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95-425: The hotel received extensive damage when Hurricane Katrina made landfall in the city on August 29, 2005, where all of the windows of the hotel were blown out by severe winds, and water and debris were blown into the guest rooms and atrium lobby. There was feces and urine in the lobby, shattered glass everywhere, backed up toilets, and extreme heat, as the air conditioning did not work due to generator failure. In response

190-561: A January 13, 2006 interview on the Tavis Smiley Show , Nagin denied this, stating that he "never was a Republican" and that he has been a "life-long Democrat", and several news organizations that reported he was originally a Republican were forced to issue retractions. However, he periodically gave contributions to candidates of both parties, including Representative Billy Tauzin in 1999 and 2000, as well as Democratic Senators John Breaux and J. Bennett Johnston, Jr. earlier in

285-431: A Kmart. The 4,000 sq ft (370 m ) store-within-a-store opened inside the former garden department of a Birmingham, Alabama, Kmart. It was two-thirds the size of the appliance department in most Sears stores, but larger than the 2,500 sq ft (230 m ) appliance department in remodeled Kmart stores. In October 2009, it was reported that Kmart and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia failed to come to

380-430: A coffee bar. The hotel officially reopened on October 19, 2011 with several major changes to its interior and technological additions. An exhibit hall was constructed by re-purposing the hotel's old porte-cochère, or motor lobby. The storm-battered area around the newly rebranded Superdome experienced major construction, renovation, and overall economic changes following Hurricane Katrina, which continued to be supported by

475-585: A company spokesman who has often spoken on behalf of Kmart, said, "Store closures are part of a series of actions we're taking to reduce on-going expenses, adjust our asset base and accelerate the transformation of our business model." On October 10, 2014, Kmart was a victim of a data breach concerning customers' credit and debit card information. On October 19, Kmart stated, "Based on the forensic investigation to date, no personal information, no debit card PIN numbers, no email addresses and no social security numbers were obtained by those criminally responsible. There

570-610: A dedicated Office of Recovery Management. The Rockefeller, Ford and Bill & Melinda Gates foundations provided grants for critical staff enhancements. During the end of 2007 and into 2008 Nagin guided the city through an extensive planning process that documented a $ 14 billion need. However, the state only allocated 2% of the plan and it took almost three years to receive any of these federal recovery dollars. By years 4 and 5, New Orleans made significant progress toward recovery. 85% of all city managed recovery projects were either recently completed, under construction, or in final design. By

665-622: A drastic increase in the city's violent crime rate led to more criticism of Nagin. Nagin called for and got help from the Louisiana National Guard and U.S. Justice Department. However, Nagin continued to be heavily criticized by the local newspaper. He reignited complaints when he said news of two killings should keep focus on the city's needs for more help and, "while sad, keeps the New Orleans brand out there." Nagin hired recovery expert Dr. Ed Blakely in 2007 to head up

760-567: A five-and-dime store in Memphis, Tennessee . He jointly owned the first store with his former tinware customer, John McCrory . Kresge and McCrory added a second store in downtown Detroit the following year. These were the first S.S. Kresge stores. After two years of partnership , he traded McCrory his share in the Memphis store, plus $ 3,000, for full ownership of the Detroit store, and formed

855-612: A forensic investigation by computer forensics firm SunBlock Systems, 5,400 emails were recovered. Many of these emails were subsequently used as evidence in his 2013 criminal trial. In June 2012, Frank Fradella, who was facing major securities fraud charges, pleaded guilty in New Orleans federal court to one count of conspiracy to bribe a public official. According to The Times-Picayune , Fradella claims to have paid $ 50,000 and delivered truckloads of free granite to Nagin's sons' business in exchange for favorable treatment for Fradella's companies with city contracts. On January 18, 2013, Nagin

950-407: A high dividend, which reduced the amount of money that was available for improving its stores. Many business analysts also faulted the company for failing to create a coherent brand image. In September 1995, Kmart sold its money-losing in-store auto repair centers to Penske Corporation for $ 112 million to operate them as Penske Auto Centers . Penske later closed the auto repair centers in 2002 as

1045-494: A janitor at New Orleans City Hall by night and a fabric cutter at a clothing factory by day. After the factory shut down, his father became a fleet mechanic at a local dairy to earn sufficient pay to support his family. His mother was employed as manager of a Kmart in-store restaurant. The family lived on Allen Street in the 7th Ward , followed by a stay near their family parish, St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in Tremé , and then

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1140-436: A loan of $ 5 million (equivalent to $ 8.47 million in 2024). In a scandal similar to that involving Enron , Conaway and Schwartz were accused of misleading shareholders and other company officials about the company's financial crisis while making millions and allegedly spending the company's money on airplanes, houses, boats and other luxuries. At a conference for Kmart employees on January 22, Conaway accepted "full blame" for

