Kmart Corp.'s new president hopes an encore sales promotion this weekend will continue to draw customers back to its stores.

        The discount retailer wants to reward shoppers who stuck with it even when the shelves were almost bare and the floor needed mopping, Julian Day said in an interview Thursday with the Enquirer.

Julian Day

        The “Can't Thank You Enough” promotion follows a similar promotion cited as the reason that last month's same-store sales for Kmart were up 4.3 percent. First-quarter sales fell 11.4 percent.

        The promotion will offer 10 percent off general merchandise and reduced prices on clothing and jewelry today and Saturday.

        Kmart is trying to end a price war with Wal-Mart by backing away from that battle and “staking out our old territory,” as Mr. Day put it.

        Mr. Day, also chief operating officer, said this weekend's promotion is an effort to “regain the trust and confidence of people who shopped elsewhere.”

        “Wal-Mart goes to market as an everyday low-price leader,” Mr. Day said. “People expect (Kmart) to produce a compelling set of prices that excite them when they go in the store.”

        Mr. Day would not comment about the Martha Stewart-ImClone Systems controversy. Ms. Stewart, a homemaking guru whose products are sold at Kmart, and others are being investigated in the sale of ImClone stock just before an adverse government drug ruling sent company shares plummeting.

        Mr. Day called the Stewart line of goods “one of our strongest and most popular brands.”

        Kmart has been in perpetual turnaround since Wal-Mart took over as sales leader almost a decade ago. In terms of sales per square foot, Kmart is third with $236 a year, behind Wal-Mart (at $506) and Target (at $320).

        Kmart filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January. It plans to close 283 stores by the end of this month and will have 1,800 remaining. Of the 19 Greater Cincinnati stores, only one — in Hamilton — is being shut.

        Mr. Day said he plans to stay at Kmart for the indefinite future.

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