@@amtraktraveler9118 Internet purchases are barely 10% of all sales in the US. And Amazon didn't kill Shopko, and that's coming from an ex Shopko employee.
Our Shopko is one of the stores listed to close at the end of February. This store has only been open for about 3 years as it opened in June of 2015. This store was previously a ALCO store. ALCO-Duckwalls declared bankruptcy in October 2014 and Shopko came in and moved into several of the closed stores. It was pretty obvious that Shopko over expanded when it bought these stores. Our local Shopko also had a problem with incompetent store managers. These managers along with high prices is what doomed this particular store. Shopko was warned before this store ever opened that the person they were putting in as manager was going to cost them business. They ignored these warnings and the outcome was the closing of this store.
I forgot they bought out Alco, besides also Pamida. No wonder they ended up filing for bankruptcy, probably because they overexpanded the number of Shopko Hometown stores by taking on too many former Pamida and Alco stores and turning them into you know what(Hometown).
I have worked for their pharmacy for 6 years, and it always seemed like they were trying to reinvent themselves. New colors, new gimmicks, new catch phrases, new look, new way......something was always changing. I have to wonder if that was part of their problem. It was like they were screaming "I am horrible, sorry for not being good enough". Found out today, I am losing my pharmacy.
@Rebecca M, best wishes to you finding another solid job in retail or other pharmacy tech work. Lots of changes in that universe as well. If you are out west, look at Bi-Mart stores. Employee owned. Fewer hours of operation. Long-term employees. Expanded into Idaho recently.
@@benrippel3993 thank you, I live in a small town in WI. My pharmacy was located in a clinic and I'm hoping the clinic puts their own in there. I have worked closely with the doctors and nurses in that clinic, and more importantly, with their patients. I would hope I have a chance there, if they add one. I don't need a job, I am an empty nester and my husband supports us. I just loved what I did, I kept working because I wanted to, so I have the option to just sit and wait, or I may go back to school. Thank you for your reply.
Just lost my job at shopko today, well at least till April when my store closes. I can agree over expansion was a problem, there is one store about 10 15 min away from one here. All 4 stores are closing in my city.
I'm an apparell manager for a Shopko Hometown. We take pride in our Apparell sections of the store. It's where a lot of Hometown stores shine. That, and our pet departments.
Heaven Lorenz I worked in Apparel a few months ago. Me and I’m sure my co-workers could vouch for you that we take immense pride within the apparel department. When I first found out the Shopko in Wisconsin I worked at was closing I was terribly heartbroken.
My heart's been broken with this situation we've stumbled into. Many people I know that work for Shopko are going to no longer be with our company soon. They're still family to us though.
I worked at the Kimberly, Wis. ShopKo autumn 1979. The grand opening was 11/1/1979 for store 128. It was really just the 28th store. The 1 meant the store. The pharmacy and optical departments had 2 and 3 as their first digits.
I was at a shopko hometown in tuscola a few weeks back and it was not busy. The groceries were expensive. I love the stores though. I would prefer it over Wal-Mart. Hopefully these will survive. There is one in Dwight closing.
I'm one of those soon-to-be-orphaned Dwight Shopko customers. In today's Ch. 11 restructuring announcement, a second Shopko in southern IL was added to the list of closing stores, as well as the pharmacies in 2 IL Shopkos which are staying open. I would love to have something like a small-format Target open in the Dwight Shopko building!
@@amtraktraveler9118 I didnt know they were really struggling being from the suburbs. This is almost like the bon ton bomb dropped a year ago and now they are closed. Yeah shopko may drop the bomb.
@@mallaholicretailadventures I have worked for Fingerhut which was a big catalog mail order company for centuries Federated Department stores bought them, in 2001. I think, Federated department stores also owned Macys and Bloomingdales. then in 2004. Federated liquidated Fingerhut then Fingerhut is now owned by Bluestem Brands Inc. I lived in the hometown of Herberger's in Saint Cloud MN which was a bon ton. I have to tell ya the internet is killing these big box stores. Best Buy had closed some stores in Minnesota. Willmar, and which is an Rural community of 14000 people. Another rural community home to the Schwans Ice Cream Trucks. Marshall MN Which has a HY-VEE Shopko closed its pharmacy there recently. Then I heard the news that Shopko is Closing another 38 stores. Sad.
