When Kohl’s Department store opened its doors in the Mall at Mill Creek last week, people flocked to it, partly because the Caldor it replaced had been vacant for nearly a year and people were curious about all the hype. Stories in the New York Times and other publications stated that Kohl’s had made a dent in the business of formerly untouchable giants such as Sears. Kohl’s sells itself as a mid-size store with moderate prices for middle-income shoppers, although a tour through the Secaucus store showed that a lot of thought also went into its design. This is a stark shift from the Caldor that had preceded it, and the sales and discounts at its grand opening won praise from people at the checkout lines who bought everything from lawn furniture to designer clothing. Earlier this year, Kohl’s acquired the leases of 32 former Caldor locations on Long Island, Connecticut and New Jersey, as well as other metropolitan areas. To maintain consistency with the 259 Kohl’s stores across the country, renovators worked to redesign the former Caldor stores. For work on the exterior, a number of elements were added such as large white columns at the entrance and expansive white glass entry doors. The interiors of the store were redesigned to make way for an entirely new customer-friendly retail space. New flooring, lighting fixtures and dressing rooms were added and centralized checkouts were installed in aisles by the entrances. “Kohl’s expansion into the Northeast region marks an exciting new chapter for Kohl’s,” said R. Lawrence Montgomery, Kohl’s Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Kohl’s has consistently operated on the principle of being a family-focused retailer dedicated to serving the communities where we are located.” Indeed, Kohl’s arrival in Secaucus came within a day of the town’s 100th anniversary and the company did its bit to help with the celebrations, putting up signs around town and a banner in Town Hall. Although Wall Street brokers celebrate Kohl’s for capitalizing on the weakness of chains like Sears and J.C. Penney, in many ways Kohl’s seems very much in the same league, arranging their stores with a similar, but simpler, mind set. It is more of a department store than the Caldor it replaces. Visitors to Kohl’s in Secaucus will find the transition from Caldor remarkable, with a floor arrangement of goods with much more eye-appeal and tasteful circular arrangements, as opposed to Caldor’s crowded rows. The aisles are shorter with many more breaks, preventing customers from being stranded in a supermarket-like gridlock. Specialty areas are clearly marked. Clerks were cheerful and helpful, even when admitting that they had sold out of an item. “The store managers will ensure that Kohl’s in New Jersey provides superior customer services,” said Gary Vasques, Kohl’s executive vice president of marketing. “Our success is based on the overwhelming acceptance of Kohl’s philosophy of bringing name brands, convenience and outstanding value to the customer.” Although based in the Midwest, Kohl’s has done extensive research on the wants and wishes of customers in this part of the county, commissioning a survey focused particularly on New Jersey customers. Survey results, Kohl’s officials claim, indicate that most residents in this area feel they don’t have enough time to relax with friends and families, and feel bogged down and stressed by juggling jobs and household chores. Store officials hope that Kohl’s will help make life less complicated by making shopping more simple.
Our Digital Archive from 2000 – 2016