1235-541: A mandatory evacuation because of concerns about the city's liability for closing hotels and other businesses. After receiving a late night Saturday call from Max Mayfield , head of the National Hurricane Center , Nagin was advised that Katrina was headed to New Orleans. He ordered the city attorney to prepare legal documents for a mandatory evacuation of the city, the first in New Orleans' almost 300-year history. On Sunday, August 28 at 9:30 a.m.,

1330-455: A mandatory evacuation was called for low-lying areas in the surrounding parishes— St. Charles , St. Tammany , Plaquemines , and Jefferson —and a voluntary evacuation for St. Bernard Parish . Nagin had, however, ignored federal and state offers of help and a recommendation to evacuate the entire city. In addition to the parishes' announcements, President George W. Bush declared a federal state of emergency for Louisiana. In accordance with

1425-640: A move to the Cutoff section of Algiers . Nagin attended St. Augustine High School and O. Perry Walker High School , where he played basketball and baseball. He enrolled at historically black Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama , on a baseball scholarship, played on championship teams, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting in 1978. He became a Certified Public Accountant . After graduating from college, he went to work in

1520-481: A new agreement. This came after Stewart made remarks on CNBC that her line at Kmart had deteriorated, particularly after the Sears merger. In November 2009, Kmart reported its first year-over-year sales increase of 0.5% since 2005, and only the second such increase since 2001. On December 27, 2011, Sears Holdings announced that 100 to 120 Sears and Kmart stores would close. In 2014, news reports indicated that Kmart

1615-539: A new, exclusive, cross-promotional clothing brand called Attention. Attention was launched as a new clothing brand that would be sold only at Kmart stores and would be used to promote E! News Live . Kmart had previously signed a similar deal with the WB Network to have the cast of five WB shows wear Kmart branded clothing during shows. On November 8, 2004, Kmart launched the Kmart Rewards credit card that

1710-418: A now-defunct chain of Kmart supermarkets , opened in that decade. Though the store chain continued to open Kmart branded stores, the store chain was still officially known as S.S. Kresge Company. Company founder Kresge died on October 18, 1966, at age 99. Around the time of the opening of the first Kmart, some poorly performing S.S. Kresge stores were converted to a new "Jupiter Discount Stores" brand, which

1805-764: A performance art park, but this was abandoned. Poydras Properties Hotel Holdings acquired the Hyatt from Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc. for US$ 32 million in 2007. On February 20, 2009, the State Bond Commission approved $ 225 million in special low-cost bonds to help renovate the Hyatt Regency. Hyatt in August 2010 announced a $ 275 million redevelopment effort. The redesign of the 32-story building included 200,000 square feet (19,000 m) of meeting and exhibition space, two restaurants, two bars, and

1900-522: A phrase which became a pop culture reference. The original concept for the Blue Light Special was a limited-time offer to sell slower-moving merchandise. The sale was first introduced in 1965 and was retired in 1991. Starting in the 2000s, Kmart would repeatedly bring back the Blue Light Special. This was done first in 2001, but was discontinued again in 2002. The sale was briefly revived in 2005, though Kmart at that time had no plans to use

1995-521: A planned major restructuring, in which Kmart would invest in new customer check-out and new inventory management technology and other related systems. In 2001, Kmart opened several new Super Kmart stores as part of Kmart's plan to expand their Super Kmart Center store portfolio and make groceries available at stores. However, Kmart having filed for bankruptcy in January 2002, the company was unable to open any new Super Kmart Center stores, and construction

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2090-472: A result of a payment dispute with Kmart. In 1997, Kmart launched the Kmart Cash Card as a replacement for the paper gift certificates and to facilitate the return process. In July 1999, Kmart hired SuperValu and Fleming to distribute $ 3.9 billion worth of food and other related products to all Kmart stores. From 1999 to 2000 Kmart converted 150 regular Kmart stores into Big Kmart stores during

2185-432: A significant amount of Kmart's outstanding debt was purchased by ESL Investments , a hedge fund controlled by Edward Lampert . Lampert worked to accelerate the bankruptcy process. On January 13, 2003, Kmart closed 326 stores due to a lack of profitability and poor sales. On May 6, 2003, Kmart emerged from bankruptcy protection as a subsidiary of the new Kmart Holding Corporation. On June 10, 2003, Kmart began trading on

2280-404: A subsidiary of Transform SR Brands LLC , a privately held company that was formed in 2019 to acquire assets from Sears Holdings. S. S. Kresge , the founder of the company that would become Kmart, met variety-store pioneer Frank Winfield Woolworth while working as a traveling salesman and selling to all 19 of Woolworth's stores at the time. In 1897, Kresge invested $ 6,700 saved from his job into