@@DOSBoxMom It'd be great, if Target expanded their small format size stores to also small towns such as Dwight, IL. And not just in cities and suburbs, from what I've seen Target do so far with their small store concept. I get Target less focuses on rural areas vs. Walmart, so sadly who knows if that'll happen? Maybe for all I know, Dollar General(which has more rural stores vs. Target) will open a few DG Market stores, in some of those soon to close Shopko and Shopko Hometown spaces? Or say, some store that more focuses operating in rural areas like Rural King or Big R Stores, will take over some of those soon to close Shopko Hometown stores? Sadly the more I think about it, the more I doubt Target would open one of those small format stores in a small town. But I agree with you, that they should be more open to operating stores in less populated areas outside cities and suburbs. I know one of Target's more isolated regular stores is Garden City, KS. So maybe there's small hope that a city of some limited size like say Wausau, WI, or Bemidji, MN would get a Target? Though with Target being based in Minnesota, wouldn't be surprised if for all I know, Wausau and Bemidji had Target stores.
My friend (who lives in the Salt Lake - Ogden - Provo metro) and I were just talking about this. Certainly a much more interesting use on the Sugar House property in 2018. I wonder if Sun Capital made any money on that one or if that was a lease situation.
@@benrippel3993 When the Sugarhouse store was being built along with the rest of the shopping center, the developer went bankrupt. I'd heard that Shopko ended up buying their store for super cheap.. Not sure if they held it or did a sale/leaseback.
The funny thing is I thought the store he walked through looked really outdated compared to my old store. I worked at stores 46 in Omaha,NE. The store looked a lot like the one he walked through back when I started there in 2002, but around 2004 it got a huge remodel and looked much more clean than that. There are no major updates after that until the store closed in 2017, but it still looks pretty good until the end.
@@TheNyclooker do you realize its just part of this kid's childhood? I was the same when I found out my Kmart was closing, it was in 2016 but I'm about to turn 13 now soooooo
Green Bay resident here, They're shutting down the first ever store in April. For those in the area, come buy a souvenir if you can, a lot of things on clearance.
I think Schwans is going next. I work for Schwans they were recently bought out by a Korean company. If you are not aware of what Schwans is , it is the worlds largest pizza manufacturer and home service that delivers ice cream novelties and Red Baron Pizza and Tonys.
After working there for seven months I definitely noticed many of the same problems I had heard Toys R Us had. They kept pressing ridiculous policies and were obsessed with getting peoples information such as emails all in return for coupons that were never really worth it. And management was very full of themselves and rarely helped solve actual problems. I was not surprised at all when they announced they were closing.
Loved the carpet on the pillar with the help button 😂 I can't believe that grocery area only opened less than 2 years ago as it looks awful! The shelving looks like they bought it from a closed down Kmart as it definitely wasn't new when it was installed as it looks very old. The whole store is the next Kmart, waiting to be liquidated. People want a little retail theater when they shop with stores like Target improving their stores the ones who haven't invested will be left behind by younger generations as older ones who shop in stores like this age and die.
Does not seem like Shopko has much of a niche in discounting as their stores do not seem as stylish as Target nor as price driven as Wal-Mart. The discount wars will be waged by these two behemoths leaving little room for others, as Kmart can attest. Judging from your video, it would appear that Shopko stores are poorly stocked and poorly merchandised, not a good sign. Regional discounters like Shopko have vanished from the retail landscape. Here in the Northeast, for example, we had a robust array of regional discount stores like Ames, Bradlees, and Caldor. All three vanished within 5 years of each other beginning with Caldor in 1999. While Shopko may hang a bit, either through a buyout or Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, it would appear its days may be numbered. Enjoyed your very insightful video, well done.
