ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, February 21, 1997 TAG: 9702210043
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: EAST HAMPTON, N.Y.
SOURCE: RACHEL BECK AP BUSINESS WRITER
KMART IS COUNTING on Martha Stewart's dedicated followers - who look to her for guidance on how to cook, bake, garden, sew and decorate - to fill its aisles.
Martha Stewart bathmats? Shower curtains? Soap dishes?
Watch for the goddess of home living as the next blue-light special at Kmart as she loosens her upscale image to launch a new bed, bath and paint line to the mass market.
Tea bath-colored paint and plaid-rose shower curtains can soon be part of your home, as can yellow gingham bedskirts, multi-plaid-check pillow shams and light blue toilet seat covers.
They're all part of the broad line unveiled this week over a lunch of salmon and risotto at one of Stewart's estates.
Grand bedrooms, 13 in all, filled with antique furniture, stark walls and not a thing out of place helped show off the new products that will begin to fill Kmart stores March1.
``I want colors and styles that are appropriate in everyone's home,'' Stewart said, adding that the new Kmart line will allow shoppers to mix and match products to fit their needs.
It's hardly an image associated with Kmart, a discount retailer better known for selling life's less glamorous staples - motor oil, toys and baby clothes.
``Martha is another step in the renaissance of the Kmart Corporation,'' said Floyd Hall, chairman and chief executive at Troy, Mich.-based Kmart and a luncheon guest. ``Martha's line will put Kmart in a leadership position.''
The venture is the first major promotion for Stewart since she took control, two weeks ago, of her media empire, which includes Martha Stewart Living magazine, a syndicated TV show and some book publishing operations.
Millions of Americans are intrigued by her relaxed, country club style, looking to her for guidance on how to cook, bake, garden, sew and decorate. Her magazine has more than 2 million subscribers and her television program will go from one to five days a week next fall.
She's also known to be a bit of a tyrant, which was obvious Wednesday with her minor outbursts to the hired help over what serving spoons to use and how to clear the table.
But Kmart isn't worried about Stewart's off-camera reputation. The discount retailer is counting on her dedicated followers to drive lots of traffic into its stores nationwide.
It's the second licensing agreement between Kmart and Stewart. The first began nine years ago, but fell apart when Kmart ran into financial trouble a few years ago.
``Customers trust Martha Stewart to inspire a sense of style that they can confidently and comfortably bring to life in their own homes,'' Kmart's Hall said.
Martha Stewart Everyday will now be the main brand in Kmart's bed and bath department, and in many stores it will be one of the first displays to greet consumers when they enter the store.
Department managers, known as ``Martha managers,'' will have broad knowledge of colors and designs to help any not-so-savvy shoppers pick the ``appropriate'' mix for their home.
Every paint section will have displays to direct consumers on what combinations to use for each of their rooms. ``You should use a number of different colors in each room,'' advised Stewart.
There will also be a toll-free number and an Internet site to aid those consumers who aren't as confident as Stewart with their home decorating.
And don't think that she's stopping with just bed, bath and paint products at Kmart. At a luncheon at her home, there was already talk of possible Martha gardening supplies.
``There's lots I want to do,'' Stewart said with a smile.
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. i1. Kmart CEO Floyd Hall and gracious hostessby CNBMartha Stewart are joining forces to help the masses decorate better
for less. 2. The country plaid collection will be available at Kmart
on March 1. color.