NY Observer > Kmart Corporation http://www.observer.com/taxonomy/term/30292/feed Articles from Observer.com en Shott On Location: The Down-Low On That 'Upscale' Dunkin' Donuts http://www.observer.com/node/35805 DunkinDonuts2.jpgSo this is the "new look" Dunkin' Donuts: garish orange and pink signage, comfortless metallic chairs, raffish menu graphics.

Kinda like the old-look Dunkin' Donuts--and catering to the same ol' stereotypical clientele: cops.

Around 3 p.m. on Thursday, the newest corner location for D.D. franchise Centurian Plaza Donuts LLC, located at 20th Street and Third Avenue, was crawling with recruits in Police Academy uniforms.

This reporter was expecting more distinct changes in appearance and customer base, after reading January's Crain's article.

The company was said to be unveiling a "more upscale store model," in order to lure white-collar workers away from Starbucks. The new 243 Third Avenue location, which opened on Wednesday, was supposed to be the premier outpost of this a la mode makeover.

The change was so subtle, however, I needed to hike six blocks to the next nearest Dunkin' Donuts on Third Avenue, at 26th Street, to even notice.

It seems to come down to this: The new look features trendy track lighting in the seating area; the old model uses mere Kmart-style flourescent bulbs.

If the purveyors of the big Box O' Joe truly want to hone in on the yuppie crowd, perhaps they should borrow a page from the Starbucks playbook--and get themselves a decent wireless-Internet provider.

It took about 20 minutes for this observer to hijack an external wi-fi connection. By that time, my marble-frosted donut and small black coffee were completely consumed. - Chris Shott]]> http://www.observer.com/node/35805#comments Real Estate Centurian Plaza Donuts LLC Dunkin' Brands Inc. Kmart Corporation Starbucks Corporation Fri, 02 Mar 2007 05:30:00 -0500 Observer Staff 35805 at http://www.observer.com Astor Place: Moving Units at a Snail's Pace http://www.observer.com/node/34850
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Back in early April, the Wall Street Journal reported that the undulating, glass-sheathed Sculpture for Living was looking like a white elephant. "[J]ust one condo has sold since September, leaving 15 of the 39 units empty," wrote The Journal.

This week, New York magazine looks at some possible reasons for the slow sales.

Was it Paul Goldberger's scathing New Yorker piece? (For those who forgot this critical takedown, Mr. Goldberger thankfully keeps it, like a trophy, on his website here).

Could it be the new fangled "condop?" Selling high-end units on a land-lease sure hasn't helped the Stanhope, either. (Third item down).

Or perhaps it's the neighborhood that's keeping away the super-swanky, downtown buyers--who may feel more at home in Tribeca--from dropping $5 or $10 million on an apartment. Perhaps they are a bit wary of the Sparks-drinking skateboarders or gloomy goth kids lingering around The Cube. Not to mention all those drunk NYU kids passing by late at night, or the not-so-spectacular views of the K-Mart across the street.

But maybe everything's actually alright in luxury real estate land. As Related VP David Wine tells the magazine: "[It's] a very big financial success."

He might be right. But it's not surprising that when the pace of sales doesn't live up to the hyperbolic marketing campaigns that go into so many new starchitect-designed buildings, it may just appear to be a failure (even though it could turn a profit in the long run). - Michael Calderone]]> http://www.observer.com/node/34850#comments Real Estate Kmart Corporation New York University Paul Goldberger Mon, 19 Jun 2006 05:00:00 -0400 Observer Staff 34850 at http://www.observer.com Pols Hate Wal-Mart, But Consumers Don’t http://www.observer.com/node/38764 New York’s politicians view Wal-Mart the way vets view a rabid dog.    read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/node/38764#comments Politics Costco Wholesale Corporation Jason Furman Kmart Corporation Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Sun, 30 Apr 2006 20:00:00 -0400 Niall Stanage 38764 at http://www.observer.com Sculpture for Living, Dying in Cooper Square http://www.observer.com/node/34498
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Sculpture for Living.
The Real Estate Journal has an article proclaiming the failure of starchitect projects that had little else going for them. A familiar topic, but one that got us off on a tangent.

One of the examples is the Charles Gwathmey-designed "Sculpture for Living," on Cooper Square, right across from the plaza with the Cube, which, the Journal reports, has sold one unit since September.

The superluxury environment planned for Cooper Square seems to be falling short. A tipster to Curbed wrote in to say that the fancy and excellent Astor Wines & Liquors, across the square, was moving out and was to be replaced by a Walgreen's.

"It's a good thing the cube is all nice and shined now because the neighbors are getting high class: Kmart, Chase, Starbucks x 2 [or 3 or 4—ed.], and soon Walgreens," the tipster wrote.

Don't forget the Mud Truck, parked across the street near the entrance to the uptown 6 train. Note to rich people who actually buy in the Sculpture for Living: It's some of the best coffee downtown, even if it looks like a bunch of overgrown teens listening to Jimmy Cliff on an old boombox aren't the people to buy your coffee from. - Tom McGeveran]]> http://www.observer.com/node/34498#comments Real Estate Jimmy Cliff Kmart Corporation Walgreen Company Mon, 03 Apr 2006 04:15:46 -0400 Observer Staff 34498 at http://www.observer.com Ladies! Open Up Your Purses http://www.observer.com/node/37830 Tired of toeing the line? Dying to take a walk on the wild side? Looking to bust a new taboo?  read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/node/37830#comments Arts & Culture Anya Hindmarch Iman (Model) Kmart Corporation Prada SpA Group Sun, 30 Oct 2005 19:00:00 -0500 Simon Doonan 37830 at http://www.observer.com Domestic Slaves of New York Confess Dependency on Kmartha http://www.observer.com/node/45672 "Martha Stewart sells faster than homosexuals," said a charming salesperson named Calvin as he vigor  read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/node/45672#comments Media Andrea King Kmart Corporation Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. Sun, 03 Mar 2002 19:00:00 -0500 Simon Doonan 45672 at http://www.observer.com Your Own Funny Valentine: Mr. Right Is on the Internet http://www.observer.com/node/43963 Are you facing another shagless, dateless Valentine's Day?Good news!  read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/node/43963#comments Media Fatal Attraction Laura Kmart Corporation Match.com LP Poor Gertrude Sun, 11 Feb 2001 19:00:00 -0500 Simon Doonan 43963 at http://www.observer.com I Visit the Target in Queens and the Gophers Are Groovy http://www.observer.com/node/43766 I've been penetrated–repeatedly–and so have you.Over the last three years, we have, at least in  read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/node/43766#comments Media Blessed Virgin Mary Kmart Corporation Manhattan Michael Graves Sun, 17 Dec 2000 19:00:00 -0500 Simon Doonan 43766 at http://www.observer.com A Dad's Right to a Choice http://www.observer.com/node/43520 As we continue this relentless trudge toward election day, I find myself in a dissonant frame of min  read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/node/43520#comments Bill Clinton Bridgestone Corporation John F. Kennedy Kmart Corporation Sun, 22 Oct 2000 20:00:00 -0400 Bruce Feirstein 43520 at http://www.observer.com Of Mice and Women and Popo http://www.observer.com/node/42148 I live on a tree-lined block in Brooklyn.  read more »]]> http://www.observer.com/node/42148#comments Brooklyn Don King Kate Spade LLC Kmart Corporation Sun, 31 Oct 1999 19:00:00 -0500 Erica Kennedy 42148 at http://www.observer.com