ShopKo had a 'snacks' department that may have been enlarged to sell more traditional pantry groceries as they are far behind the competition in this area. Think if KMart didn't go "Big K." Shopko does not sell any short shelf life perishable groceries like frozen foods or dairy, unlike the KMart stores. In the past, the home electronics department / photo lab was usually in the corner adjacent to optical and pharmacy. After electronics in these stores became more and more low volume, they worked out ways to repurpose and reuse the space.
I appreciated shopping at ShopKo over many years ... from the mid 90s. My first shop was in SPARKS, NEVADA ... I still use the BANK LAMP that I purchased there. I shopped two stores in NORTH DAKOTA. I shopped at both SIDNEY, MONTANA stores ... as well as the one in PLENTYWOOD, MONTANA. Using their REWARDS CARD allowed for even more DEALS.
There’s a Shopko in River Falls WI that closed as well. The town refused to build a Super Walmart depending on Shopko, they were in for a rude awaking. In Ellsworth WI the Albertsons that was turned into a Shopko the manager threatened to calm the cops because my sister had to use the bathroom and she threw up in there I did record it on my phone but the manager told me to delete it so it wouldn’t get through. I knew later on Shopko wouldn’t survive against Target and Walmart along with Online shopping, All department stores are becoming obsolete
I worked at the green bay one that was one of the first that opened and all I can say is the employees were all under paid and underappreciated for the most part and the stores were run down and not well kept working there was a nightmare when I was in high school
Our local ShopKo Hometown was a converted ALCO, and it opened three years ago. Today, it closed. Three years, that's all it lasted. The ALCO that was there before lasted at least 20 years. This town is fairly small, population only about 5100, and is a primarily senior population. Losing a store like this (again) is going to hurt, since the nearest Walmart or Target is at least a 90-minute round trip drive. Yeah, we also have a DG in town, but that's no replacement for a store like ShopKo because even though DG may have cheaper prices, the quality of the stuff they sell is very poor...we're talking sub-Walmart levels of poor here. So, yeah, the loss of ShopKo is really gonna hurt the small towns, especially those like the one I live in who are small yet still big enough to need a store like this.
Shopko tried to merge with Phar-Mor in 1997. What a disaster that would've been, knowing how badly in dire straights Phar-Mor was at the time. Shopko dodged a bullet by cancelling the merger.
Most likely ShopKo likely never entered the Milwaukee market because Target was well established there in the early 80s. Then Zayre came into Milwaukee big time in 1982 opening in the former Treasure Island locations.
My Shopko is closing June 23 it was one of my favorite stores but like you said we have a Walmart 20 minutes away but a big part of it is like Amazon eBay the Internet shopping world it is killing all of my childhood stars Kmart toys are us and now Shopko it really does suck
To Lost Departments At the 10:58 timeline. Did you know Shopko in Orem Utah is going out of business? Also there used to be a Shopko in Provo Utah up until 2015 when they liquidated their store. It's now an empty shell building next to the defunct Movies 8 theater. For now the Shopko in Spanish Fork is going to remain open for now. Thanks for doing a documentary on the history of Shopko, it was very interesting. Can you film a Shopko store that's in the process of going out of business? I would like to see a part 2 video.
I debated whether to include some of those induvidual closures over recent years but decided against it because I felt like it was information that really didn't matter in the long term. I do feel like I could've included something about those closures though. The nearest Shopko thats closing right now is about 2 hours from where I live and I don't feel like thats worth a trip for me. There will be another update video coming out with another store tour of a full line location and maybe a hometown location.
Chipotle is doing the same thing as 11:46 in my home city by opening 2 locations less than 5 miles apart in quick succession (one of them was a conversion of an older fast food joint while the other is a brand new building), even though that city only has a population of over 60,000 people and there's nothing much in the immediate area surrounding that city.
I really appreciated watching this video. Useful information- Sun Capital, the venture capitalist group mentioned, is using a common playbook for their ROI from purchasing retail operations. I visited a Shopko located near the outskirts of Salem, Oregon. Not far down the road, (I-5) you can find a Fred Meyer, Walmart and a Costco. A Winco supermarket is adjacent to the Shopko. The location looked dated, but, again, still clean. The prices weren't very exceptional. Unlike a Target, or for that region, Fred Meyer, there was nothing very interesting about that store. Being located next to Winco doesn't make it seem as an appealing option for grocery purchases. Still, I hope they can recover.
