Floods, Waves, and a Steady Trickle of Housekeeping

Today's post highlights Alcorn County, MS, retail.

It's a good day to visit the Mid-South Retail Blog!

As you can see, today I have not one, but two posts! (Seems I've made a lot more time for the blog than I first thought.)

More on housekeeping in a moment... first I wanted to talk about what's going on with the Kmart Corp. down in Corinth, MS.

Corinth, MS Big Kmart exterior pre-2010 flood.
Image courtesy of DLC Management Corp.

I saw this as part of the briefs in this Sunday's Commercial Appeal, and found a more in-depth article online at the Biloxi Sun-Herald. Back in May 2010, a big flood hit Corinth, and the Fulton Crossing shopping center was extensively damaged, particularly the Big Kmart. Kmart closed for renovations and eventually reopened the following February, sporting a new(ish) outside and inside, which you'll see a few images of throughout this post courtesy of fellow flickr member (and new blog contributor!) l_dawg2000.

Corinth, MS Big Kmart exterior post-2010 flood.
Image courtesy of l_dawg2000.

The neighboring Kroger store is built in a floodway, and Kmart sued Kroger and the city of Corinth in 2011, claiming that their store got the majority of the floodwaters and subsequent damage as a result. Their case was ultimately dismissed.

Corinth, MS Big Kmart interior post-2010 flood. Former pharmacy area pictured.
Image courtesy of l_dawg2000.

Now Kmart is suing Fulton Improvements LLC, owner of the shopping center, alleging that they knew if a flood occurred Kmart would be heavily damaged and yet nothing was done to prevent this. As the article states, "Kmart argues Fulton Improvements failed to install flood gates or protective measures at Kmart. Kmart argued the lack of flood protection measures and the very presence of the Kroger caused Kmart to flood."

Corinth, MS Big Kmart interior post-2010 flood. Sporting goods department pictured.
Image courtesy of l_dawg2000.

For their parts, Fulton Improvements and its attorney maintain "Kmart had no proof, expert or otherwise, that 'any flood protection measure' would have prevented its store from flooding." Kmart and its attorney counter "that the retailer doesn't need an expert 'to explain that a six-foot flood gate could have kept two feet of water out of Kmart's store.'"

Corinth, MS Kroger - the store in question by Kmart, whose cart corral is also pictured.
Image courtesy of l_dawg2000.

The case goes to a fifth circuit panel in New Orleans on April 7th.

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There was one commercial I saw the other night that was utterly stupid and therefore downright laughable. It was one of those Kroger faster checkout commercials, and as soon as I can find it online I'll post a link to it. But until then, be on the lookout for it yourselves - you'll know when you see it by those tall inflatable arm-waving things you always see at car dealerships (yep, it's a weird commercial!).

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And now back to the housekeeping. As I said, there's two posts today - this one and the Kroger post I've been promising. What I haven't said yet is that this is only the first of ten Kroger posts. As you'll see in the other post, the Kroger list is only for the Memphis metro. I will follow this up ASAP with another Kroger list with other notable Kroger stores around the Mid-South. There are way too many stores around the region, so I've only settled for a definitive list of the three major counties. But if you think there are other worthy stores, please feel free to mention them in the comments of either of today's posts and I'll do my best to include them in the next list post.

After that, the remaining eight Kroger posts will be picture posts of the various Kroger décors that are or once were present around the Mid-South. Again, not really a schedule for those; just check back periodically.

That's what's happening in the Mid-South and on the blog... in the meantime, have fun exploring the retail world wherever you are!

Retail Retell