2375-568: A voluntary evacuation call at 6:00   p.m. on September   30th, leading to heavy interstate traffic as some 600,000 metro New Orleanians left. In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina entered the Gulf of Mexico . Early on Friday, August 26, Mayor Nagin advised New Orleanians to keep a close eye on the storm and prepare for evacuation. He then made several public statements encouraging people to leave but promising that if they did not evacuate, "[w]e will take care of you". By 10:00   a.m. Saturday,

2470-716: Is a department store chain, and a current online retailer in the United States and its territories and operates five remaining Kmart big-box department stores — three in the US Virgin Islands and one each in Kendale Lakes , Florida (Miami postal address); and Tamuning , Guam . Before 2018 Kmart owned and operated a much larger chain of Kmart stores. The company is headquartered in Hoffman Estates, Illinois , United States. The company

2565-614: Is also no evidence that kmart.com customers were impacted. This data breach has been contained and the malware has been removed. I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our members and customers." In April 2016, Kmart announced that it was liquidating 68 stores. The chain announced in September 2016 that 64 more stores in 28 states would close by mid-December 2016. Sears Holdings CEO Eddie Lampert stated in October 2016 that there were not and never had been plans to close

2660-503: Is managed by HSBC Bank . On November 17, 2004, Kmart's management announced its intention to purchase Sears for $ 11 billion. As part of the merger, the Kmart Holding Corporation (the company that owns Kmart) would be transferred to the new Sears Holdings Corporation and Sears would be purchased by the new Sears Holdings Corporation. The new corporation announced that it would continue to operate stores under both

2755-588: Is not overrun with Mexican workers?'" Some Hispanic groups, including the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, criticized Nagin's statement, although those attending the town hall meeting reportedly applauded—many believing jobs should first go to locals displaced by the hurricane. Despite this comment, Nagin went on to say this was the city's biggest economic opportunity and urged New Orleanians to get more comfortable working beside someone who did not look like them, as everyone's help

2850-414: The 2003 invasion of Iraq . In an interview with Tavis Smiley broadcast on Public Radio International on January 13, 2006, Nagin said he used the phrase "chocolate city" in reference to a time in the 1970s when African Americans were just starting to exercise political power in places like Washington, D.C. The term had been used in many of Nagin's previous speeches and welcoming addresses to visitors of

2945-679: The Federal Correctional Complex, Oakdale . On July 15, 2014, Nagin's attorney filed an appeal with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Nagin lost another appeal of his case in July 2019. On September 3, 2014, a judge deemed Nagin indigent and ordered the Federal Public Defender's Office to take over his appeal. Nagin said he was near penniless and relying on food stamps. Nagin reported to

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3040-823: The Federal Correctional Institution, Texarkana , a prison camp, on September 8, 2014. Nagin was assigned as prisoner Bureau of Prisons (BOP) #32751-034. The terms of the sentencing include a possible release date of no earlier than May 25, 2023. However, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic spreading in the prison, authorities released Nagin to house arrest on April 27, 2020. Kmart (United States) Physical stores: US Virgin Islands , Guam , Miami area Kmart ( / ˈ k eɪ m ɑːr t / KAY -mart ), formerly legally registered as Kmart Corporation , now operated by Transformco ,

3135-481: The NASDAQ stock market with the ticker symbol of KMRT with Lampert serving as the chairman and with ESL Investments controlling 53% of the new company for an investment of less than $ 1 billion. Lampert dismissed his concerns that the smaller company would be at a disadvantage, stating "The focus that a lot of people have in retail revolves around sales, but sales without profit do not allow a business to be successful in

3230-535: The Times-Picayune alleged a conflict of interest with regard to a trip Nagin took to Hawaii in 2004. The vacation Nagin, then-chief technology officer Greg Meffert, and their families took in 2004 was claimed to be partially paid for by Meffert, but years later it was revealed that Meffert used a contractor's credit card to pay for Nagin's plane ticket. David Hammer of the Times-Picayune reported on April 23, 2009, that Nagin had taken "plenty of other trips" at

3325-657: The "Orange" prototype in 2005. In 2006, the typical white and blue interior of the stores was changed to orange and brown, and shelf heights were lowered to create better sightlines. The remodeled stores contain an appliance department with Kenmore Appliances and most have hardware departments that sell Craftsman tools, which prior to the merger had been exclusive to Sears stores. Some auto centers left vacant by Penske after Kmart filed for bankruptcy had been converted to Sears Auto Centers. As of 2009, 280 stores had been remodeled to this new prototype. In July 2009, Sears Holdings opened its first Sears-branded appliance store inside