Kroger is starting to change Fred Meyer, too. But I agree, in that example, all of those stores would be laid out more to a current shopper's tastes with as deep or moreso merchandise and better pricing. Although, unlike Target, ShopKo can sell Nike and other major label footwear and apparel (so does Fred Meyer).
@@LostDepartments Is the Metra station in Kenosha where the Chicago North Western station used to be? I used to take the Chicago North Western commuter train into the Loop when I was in grad school. It was convenient for sightseeing & shopping, as well as for connecting to the Amtrak train from Chicago down to Champaign, IL to get back to the U of I.
Shopco failed because of the way they treat their customers. You aren't a successful business by selling a product to a customer, but by selling another product to them. Those customers don't come back when you treat them like shit. This is a simple marketing philosophy they can't seem to learn. Shopco will not be missed.
I was In Our local Shopko a couple days ago looking for a steam gift card no gift cards in sight I noticed that everything was 60 to 70 percent off when me and my grandma where leaving I told her i bet this is going out of Buissness soon
Buying Pamida was the single worst decision the company made as it stripped them of cash and prevented them from opening new Shopko stores. Some Pamida’s were literally like big metal barns. With no ability to expand, Shopko lost most of the store level middle management as there were no advancement opportunities. When Sun Capital bought Shopko, they literally sold the ground out from under the stores. Owning their property is the only thing that allowed Shopko to survive. Shopko then leased back the property and paid monthly rent. I don’t know what rents were at other stores, but the store I worked at the rent was 80 grand a month in 2007. That made stores drastically less profitable. As for the question about luggage, it’s got great margins. As for your statement about stores like Kmart and Sears closing stores, basically the same situation as Shopko and their ownership.
Our shopco prices everything way high, then puts it all on sale. Still higher than wall mart. Plays people for fools! Ridicules. Their pricing put them out of business.
I have fond memories about Pamida because they had interesting stuff I never seen in other stores like PS1 games and accessories when I was ready into PS1 stuff back in 2003-04 and most stores didn't have PS1 stuff anymore at that time. What I remember the most was the dollar bag of chips and the 25 cent can pop machine which was a lifesaver when you're really low on cash but unfortunately it closed back in 2008 as well I regret not buying all the remaining sealed copies of Dino Crisis games as well few other good PS1 games during their closing sale which are worth lot more then what I would pay now.😰
Fun fact I saw a Snooki and a old Boston store because I was in Madison a few weeks ago I wold have trying to get it but we did not have a car because we flew and I am lazy and don't Lille walking in the cold or taking a uber
The end of Shopko....this sucks....First Kmart and Sears,now this. It's a sign of the apocalypse. Hug a loved one , smell a flower and prepare for the end.
I think it's more a sign that corporate monopoly tactics are in full force. Leveraged buyouts are mega loans to purchase companies like Shopko, Toys R Us. Then they dump the company the once it is no longer profitable and file for bankruptcy. The shell company that the mega monopoly uses dies, but they can just make another, with the money they earn from the lack of competition. While K-mart, and Sears were not killed off the same way, there were reports of tampering on the banks loans, that finished them off. In both cases the banks are at fault for giving the loan out knowing that they stood a chance to not only profit, but destroy their larger business partners, competition.
Here’s the thing about shopko.. they are super over priced in all sections of there store. Going in during all these sales I see a lot of things that say was $600 now it’s $250 and I’m thinking to myself that’s an awesome deal then I look online and places like Walmart already sell them for shopkos discount price. One of the employees told me they marked all there products even higher just before they put everything on sale. Buying things at shopko has never seemed worth is to me when I can either drive 20 mins in either direction and go to a Walmart and probably save 20% of what shopko is asking.. or go on amazon which is even easier. My wife worked there for many years and she liked it a lot and many of the stores near me in Utah were nice and kept up on but the greed and over pricing of items really dug their grave. It’s sad to see another store go out of business but I think when everything is so easy to get people realize they don’t have to put up with shitty business tactics. GameStop will probably be going very shortly after them and many other stores.
