View Full Version : KB goes down

El Chuxter
12-12-2008, 05:29 PM
This probably won't come as a shock to anyone who's actually set foot in one for the past two years, but KB has declared bankruptcy (second time? third?) and, this time, will be going out of business. I've heard that all their stores are holding liquidation sales and hope to be closed by January. So hurry and see if their clearances bring anything to what would be considered "normal" prices; they can't do this all day.

They couldn't compete, because they weren't German. We all know the Germans make good stuff. You with me, 2-1B?

Bel-Cam Jos
12-12-2008, 07:33 PM
But why would one pay lower prices for things unwanted? :( KB died because they outpriced themselves; always about $2 more per SW fig. :greedy: :upset:

12-12-2008, 07:37 PM
We had two KB stores in my area that bellied up about five years ago. As everyone knows, they were higher priced than most stores. That certainly didn't help their survival.

My family would go there regardless because our local stores had great customer service, and I'm willing to pay for that. If I have to deal with a mouth-breathing dill weed to get a discount, I'll usually think twice about doing business there regardless of the type of business.

El Chuxter
12-13-2008, 02:04 PM
I went to the nearest KB last night (thirty miles away), since I still had a $25 giftcard my brother sent MORE THAN TWO FULL YEARS AGO! (When a toy collector with a toddler can't find toys in a store for two years, there's a problem.) I wanted to ditch that card before they stop taking them.

Aside from the "All Sales Final," there was no indication that they were closing (though the official word is that they are), nor that everything was discounted (20% off the top, though the signage is confusing).

Their "value" Wii videogames were $30, and "buy two, get one free." So, it'd be $60-20% ($48) for three games. Trouble is, these are games that are $15 at Costco, Wal-Mart, even TRU. Their liquidation is still more than other stores!

The shelves were barren of good collector toys, as they've been for ages. We wound up getting a remote controlled Batmobile for my nephew and two Sesame Street dolls for the baby.

Since I was in the same city, I made sure last night to get rid of the last of an FYE card I also got from my brother and have had even longer. Given their business model and carpy prices, I expect them to be gone by summer.

I'm going to tell him that, if he's spending $20 anyway, get me a ShamWow next time.

12-13-2008, 03:03 PM
I always thought their higher prices were because they set up in malls and thus had higher overhead to run their stores. So they needed to charge more just to stay in business; but hoped to make that back just on the convenience factor and the high foot traffic that malls get.

12-14-2008, 05:30 AM
The only thing surprising about this, is that they managed to hold out as long as they did. It's not exactly shocking to see a company with as many problems as KB tanking finally, given the fact that they made no effort what-so-ever to change their pitiful business model.

12-14-2008, 05:33 AM
I can't recall ever buying anything that I really needed at KB. I'd always check when I went to the mall but I doubt that I bought anything at $9 per figure.

Bel-Cam Jos
12-14-2008, 09:36 AM
When I'd stop by (not too often) and see a "rare" figure, I'd buy it, since the extra $2 cost would be about shipping on an online purchase. Also, you could sometimes find slightly older figures at times.

Lowly Bantha Cleaner
12-14-2008, 11:31 AM
A part of my childhood died when I heard this tragic newsstory about Kay-Bee.

I then killed the rest of it with a soup ladle.

12-14-2008, 12:56 PM
You hate to see a business fold up like this, but yeah it was no surprise. I used to stop there all the time because they were usually within a $1 of Wal-Mart and a few times they actually had the new waves before other stores. And at a time when Ephant Mon was super rare, I scored a few for $2.99 apiece.

But now they are over $3 more than Wal-Mart so unless I was desperate to find a figure, which I haven't been in years, I usually never buy anything. I'd imagine everything else is priced similiarly.

12-14-2008, 02:26 PM
JediTricks had some interesting insight into the history of their changing business model. Maybe he'll post what he knows.

Growing up, my mom took me to KB in the mall as a child, and I got some of my KENNER 12" Star Wars figures there, as well as my Transformers. I think I might have found ArtAsylum Star Trek figures there (yeah - actually I did find several of the elusive Shran figures there) and I scored that Ephant Mon deal when I got him fresh from new cases when they were clearanced at $2.98 a figure or something.

I also found other figures there in the past when KB got shipments and the larger retailers were overstocked with older waves.

And I got my PlaySkool Star Wars Adventure sets at KB (the predacessor to Galactic Heroes).

Oh - and the KB at Mission Valley Mall (KB has been out of there for probably 6-8 years now) yeilded me the Hasbro Star Wars 12" Luke and Han Stormtrooper Exclusive set, and the Luke X-wing Pilot 12", Small-head 12" Boba Fett, 12" Princess Leia (ANH), and I could have gotten the stormtroopers from that wave, but turned them down (so my friend Tony bought all of them right while I was standing there).

12-15-2008, 08:41 AM
I stopped in at a K*B outlet store and they wanted $10.99 for the new Star Wars figures!!! This was the day after the big July launch. I knew they were doomed.

12-15-2008, 09:11 AM
Wow. For just over $10.99 I'm expecting a comic book and 2 (two) Star Wars figures!