3420-417: The 4th best in the nation. As Hurricane Ivan threatened the Gulf of Mexico in September 2004, Nagin urged New Orleanians to prepare for the storm. He advised those planning to stay not only to stock up on food and water, but also to make sure they had "an axe in the attic", a reference to the many people trapped in their attics by rising floodwaters when Hurricane Betsy hit the city in 1965. Nagin issued

3515-643: The Big Kmart stores were successful, and by the end of 1997, Kmart sales numbers had grown by 10% thanks to their Big Kmart stores. In 1998, Kmart acquired 45 former Venture stores and converted them into Big Kmart stores. By the end of 1998, 62% of Kmart's stores were Big Kmart stores. Kmart converted nearly 1,900 of their regular Kmart stores into Big Kmart stores in 1999, resulting in further improvements in sales figures. The last Big Kmart in Marshall, Michigan , closed on November 22, 2021. The Sports Authority

3610-516: The City of New Orleans , as certified by CPA firm KPMG , highlighted many significant accomplishments of the Nagin administration. New Orleans gained 4,500 jobs that year. U.S. Census Bureau figures showed about 38,000 New Orleanians had risen out of poverty as the national average increased. According to The American City Business Journal , per capita income in New Orleans was rising at the fastest rate in

3705-457: The King's Men , featuring Sean Penn . According to MovieMaker Magazine , New Orleans was the fourth-best place to film a movie and had earned the title "Hollywood South". In November 2004, the Nagin administration passed the city's largest bond issue, $ 260 million. New Orleans also jumped from 69th to 38th on Intel 's list of "Most Wired Cities". The city's website went from being unranked to

3800-471: The Kmart stores to other companies it had acquired or created, such as Sports Authority , Builders Square , and Waldenbooks . The Blue Light Special was a sale promotion within the store for a short period within store hours only. It was advertised using a rotating blue light, in the same style a police car used, and was announced over the store public address system with the phrase "attention Kmart shoppers",

3895-718: The Kresge & Wilson Company with his brother-in-law, Charles J. Wilson. In 1912, Kresge incorporated the S.S. Kresge Company in Delaware with 85 stores. In 1916, Kresge incorporated a new S.S. Kresge Company in Michigan and took over the operations of the original company; the new company in Michigan is the modern day Kmart company. The company was first listed on the New York Stock Exchange on May 23, 1918. During World War I , Kresge experimented with raising

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3990-671: The Medina and Copley stores opened, many more Super Kmarts opened nationwide. The largest super Kmart store was in Euclid, Ohio, as it was a former Hypermart. Big Kmart opened in Chicago, Illinois, on April 23, 1997. The format focuses on home fashions, children's apparel, and consumables (The Pantry). Most Kmart stores were remodeled to this format during the late 1990s and the early 2000s. During 1997 and 1998, Kmart converted 1,245 of their regular Kmart stores into Big Kmart stores. Initially,

4085-562: The Sears and Kmart brands. Around this time, Kmart changed its logo from a red K with the script "mart" inside, to the same K with the chain's name in lowercase letters below it. Kmart's headquarters were relocated to Hoffman Estates, Illinois, and in 2012 the sprawling headquarters complex in Troy, Michigan, was acquired by the Forbes Company, which owns the nearby upscale mall, Somerset Collection . No concrete plans for redevelopment of

4180-482: The Storms . In 2014, Nagin was convicted on twenty of twenty-one charges of wire fraud, bribery , and money laundering related to bribes from city contractors before and after Katrina and was sentenced to ten years in federal prison. Nagin was born on June 11, 1956, in New Orleans' Charity Hospital , to a family of modest means. His childhood was typical of that of urban youth, and his father held two jobs:

4275-471: The Superdome nearby. On September 2, 2005, the approximately 900 hotel guests were evacuated by bus or by car; none were suffering from major illnesses or injuries. As a result of the damage sustained during Katrina, the hotel remained closed for six years. Investors including previous hotel owners Chicago-based Strategic Hotels and Resorts Inc. planned in 2006 to redevelop the area around the Superdome into

4370-534: The Top 10 Hotel Renovations in 2012 because of several notable features including its in-house restaurant. Ray Nagin Clarence Raymond Joseph Nagin Jr. (born June 11, 1956) is an American former politician who was the 60th Mayor of New Orleans , Louisiana , from 2002 to 2010. A Democrat , Nagin became internationally known in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina . Nagin

4465-536: The boards of the United Way and Covenant House . He also was one of the founders and president of 100 Black Men of metro New Orleans, an affiliate of the national organization of black businessmen. Nagin was a partner in a group that brought the New Orleans Brass to the city. Nagin became the team's president and investors' spokesman as they secured the hockey franchise. The initial popularity of

