Kmart of the first Kmart, some poorly performing S.S. Kresge stores were converted to a new "Jupiter Discount Stores" brand, which was conceived as a bare-bones, deep discount outfit. During the 1970s, Kmart put a number of competing retailers out of business. Kresge, Jupiter and Kmart stores mainly competed with other store chains like Zayre, Ames, Bradlees, Caldor, Hills, and those that were operated by MMG-McCrory Stores (McCrory, McLellan, H.L. Green, J.J. Newberry, S.H. Kress, TG&Y, Silver's and eventually G.C. Murphy Co.). In 1977, S.S. Kresge Company changed its name to K Mart Corporation. In 1980, Vice Chairman Bernard M. Fauber
L.A. Joe Department Store were paid 40%. L.A. Joe Department Store L.A. Joe Department Store was a chain of Charleston, West Virginia based discount department stores that existed until June, 1992. L.A. Joe was the retail brand name of Retail Acquisition Corporation which at its peak owned 70 discount department stores throughout West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. Retail Acquisition Corp/L.A. Joe purchased the struggling Heck's Department Store chain in 1990. The company experienced $19.5 billion in losses between 1990 and 1991, and in 1991 liquidated 22 of its stores under Chapter 11. By June 1992, the remainder of the stores had