Very nice presentation. PAMIDA was named after the original founder John Jenkins children, Pamela, Michael and David. I worked there many years ago in Fond du Lac, WI Sorry to see them close
I preferred shopko kmart sears jc pennys kolhs not walmart I would boycott that store, even fleet farm and farm and fleet have better quality stuff then walmart
Now it's all remaining stores closing
Sad. Amazon should be convicted of murder lol.
@@amtraktraveler9118 I agree. Without the LOL!
@@amtraktraveler9118 Internet purchases are barely 10% of all sales in the US. And Amazon didn't kill Shopko, and that's coming from an ex Shopko employee.
Our Shopko is one of the stores listed to close at the end of February. This store has only been open for about 3 years as it opened in June of 2015. This store was previously a ALCO store. ALCO-Duckwalls declared bankruptcy in October 2014 and Shopko came in and moved into several of the closed stores. It was pretty obvious that Shopko over expanded when it bought these stores. Our local Shopko also had a problem with incompetent store managers. These managers along with high prices is what doomed this particular store. Shopko was warned before this store ever opened that the person they were putting in as manager was going to cost them business. They ignored these warnings and the outcome was the closing of this store.
I forgot they bought out Alco, besides also Pamida. No wonder they ended up filing for bankruptcy, probably because they overexpanded the number of Shopko Hometown stores by taking on too many former Pamida and Alco stores and turning them into you know what(Hometown).
I have worked for their pharmacy for 6 years, and it always seemed like they were trying to reinvent themselves. New colors, new gimmicks, new catch phrases, new look, new way......something was always changing. I have to wonder if that was part of their problem. It was like they were screaming "I am horrible, sorry for not being good enough". Found out today, I am losing my pharmacy.
@Rebecca M, best wishes to you finding another solid job in retail or other pharmacy tech work. Lots of changes in that universe as well.
If you are out west, look at Bi-Mart stores. Employee owned. Fewer hours of operation. Long-term employees. Expanded into Idaho recently.
@@benrippel3993 thank you, I live in a small town in WI. My pharmacy was located in a clinic and I'm hoping the clinic puts their own in there. I have worked closely with the doctors and nurses in that clinic, and more importantly, with their patients. I would hope I have a chance there, if they add one. I don't need a job, I am an empty nester and my husband supports us. I just loved what I did, I kept working because I wanted to, so I have the option to just sit and wait, or I may go back to school. Thank you for your reply.
/hug. The one I worked at as a tech closed. Loved my coworkers, cried the morning that the inventory team and the CVS team arrived.
Just lost my job at shopko today, well at least till April when my store closes. I can agree over expansion was a problem, there is one store about 10 15 min away from one here. All 4 stores are closing in my city.
I was through Havre, MT last weekend I noticed the Kmart and Shopko is now closed. In Montana there is nothing for miles for shopping.
Sorry to hear this. I have been working for my shopko pharmacy for 7 yrs and so I lost my job as well. Good luck to you!
I lost my pharmacy job back in Feb. :(
I'm an apparell manager for a Shopko Hometown. We take pride in our Apparell sections of the store. It's where a lot of Hometown stores shine. That, and our pet departments.
Heaven Lorenz I worked in Apparel a few months ago. Me and I’m sure my co-workers could vouch for you that we take immense pride within the apparel department. When I first found out the Shopko in Wisconsin I worked at was closing I was terribly heartbroken.
My heart's been broken with this situation we've stumbled into. Many people I know that work for Shopko are going to no longer be with our company soon. They're still family to us though.
I worked at the Kimberly, Wis. ShopKo autumn 1979. The grand opening was 11/1/1979 for store 128. It was really just the 28th store. The 1 meant the store. The pharmacy and optical departments had 2 and 3 as their first digits.
