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INTRODUCTION TO THE VENUE In the United States of America, we enjoy a bounty of shopping opportunities.  Hop in the car and you’ll likely be able to reach several multi-floor, enclosed shopping malls within a few minutes or an hour, depending on where you live. On the way, you’ll drive on neat paved roads, pass several pay-at-the-pump gas stations, and probably notice an Outback Steakhouse or an Olive Garden.  If you live in a large city, it’s even easier.  Malls abound in nearly every metropolitan area and clean, efficient stores are no scarcity. Perhaps the dynamics of the USA accounts for why K-mart has not hit it big on the mainland. K-mart is not very unique, and most people perceive it as a third-tier player below Target and failing to meet the supersized capacity of a typical Wal-mart. Yet, even with it’s flaws, the struggling and bankrupt K-mart corporation has a large fan-base on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. It matches the island well as a small entity in a world of highly competitive and well managed “big-timers.” The greatest aspect about our two K-marts is that they tend to stock a large inventory of essential items and fun stuff that one might crave -- like snorkel gear, floral hand soap, and even hard liquor.  But, most importantly, K-mart has blessed us with a cheery island maiden to tidy up!  It's not hard to note the marked influx of Martha Stewart. Her towels, pillowcases, pots and pans, and pastel colors are commonplace in most homes and offices all over the VI. One could easily walk into the large kitchen of a showcase million- dollar mansion overlooking the most spectacular beach on St. Thomas and find at least a few of Martha’s spatulas and measuring cups.  Why is that?  After all, the Pottery Barn does ship to the VI!  So, the question remains, why Martha? The reason: K-mart is the place, the only place, for finding many things in St. Thomas.   So, if you forget your cork screw, you have two options: (A) pay Williams Sonoma $8.99 plus $10 shipping and wait 3 weeks or more for it to arrive or (B) go to K-mart and enjoy Martha’s version immediately.  Most choose the second option.  Accordingly, everyone from pale-skinned blonde women to Reggae-clad black men with 5 foot dredlocks will be moving down the aisles.  As you might imagine, this makes our K-marts incredibly distinct and prime sites for weird things to occur unexpectedly.  It’s not uncommon to find people with two shopping carts waiting in line for 30 minutes to merely pay for their items.  Norwould it seem unusual for some islanders to claim some serious accidental injury -- “slipping and falling” and then deciding that K-mart should be held liable for the costs.  In any event, despite its long lines and door patrol that makes each patron produce their cash register receipt to exit the building, K-mart has my friendship.  After all, they are mecca for a few minutes of odds-and-ends bliss.