The Astor Place Kmart, in the East Village, is all about the color blue. And in the middle of the store a blue canopy hangs from the ceiling, abovea blue police light. It's a carnivalesque atmosphere.
People love that kind of stuff.
They love it so much, apparently, that Kmart is trying to rebuild its struggling brand around it. The other day, I went to Astor Place, just after noon, to see the carnival for myself. Perhaps customer service could be more specific. As I waited in line, the customer-service rep was talking to a colleague who was leaving for the day. You don't have to spend your afternoon in Kmart.