4560-522: The city and on the Internet. Nagin also said that New Orleans "will be a majority African-American city because this was what God wants it to be." Some people found the implication of Nagin claiming to know God's will to be as troubling as the racial aspects of his speech. He then condemned Washington D.C. , by saying God "sent us hurricane after hurricane after hurricane, and it's destroyed and put stress on this country", suggesting God's disapproval of

4655-676: The city caused many significant delays. He was also a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition , an organization formed in 2006 and co-chaired by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston mayor Thomas Menino . In 2006, Nagin was also criticized for devoting time to extensive lobbying in Washington, DC and a national speaking tour. Nagin's administration said this was necessary in order to correct inaccurate perceptions of New Orleans and secure recovery support. In addition during 2007,

4750-598: The city's cable television franchise, run by the Cox media conglomerate. The franchise had a history of customer complaints, low profits, and stagnant growth, and was one of the poorest-performing components within Cox. Nagin was quickly promoted to general manager. In 1989, he was appointed to oversee all of Cox properties in south Louisiana as vice-president and general manager of Cox Louisiana, earning $ 400,000 annually, according to CNBC's " American Greed ". In 1993, Nagin enrolled in

4845-485: The city. 80% of the city flooded, some areas as high as 20 feet, over rooftops. Food and water became scarce, and looting was common. After hearing reports of this, Nagin criticized the federal and state response on WWL radio , and his passionate outburst went viral. In response to a question at a town hall meeting in October 2005, Nagin said: "I can see in your eyes, you want to know, '[h]ow do I take advantage of this incredible opportunity? How do I make sure New Orleans

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4940-417: The city. The idea reportedly originated with the song " Chocolate City " by the popular 1970s funk group Parliament . At the time of the 2006 election, at least two-thirds of New Orleans' residents were still displaced. One candidate said in his Times Picayune interview he was running because the city's demographics had dramatically changed. There were three unsuccessful lawsuits filed to prevent delaying

5035-425: The company's "Dare to Compare" advertising campaign inaccurately compared its own prices with those of Target a majority of the time on in-store signs. On January 22, 2002, Kmart filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection under the leadership of its then-chairman Charles Conaway and president Mark Schwartz. Conaway, who successfully expanded CVS Corporation , accepted an offer to take the helm at Kmart along with

5130-917: The company's most recognized spokespersons. Super Kmart Center (Super Kmart) opened an all-new location on July 25, 1991, in Medina Township, Ohio , featuring a full-service grocery with a full-service deli, seafood counter and bakery. It also had general merchandise like many Kmarts had. However, this location was downsized in 2011 and was one of a number of Kmarts closed in early 2012 following poor Christmas 2011 sales. The second ground-up Super Kmart Center opened in Copley Township, Ohio , featuring an in-store video rental center, and an in-store carryout Chinese restaurant. This location has also shut down. The last Super Kmart Center in Howland Township, Ohio , closed on April 8, 2018. After

5225-468: The concept long-term. Blue Light Specials were revived again in 2009 on Saturdays, offering surprise hour-long sales on selected merchandise, but they were again discontinued. Blue Light Specials were revived once again in November 2015. In 1990, in an effort to update its image, Kmart introduced a new logo. It dropped the old-style italic "K" with a turquoise "mart" in favor of a red block letter K with

5320-482: The decade. Nagin endorsed conservative Republican Bobby Jindal over conservative Democratic Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Blanco in the 2003 runoff for governor . Nagin entered the race for mayor on the final day of qualifying. Shortly before the primary mayoral election, on January 17, 2002, the New Orleans Times Picayune and Gambit Weekly endorsed Nagin. In the first round of

5415-576: The end of 2009, there were over $ 20 billion in public & private sector construction related projects underway. Business Week said New Orleans was one of the best cities in America to ride out the great recession. Money Magazine ranked the city as the sixth-fastest-growing real estate market. Outside Magazine said New Orleans was the 20th best town in American to live in. The U.S. Department of Labor in its April 2010 report said New Orleans had

5510-508: The executive MBA program at Tulane University . Nagin also lobbied at the local, State, and Federal government levels, as many of the businesses he managed were regulated and required formal franchise renewals. His public profile was high because he hosted a twice-weekly television call-in show for customers. In 1995, Nagin received the Young Leadership Council Diversity and Role Model Award and later sat on

5605-399: The expense of NetMethods, a company owned by city vendor Mark St. Pierre. In April 2009, Nagin was obliged "to sit for a deposition as part of a civil lawsuit over the city's controversial crime camera program." The Times-Picayune had obtained information that Mark St. Pierre, who allegedly paid for the holiday, had made substantial donations to Nagin's 2006 re-election campaign. Meffert

