-Mart manager when I was born in 1974, and he told me they had a baby shower for me at the cafeteria at the one in Portland, OR located on Sandy Blvd.

[heavymetalrockstar]

I remeber them!!!!!!

[boats752]

yup they tooks ours out 10 years ago

[Newtwist75]

@MJoz58 I was born in 1975 and I do remember the cafeteria in the one my mom took me to..I always wanted the chocolate pudding they had.

[TimothySEnglish]

@Newtwist75 Yeah I loved the chocolate pudding... along with the cubed lime yellow and the toquitos!!

[Newtwist75]

@MJoz58 I was born in 1975 and I do remember the cafeteria in the one my mom took me to..I always wanted the chocolate pudding they had.

[neopia9]

@MJoz58 The one I work at still does.

[Maryhc67]

@MJoz58 I do. They had pretty decent burgers, actually. I worked there in the early 80s when I was in High School, and I remember eating in the cafeteria on my break.

[angryliberal1984]

@MJoz58 i do. the best slurpies . . . i like cherry.

[Kelski1998]

I actually remember those !

[texacobigred42]

@MJoz58 Yep. I think it was sometime in the 90s that they did away with them; nowadays the only ones that have them are the Super Kmarts that also have the grocery section

[brotherbrown1984]

@MJoz58 I think I might

I remember when it was popular before Walmart took over (one day another store will overtake Walmart), and there was an ICEE station and some popcorn.

What will be the New Kmart/Walmart and when?

[UtubeDude011]

@MJoz58 our kmart still has the cafeteria

[FernandoCrescando]

@MJoz58 They had one in my K-mart up until last year.

[pictureisup1]

@MJoz58 Woolworth had one too.

[savgal1211]

@MJoz58 Yes, you could eat dinner for like a dollar!! Cheaper and better than Ikea!!

[wsbtam]

@MJoz58 I sure do! A friend of mine worked at the one in our Kmart...and on Friday they had DARNED good beer battered fish!

[jbradley26847]

@MJoz58 I remember! Our Kmart had good food believe it or not. They also had like a deli take out place in front of the store.. I miss it!

[gregbails4]

@MJoz58 Hell yes i do! i never knew it was in all of them. I always just thought the one im my town had one. My grandma used to bring me to eat there after church. Thanx for the fond memmories, i totally forgot about that! lol

[kimmykun]

@MJoz58 Mine still has one. lol

I think all the Puerto Rico stores have one, actually. They also have the pizza/icee/donut area in front of the registers.

[TheZeke1974]

@MJoz58 YUP! I do!

[barnabyjones786]

@MJoz58 The one where I live has one but it's like a little part in the front of the store.

[vardiss22]

@MJoz58 DEFINITELY...child of the 70's here i remember that well ..most indepandant dept. stores had them back them Woolco, Woolworth's etc....good times

[soupdujur]

@MJoz58

They still do in some.

[Sebastiangirl27]

LOL I work at Kmart--this is ancient!

[qwandiddy]

Still a crapload of Kmarts left in Chicago area.

[rcollis37]

There's a kmart in CT, Cromwell,CT

[omghelpmeimhigh]

I remember not this commercial, but k-mart. There's like only one remaining in texas. There WAS one about 15 minutes from my home, but it shut down a few years back..just wasn't attracting business not to mention it was really dirty in there.

[TurtleSloth]

I don't remember very many B & W commercials in 1974. I really don't think there were any by then. I remember when Gilligan's Island went color... Woooo Hoooooo!

[EONSFTFAN]

the commercial is in B/W because it most likely came from a video tape of the era when networks saved stuff to B/W tape. Although color video tape existed, it was very very very EXPENSIVE. It's highly doubtful this originated from Kinescope since networks discontinued those in 1971.

As for K-Mart themselves, one of the 2 stores here in Green Bay, WI is in the process of going out of business. All I can say is good riddance you will not be missed.

[Gam3rKidd]

go...gotta go to K-Mart, 400 Oak Street

[corydwalker]

Hanes Underwear. Size 38. Definately 38.

[joserijo1990]

Wow I wish they still show these commercials because the KMart by me can't put a price tag near an item to save their life!

[SpongeStorm4000]

In Wisconsin, Kmart had to deal with competition from ShopKo and the now-defunct Prange Way stores.

[MiltownPunkette21]

Prange Way? I'm from Milwaukee, WI, and I've never heard of that store.

[msannomalley]

Prange Way went out of business in the early 1990s after Younkers bought out the parent company.

[davenwin1973]

Wish Shopko were in NW Indiana. I doubt Shopko would consider Merrillville or Hobart Indiana, due to being close to Chicago. They might look at South Bend, Fort Wayne, or Lafayette Indiana before my area, if they opened in Indiana.

[SirRoxo]

high tech spinning giftwrap wheel thingy in the background XD.

[Seventiesfan]

Thanks, TerryT1976. I remember this one! I lived in New Jersey for most of the 70's, and there was a Kresge nearby, which later became Kmart.

[paris400]

Kmart - Fairfield, CA, 1976.  This brought back such memories! Thanks for posting.

[savoth91]

I prefer kmart over walmart i dont like stores that big

[mthivier]

Though they existed, WalMart wasn't even on the map in '74. K-Mart's most serious competition was Zayre's and Grant's.

[Seventiesfan]

I know. WalMart and Target didn't arrive here until only a few years ago, while Kmart has been here since the late 1970's. I remember Zayre too. So many great stores have shut down over the last 15 years- Lionel Playworld, Zayre, Woolworth, McCrory's J Byron's, Burdine's, Jordan Marsh, Lord & Taylor, Gold Triangle, Treasury, Two Guys, Luria's, Service Merchandise, Xtra, Montgomery Ward, Jefferson, Pantry Pride.. the list just goes on.