I worked at Shopko. Their prices were just too high. Always the dollars. Always the fucking dollars. (Casino)
i miss being able to shop at shopko they always had amazing stuff for sale cute clothes and shoes
I was at a shopko hometown in tuscola a few weeks back and it was not busy. The groceries were expensive. I love the stores though. I would prefer it over Wal-Mart. Hopefully these will survive. There is one in Dwight closing.
I'm one of those soon-to-be-orphaned Dwight Shopko customers. In today's Ch. 11 restructuring announcement, a second Shopko in southern IL was added to the list of closing stores, as well as the pharmacies in 2 IL Shopkos which are staying open. I would love to have something like a small-format Target open in the Dwight Shopko building!
Yes I agree Shopko is much better than Wally World. But I see Shopko closing permanently. "Say Goodbye to a Good Buy At Shopko."
@@amtraktraveler9118 I didnt know they were really struggling being from the suburbs. This is almost like the bon ton bomb dropped a year ago and now they are closed. Yeah shopko may drop the bomb.
@@mallaholicretailadventures I have worked for Fingerhut which was a big catalog mail order company for centuries Federated Department stores bought them, in 2001. I think, Federated department stores also owned Macys and Bloomingdales. then in 2004. Federated liquidated Fingerhut then Fingerhut is now owned by Bluestem Brands Inc. I lived in the hometown of Herberger's in Saint Cloud MN which was a bon ton. I have to tell ya the internet is killing these big box stores. Best Buy had closed some stores in Minnesota. Willmar, and which is an Rural community of 14000 people. Another rural community home to the Schwans Ice Cream Trucks. Marshall MN Which has a HY-VEE Shopko closed its pharmacy there recently. Then I heard the news that Shopko is Closing another 38 stores. Sad.
@@DOSBoxMom It'd be great, if Target expanded their small format size stores to also small towns such as Dwight, IL. And not just in cities and suburbs, from what I've seen Target do so far with their small store concept. I get Target less focuses on rural areas vs. Walmart, so sadly who knows if that'll happen? Maybe for all I know, Dollar General(which has more rural stores vs. Target) will open a few DG Market stores, in some of those soon to close Shopko and Shopko Hometown spaces? Or say, some store that more focuses operating in rural areas like Rural King or Big R Stores, will take over some of those soon to close Shopko Hometown stores?
Sadly the more I think about it, the more I doubt Target would open one of those small format stores in a small town. But I agree with you, that they should be more open to operating stores in less populated areas outside cities and suburbs. I know one of Target's more isolated regular stores is Garden City, KS. So maybe there's small hope that a city of some limited size like say Wausau, WI, or Bemidji, MN would get a Target? Though with Target being based in Minnesota, wouldn't be surprised if for all I know, Wausau and Bemidji had Target stores.
I think the busiest Shopko store I've ever been inside of, was the location attached to Bay Park Square mall in Ashwaubenon (Green Bay), Wisconsin.
I went to that location when it was closing and it looked like the backrooms XD
The store you went into was very nice. They forgot about these Utah stores 20 years ago. No remodels, updates, etc. But just as disorganized.
My friend (who lives in the Salt Lake - Ogden - Provo metro) and I were just talking about this.
Certainly a much more interesting use on the Sugar House property in 2018. I wonder if Sun Capital made any money on that one or if that was a lease situation.
Marshall MN store is organised but they stopped the pantry grocery section down. I thought that was going to be an uptick to the company.
@@benrippel3993 When the Sugarhouse store was being built along with the rest of the shopping center, the developer went bankrupt. I'd heard that Shopko ended up buying their store for super cheap.. Not sure if they held it or did a sale/leaseback.
The funny thing is I thought the store he walked through looked really outdated compared to my old store. I worked at stores 46 in Omaha,NE. The store looked a lot like the one he walked through back when I started there in 2002, but around 2004 it got a huge remodel and looked much more clean than that. There are no major updates after that until the store closed in 2017, but it still looks pretty good until the end.