5700-685: The financial disaster. As Kmart emerged from bankruptcy, Conaway was forced to step down, and was asked to pay back all the loans he had taken. After dismissing Conaway and Schwartz, Kmart closed more than 300 stores in the U.S., including all the Kmart stores in Alaska, and laid off around 34,000 workers as part of the restructuring process. Kmart introduced five prototype stores with a new logo, layout, and lime green and gray color scheme, one in White Lake, Michigan , and four in central Illinois: ( Peoria , Pekin , Morton and Washington ). The new layout

5795-801: The first half of 2000. In 2000, Kmart and Capital One launched an all-new co-branded MasterCard as a replacement for the private label Kmart credit cards. Also in 2000, Kmart expanded the Martha Stewart Everyday Garden Collection to include live plants and seeds. Kmart also launched the Martha Stewart Everyday Kitchen, which is a complete line of housewares essentials. In July 2000, Kmart closed 72 underperforming stores, while opening 20 new Big Kmart stores, converting 12 regular Kmart stores into Super Kmart Center stores, and opening 5 new Super Kmart Center stores. The company announced

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5890-824: The guests were evacuated to the ballrooms, along with stranded city residents. On August 31, a convoy of food and supplies provided by Hyatt hotels in Atlanta and Houston arrived. The hotel provided shelter for New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin , the New Orleans Police Department and Fire Department , the Louisiana National Guard , the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Army Corps of Engineers , and some refugees who managed to sneak in from

5985-563: The in-store cafeteria at the store in Canton, Michigan , was converted to a Wendy's . Until November 1990, when it was passed by Walmart, Kmart was the second-largest retailer in the United States, after Sears. During the 1980s, the company's fortunes began to change; many of Kmart's stores were considered to be outdated and in decaying condition. In the late 1980s and into the 1990s, the corporate office shifted much of its focus from

6080-419: The limit on prices in his stores to $ 1. By 1924, Kresge was worth approximately $ 375 million and owned real estate of the approximate value of $ 100 million. Growth early in the 20th century remained brisk, with 257 stores in 1924, rising to 597 stores by 1929. Kresge retired as president in 1925, continuing as the company's chairman. The Great Depression reduced profitability and resulted in store closings, but

6175-479: The long term." He began to improve the company's balance sheet by reducing inventory, cutting costs, and closing underperforming stores. By the fourth quarter of 2003, Kmart posted its first profitable quarter in three years, although it has since returned to an operating loss. On July 23, 2004, a new Kmart logo featuring a large red "K" with "kmart" in small block letters underneath it was announced. On August 12, 2004, Kmart and E! Entertainment Television announced

6270-520: The lowest unemployment in the nation. Prior to leaving office in 2010, Nagin was appointed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to head the United States delegation to a state and local governments conference on assistance to post-earthquake Haiti held in Martinique . A recovery plan was completed and presented to donor nations resulting in Haiti receiving billions in pledges. On April 7, 2009,

6365-437: The mandatory evacuation order was signed and communicated to the public. The Superdome was opened as a shelter of last resort, and police went throughout the city with loudspeakers alerting all remaining citizens to head to key pickup points for free bus rides. By Sunday evening 80% of New Orleanians and visitors were evacuated or relocated. After the hurricane hit, the federally built and maintained levees collapsed throughout

6460-570: The mayoral election in February 2002, Nagin won first place with 29 percent of the vote. Some of his opponents were the Police Chief Richard Pennington , State Senator Paulette Irons , and City Councilman Troy Carter . In the runoff on Saturday, March 2, 2002, Nagin defeated Richard Pennington with 59 percent of the votes to become the 60th mayor of New Orleans. The 2004 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of

6555-503: The nation. Southern Business and Development named New Orleans number eight on the list of "comeback kids" in the south. New Orleans had back-to-back record tourist years, 10.1 million in 2004. A Yahoo/ National Geographic Traveler poll named the city its number one family destination. Since 2002, the area had seen over $ 400 million of film productions, including movies like the Oscar award-winning Ray , starring Jamie Foxx , and All

6650-413: The number rose to 682 in 1940. After the war, shopping patterns changed and many customers moved out of the cities into the suburbs. Under the leadership of executive Harry Cunningham , S.S. Kresge Company opened the first Kmart-named store, at 27,000 square feet (2,500 square meters), which was referred to by Kresge as a "bantam" Kmart and was in fact originally intended to be a Kresge store until late in

6745-500: The original election date. In the April 22 election, Nagin was the front runner with 38% of the vote. Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu came in second with 29%. Nagin and Landrieu faced each other in a run-off election on May 20, 2006. Nagin defeated Landrieu 52% to 48%. Nagin's second term began on June 1, 2006. He was intensely criticized by the local media throughout this term. For example, his "100-day plan" to accelerate