[qwandiddy]

Don't forget now recently: Value City Dept, Lazarus, GoldBlatts in Chicago, Foleys, Hudsons, Marshall Fields, Kaufmanns, Hills, Venture, Circult City, Walden Books, K&B Toys.. Ohh Yeah, I remember Zayre then became Ames when they were in Chicago during 80s to early 90s. I cannot forget Service Merchandise- that was da store!!!!!

[davenwin1973]

I remember Zayre. Too bad they were mismanaged, and went bankrupt in 1988. Ames buying them out nearly put them out of business. Ames buying out Goldblatts and reopening at at least 2 former Zayre locations didn't win over customers a second time. I miss Venture, but they seemed mismanaged as well. At least their stores were clean, unlike Zayre, which were in that bad of shape, and worse than most Kmart stores I've been to. Only the LaPorte Indiana Kmart is as bad as Zayre.

[royalfuzziness]

We shopped at the Kmart on 9th and North Ave in Melrose Park IL,mom could always find a bargin there.

[FunkyDL]

We lived about 5 miles outside the suburbs and were overjoyed in 1979 when K-mart came to our area, only 4 minutes away. We thought we were civilized!

[areyouready2011]

Three decades and i never forgot that jingle!

[paris400]

Same here! I was singing it the other day when I passed the KMart in the East Village.

[brannon67]

WOW! I remember this commercial like it was yesterday. Around 74 was when our original K-Mart came to town. I was 7 years old. I spent my allowance many times at K-Mart. Toys, K-Mart was TOY HEAVEN to me as a kid. I got my school supplies there every year, my metal lunch boxes there, my tennis shoes I played in from there. I remember the smells, like the popcorn, the pretzels, the ICEES. Ok, many people say that K-Mart sucks or whatever, mayby they do today, but they RULED back in the 70's.....

[CheapnessAndBeauty]

That spinning background made me dizzy, lol.

[peace4dove]

this was out when I was three years old and I used to sing "K Mar is your dinosaur" cause I thought that was what they were singing and so my parents added "where you can buy less for more."

Im 33 years old now and could still hear this commercial in my head after all these years, so thought I'd look it up! Must have been powerful advertising to my young brain!

[areyouready2011]

I was 5 and remember "Kmart is your special store...where your dollar buys you more." I remembered it, too. :o)

[MargoMitchell]

I MISS MY K MART WITH THE BIG BLUE K. USED TO GO TO THE ONE IN LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA at the corner of Evangeline Thruway and Willow st. It was one of the best. IT was huge and I would always get an Icee.

[mmonicque]

Have you notice that K-Mart looks the same today.

[Rhenoism]

Well, not exactly. The store itself does, but the parking lot doesn't. In the 70s when KMart ruled, the parking lot was full. Today, KMart lots look like empty lakes of asphalt.

[ukendcx2000]

they're still pretty strong in the va beach/norfolk area though. lots of kmarts in virginia; i remember super kmart, they sold groceries not too many of those around anymore.

[qwandiddy]

Yeah thanks to dumb walmart for killing kmart parking.

[uofmrules1]

Goddamn, I remember that fuckin jingle!  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

[pegbars]

They had that jingle campaign for a number of years. It was still in use as late as 1980.

FWIW, fullscreen isn't better viewing. Not with lo-res sources, anyway. ;)

[SadisticChicken]

I have sweet childhood memories of shoplifting from Kmart.

[joebradio]

Wow! A real trip back in time. I think I have one of those "Saving Place" spots recorded on cassette somewhere, but it is really cool to actually see it again after all these years. Thanks for posting

[LeoBurns728]

I too love K mart and ever since Sears was bought out by them, it's become a super store with awesome Sears name warranty, like the Craftsman tools... Way 2 Go K mart !

[khigh01]

Other way around, Kmart bought Sears.

[LeoBurns728]

I too love K-mart and now since Sears was bought by K-mart, it's a super store with Craftmans brand tools... It's fun to reminence about old commercial days gone by, God I'm getting old at 38... I can me a grandpa... Hehe, oh well life goes on, remember that t.v. sitcom :)

[RobinMetrocolor]

I love K-Mart, sure they sell some crap, But they also have some great bargains! Too bad they are dying now :-(

[clarkbell]

This Kmart looks just like the one at the Exton Square Mall in PA

[mrceleb2006]

Love that music in the background!

[RBFurniture]

Remember the days when K-Mart was the coolest place to go when I was a kid back in the early 80s? Tough to say that now...lol

[pcfish913]

We used to go to get icees at K mart and big soft pretzels in Dolton Illinois. BLUE LIGHT SPECIALS!!!

[larrybigk]

Thank you for sharing!

[Del655]

Cool Kmart Commercial. Thanks for posting it.

[TerryT1976]

Thank you. I'm happy you enjoyed it!

[rollingchild4]

This K-Mart Store reminds me of the Urbana K-Mart located at 1710 S. Philo Road in Urbana, IL at the corner of Florida and Philo for this K-Mart commercial. The Urbana K-Mart at this location was leveled (torn dorn) due to building of new apartments built at the old Urbana K-Mart back several years ago.

The Champaign K-Mart (aka Champaign Super K-Mart)located at 800 W. Bloomington Road in Champaign, IL was a Super K-Mart is now a Home Depot in Champaign, IL.

[royalfuzziness]

Was it right off of I 57 because there was a K-Mart that my dad always stopped at when he was coming back form southern il.