Top Secret

Sears Holding Corp. very quietly opened two new Kmart concept stores in Illinois. The stores are organized to make them easier to shop, including tactics like bright paint on perimeter walls to distinguish sections, lowered shelves to create sightlines across the store and centrally located dressing rooms. The stores also include

flat-screen televisions running promos on a loop and a help station that resembles a row of bank tellers who can recommend things like local handymen, delivery services or help set up gift registries. Sears has not said yet whether it plans to open more stores using the new concept.