6840-491: The phrase "Chocolate City" to signal that New Orleans would remain a majority black city. He first used the phrase during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration speech in New Orleans on January 16, 2006 and repeated the metaphor several times. This was seized upon and parodied by some commentators, cartoons, and merchandising. Various designs of T-shirts with satirical depictions of Nagin as Willy Wonka were sold in

6935-544: The planning process, on January 25, 1962, in San Fernando, California , just six months before the first Walmart opened, while the first ground-up full-size Kmart with 80,000 square feet (7,400 square meters), opened on March 1, 1962, in Garden City, Michigan . Cunningham and Sam Walton were both inspired by Ann & Hope , which they each visited in 1961. Sixteen more Kmart stores opened in 1962. Kmart Foods,

7030-467: The purchasing department at General Motors in Detroit, Michigan . He moved to Los Angeles, California , then to Dallas, Texas in 1981 to take Internal Audit Manager and Division Controller jobs with Associates Corporation. In 1982, Nagin married Seletha Smith, a New Orleans native. Together, they have three children. In 1985, Nagin returned to New Orleans to become the controller of Cox New Orleans,

7125-436: The racial make-up of the city. The land deemed most economically viable was mostly city land above sea-level, in which the most economically-advantaged and white citizens resided; the majority of New Orleanians, especially black residents, lived in the outer edges of the city, where land was mostly below sea-level and deemed less economically viable. Nagin disavowed such proposals, and in response to residents' concerns, he used

7220-451: The rebuilding of New Orleans was bashed for what critics said was a tardy release, lack of details and activity in moving forward. Nagin administration spokesperson Rob Couhig backed away from a 100-day promise, stating that it was not meant as a "time period," but as a short-range initiative to improve quality-of-life issues. Delays in FEMA reimbursements and federal recovery dollars reaching

7315-634: The rebuilt Hyatt Regency. The Central Business District's post-disaster development included Champions Square , the sports district, and the Biotech District. The entrance to the Hyatt Regency also faces the newly constructed Loyola Streetcar line , which provides access to the Central Business District (CBD). including the French Quarter . The Hyatt Regency New Orleans work was reported by Forbes magazine as one of

7410-487: The regional evacuation plan, New Orleans, along with the surrounding areas of Jefferson and St. Charles parishes, were given formal voluntary evacuation orders around 50 hours from Katrina's landfall. This phased approach along with " contraflow ", wherein all incoming interstate highway lanes are reversed outward, ensured that additional vehicles moving onto already congested roads would not create massive gridlock. The local newspaper reported that Nagin stopped short of ordering

7505-715: The short-lived name Today's Kmart . In 1991, the company revised its name slightly to Kmart Corporation . In 1992, Kmart entered the Eastern European market with the purchase of 13 stores in the former Czechoslovakia. These stores were sold off in 1996. The company also began to offer exclusive merchandise by Martha Stewart , Kathy Ireland , Jaclyn Smith , Lauren Hutton , and Thalía . Other recognizable brands included exclusively licensed merchandising of products relating to Sesame Street and Disney . Actress and television personality Rosie O'Donnell and actress/director and producer Penny Marshall became among

7600-474: The site had been announced. In 2005, Sears Holdings Corporation introduced the Sears Essentials store format, which would serve as a Kmart-Sears hybrid. Sears Essentials stores were freestanding (not located at a shopping mall) stores. In 2006, the company discontinued the Sears Essentials name, and renamed all of the Sears Essentials stores as Sears Grand stores. Kmart started remodeling stores to

7695-627: The team allowed the group to secure the 18,000-seat New Orleans Arena as its home venue. That year, the local alternative newspaper Gambit Weekly named Nagin as its New Orleanian of the Year. Several news sources, including BBC News , have stated that Nagin was a registered Republican for most of his adult life, and a George W. Bush supporter, but then switched to the Democratic Party shortly prior to seeking office in New Orleans. In 2004, he endorsed John Kerry for president. In

7790-561: The word "mart" written in script and contained inside the "K". Kmart then began remodeling stores shortly thereafter. This logo was replaced in 2004 with the current logo. In 1990, Little Caesars Pizza opened its first in-store Kmart restaurant in Rochester, Michigan (coincidentally, Little Caesars and Kmart were both founded in Garden City, Michigan, in 1959 and 1962 respectively). In 1995, Kmart also tried to reinvent itself by using

7885-407: Was acquired by Kmart in 1990 and spun off five years later. Kmart's profitability and sales peaked in 1992, and the later decline is attributed to competition with Walmart, Target, and internet shopping. In 1994, Kmart announced they would close 110 stores. Unlike its competitors Walmart and Target, Kmart failed to invest in computer technology to manage its supply chain. Furthermore, Kmart maintained

7980-419: Was asked to meet with leading New Orleans businessmen to discuss the city's future. Nagin says he made it clear at the meeting that everyone had a right to return home, a claim contradicted by some businessmen in attendance. Many of the initial proposals to rebuild New Orleans focused on rebuilding areas with the highest likelihood of economic return. Many groups expressed concern that this might radically change