One of my favorite stores of all time I actually cried when my mom told me it was closing down
Cried for a store? JEEEEEZ Dramaqueen alert
@@TheNyclooker do you realize its just part of this kid's childhood? I was the same when I found out my Kmart was closing, it was in 2016 but I'm about to turn 13 now soooooo
@@tris999x another drama queen.... Just so you know LIFE is full of disappointments. This is one of Many
Green Bay resident here, They're shutting down the first ever store in April. For those in the area, come buy a souvenir if you can, a lot of things on clearance.
Say Goodbye to a Goodbye at Shopko. I remember that old jingle to "Say Hello to a Goodbye at Shopko."
@@amtraktraveler9118 *Good Buy at ShopKo.
They really should have decided to keep the Green Bay store open. It’s 1st ever Shopko to open, pretty much historical. So sad to see it go :(
I think Schwans is going next. I work for Schwans they were recently bought out by a Korean company. If you are not aware of what Schwans is , it is the worlds largest pizza manufacturer and home service that delivers ice cream novelties and Red Baron Pizza and Tonys.
My favorite part was that it connected to the mall
After working there for seven months I definitely noticed many of the same problems I had heard Toys R Us had. They kept pressing ridiculous policies and were obsessed with getting peoples information such as emails all in return for coupons that were never really worth it. And management was very full of themselves and rarely helped solve actual problems. I was not surprised at all when they announced they were closing.
Loved the carpet on the pillar with the help button 😂
I can't believe that grocery area only opened less than 2 years ago as it looks awful! The shelving looks like they bought it from a closed down Kmart as it definitely wasn't new when it was installed as it looks very old. The whole store is the next Kmart, waiting to be liquidated.
People want a little retail theater when they shop with stores like Target improving their stores the ones who haven't invested will be left behind by younger generations as older ones who shop in stores like this age and die.
I actually am amazed by that too. I stumbled across that article towards the end of me making this and had re-record that whole audio segment.
Does not seem like Shopko has much of a niche in discounting as their stores do not seem as stylish as Target nor as price driven as Wal-Mart. The discount wars will be waged by these two behemoths leaving little room for others, as Kmart can attest. Judging from your video, it would appear that Shopko stores are poorly stocked and poorly merchandised, not a good sign. Regional discounters like Shopko have vanished from the retail landscape. Here in the Northeast, for example, we had a robust array of regional discount stores like Ames, Bradlees, and Caldor. All three vanished within 5 years of each other beginning with Caldor in 1999. While Shopko may hang a bit, either through a buyout or Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, it would appear its days may be numbered. Enjoyed your very insightful video, well done.
ShopKo had a 'snacks' department that may have been enlarged to sell more traditional pantry groceries as they are far behind the competition in this area. Think if KMart didn't go "Big K." Shopko does not sell any short shelf life perishable groceries like frozen foods or dairy, unlike the KMart stores.
In the past, the home electronics department / photo lab was usually in the corner adjacent to optical and pharmacy. After electronics in these stores became more and more low volume, they worked out ways to repurpose and reuse the space.
ShopKo has long had the carpeted pillars. They had this at the Kimberly store when I worked there autumn 1979.
I appreciated shopping at ShopKo over many years ... from the mid 90s. My first shop was in SPARKS, NEVADA ... I still use the BANK LAMP that I purchased there. I shopped two stores in NORTH DAKOTA. I shopped at both SIDNEY, MONTANA stores ... as well as the one in PLENTYWOOD, MONTANA. Using their REWARDS CARD allowed for even more DEALS.
