I grew up with The Big K stores, it became a rather cheap place to shop but since its merge with Sears, I believe the quality has improved. I have several pieces of clothing that are Kate Smith's collection from a few years back to present, that are made well, has kept their shape and have worn well. I am impressed each time I pull out one of them to wear.
I also like coming in to find the racks of mark downs, and this trip, found many summer tops marked down to $3 bucks. I don't mind this, as living in the desert, it seems those summer tops can still be worn well into the fall and winter months.
I also like the jewelry department, I don't want to spend a fortune for a simple gold hoop I wear almost daily. I like their selection and they always seem to be 70% off.
My husband actually found a new microwave here for much less than Sears, to replace ours when it went out. So if you haven't been in a Kmart lately, I think you might be surprised.