8075-531: Was conceived as a bare-bones, deep discount outfit. During the 1970s, Kmart put a number of competing retailers out of business. Kresge, Jupiter and Kmart stores mainly competed with other store chains like Zayre , Ames , Bradlees , Caldor , Hills , and those that were operated by MMG-McCrory Stores (McCrory, McLellan, H.L. Green, J.J. Newberry, S.H. Kress, TG&Y, Silver's and eventually G.C. Murphy Co.). In 1977, S.S. Kresge Company changed its name to K Mart Corporation . In 1980, Vice Chairman Bernard M. Fauber

8170-454: Was convicted on 20 of the 21 counts by jury on February 12, 2014. These charges included that he had taken more than $ 500,000 in payouts from businessmen in exchange for millions of dollars' worth of city contracts. Judge Helen Ginger Berrigan ordered a pre-sentencing investigation. On July 9, 2014, Nagin was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, and more than $ 585,000 in restitution and forfeiture. Berrigan recommended that Nagin be sent to

8265-603: Was elected as the chairman and as the CEO of Kmart. In 1981, the 2,000th Kmart store opened. By the end of 1981, there were 2,055 Kmart stores across the United States and Canada. In 1987, the Kmart Corporation sold its remaining 76 Kresge and Jupiter stores in the United States to McCrory Stores, and the brands were almost entirely discontinued, although Canadian Kresge and Jupiter stores continued to operate until 1994. Kmart experimented with co-branding in 1985, when

8360-524: Was first elected as mayor in March 2002. He was re-elected in 2006 when the election was held with at least two-thirds of New Orleans citizens still displaced after Katrina struck. Term-limited by law, he left office on May 3, 2010. After leaving office, Nagin founded CRN Initiatives LLC, a firm that focuses on emergency preparedness , green energy product development, publishing, and public speaking. He wrote and self-published Katrina Secrets: Storms after

8455-412: Was halted on others, no matter how close the stores were to completion. In 2001, Kmart signed a $ 4.5 billion arrangement with Fleming , making them the sole food and consumables distributor for the company's stores. In February 2001, Japanese video game company Sega sued Kmart for failure to pay $ 2.2 million of $ 25.9 million for Dreamcast game systems. In August 2001, Target sued Kmart because

8550-453: Was incorporated in 1899 as S. S. Kresge Corporation and renamed Kmart Corporation in 1977. The first store with the Kmart name opened in 1962 in Garden City, Michigan . At its peak in 1994, Kmart operated 2,486 stores globally, including 2,323 discount stores and Super Kmart Center locations in the United States. From 2005 through 2019, Kmart was a subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation , which owns Sears . Since 2019, Kmart has been

8645-474: Was indicted on 21 corruption charges, including wire fraud, conspiracy , bribery, money laundering , and filing false tax returns related to bribes from city contractors. The 21-count federal corruption charges were issued by a grand jury . On February 20, 2013, Nagin pleaded not guilty in federal court to all charges. Despite New Orleans' long history of political corruption, Nagin was the first mayor to be criminally charged for corruption in office. Nagin

8740-444: Was later charged with 63 felony counts in what authorities say "was a lucrative kickback scheme." All but two of the counts were subsequently dropped, and Meffert eventually pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of filing a false income tax return. In April 2010, as a result of a FOIA request from a New Orleans news station, Nagin was investigated for destroying his official city emails. After

8835-613: Was liquidating dozens of stores across the United States. Kmart's parent company, Sears Holdings Corporation, underwent financial distress throughout the year, sparking an unspecified number of closings of Sears and Kmart locations amid vendors' and lenders' concerns about its liquidity. Along with store closings, measures included the spinning off its Lands' End division, selling most of its stake in Sears Canada, issuing debt and taking on loans that cumulatively put it on track to raise $ 1.445 billion in cash in 2014. Howard Riefs,

8930-433: Was needed. During a subsequent interview on Telemundo with Jose Diaz-Balart , Nagin praised the great work Hispanic workers did in New Orleans and said the city would not have recovered without them. Shortly after Katrina devastated New Orleans, there were calls for moratoriums on rebuilding certain neighborhoods. Two weeks after Katrina struck, Nagin took a weekend trip to Dallas to reunite with his family. While there, he

9025-414: Was touted as having wider aisles and improved selection and lighting, and the city or town's name was featured under the new Kmart logo at the front entrance. However, Kmart could not afford a full-scale rollout. The lime green prototype was abandoned for the new Kmart "Orange" concept that rolled out at several of its locations throughout the United States in 2006. While Kmart was going through bankruptcy,

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