There’s a Shopko in River Falls WI that closed as well. The town refused to build a Super Walmart depending on Shopko, they were in for a rude awaking. In Ellsworth WI the Albertsons that was turned into a Shopko the manager threatened to calm the cops because my sister had to use the bathroom and she threw up in there I did record it on my phone but the manager told me to delete it so it wouldn’t get through. I knew later on Shopko wouldn’t survive against Target and Walmart along with Online shopping, All department stores are becoming obsolete
call
I got a Shopko where I am, I never ever go to it, since it is a tad boring to me
I worked at the green bay one that was one of the first that opened and all I can say is the employees were all under paid and underappreciated for the most part and the stores were run down and not well kept working there was a nightmare when I was in high school
Farewell Shopko...its been wonderful. I'll NEVER forget you! St. Cloud East forever
Our local ShopKo Hometown was a converted ALCO, and it opened three years ago. Today, it closed. Three years, that's all it lasted. The ALCO that was there before lasted at least 20 years. This town is fairly small, population only about 5100, and is a primarily senior population. Losing a store like this (again) is going to hurt, since the nearest Walmart or Target is at least a 90-minute round trip drive. Yeah, we also have a DG in town, but that's no replacement for a store like ShopKo because even though DG may have cheaper prices, the quality of the stuff they sell is very poor...we're talking sub-Walmart levels of poor here. So, yeah, the loss of ShopKo is really gonna hurt the small towns, especially those like the one I live in who are small yet still big enough to need a store like this.
Shopko tried to merge with Phar-Mor in 1997. What a disaster that would've been, knowing how badly in dire straights Phar-Mor was at the time. Shopko dodged a bullet by cancelling the merger.
I remember going to phar more growing up. Great place
Thanks for sharing this information!
Most likely ShopKo likely never entered the Milwaukee market because Target was well established there in the early 80s. Then Zayre came into Milwaukee big time in 1982 opening in the former Treasure Island locations.
Sun capital killed Mervyn's too
My Shopko is closing June 23 it was one of my favorite stores but like you said we have a Walmart 20 minutes away but a big part of it is like Amazon eBay the Internet shopping world it is killing all of my childhood stars Kmart toys are us and now Shopko it really does suck
To Lost Departments
At the 10:58 timeline. Did you know Shopko in Orem Utah is going out of business? Also there used to be a Shopko in Provo Utah up until 2015 when they liquidated their store. It's now an empty shell building next to the defunct Movies 8 theater. For now the Shopko in Spanish Fork is going to remain open for now.
Thanks for doing a documentary on the history of Shopko, it was very interesting. Can you film a Shopko store that's in the process of going out of business? I would like to see a part 2 video.
I debated whether to include some of those induvidual closures over recent years but decided against it because I felt like it was information that really didn't matter in the long term. I do feel like I could've included something about those closures though. The nearest Shopko thats closing right now is about 2 hours from where I live and I don't feel like thats worth a trip for me. There will be another update video coming out with another store tour of a full line location and maybe a hometown location.
@@LostDepartments Actually the Spanish Fork Shopko in Utah is also going out of business in April 2019.
Chipotle is doing the same thing as 11:46 in my home city by opening 2 locations less than 5 miles apart in quick succession (one of them was a conversion of an older fast food joint while the other is a brand new building), even though that city only has a population of over 60,000 people and there's nothing much in the immediate area surrounding that city.
Yeah I've noticed that. I feel like they are popping up everywhere and the newer ones are never as good.
I really appreciated watching this video. Useful information- Sun Capital, the venture capitalist group mentioned, is using a common playbook for their ROI from purchasing retail operations.
I visited a Shopko located near the outskirts of Salem, Oregon. Not far down the road, (I-5) you can find a Fred Meyer, Walmart and a Costco. A Winco supermarket is adjacent to the Shopko. The location looked dated, but, again, still clean. The prices weren't very exceptional. Unlike a Target, or for that region, Fred Meyer, there was nothing very interesting about that store. Being located next to Winco doesn't make it seem as an appealing option for grocery purchases. Still, I hope they can recover.
Kroger is starting to change Fred Meyer, too. But I agree, in that example, all of those stores would be laid out more to a current shopper's tastes with as deep or moreso merchandise and better pricing.
Although, unlike Target, ShopKo can sell Nike and other major label footwear and apparel (so does Fred Meyer).
Would Kenosha and Racine count as part of the Milwaukee metro area? I've shopped at both of those Shopko stores while visiting my mom.
Theyre close but are self sufficient from milwaulkee. Kenosha even has a Metra station.
@@LostDepartments Is the Metra station in Kenosha where the Chicago North Western station used to be? I used to take the Chicago North Western commuter train into the Loop when I was in grad school. It was convenient for sightseeing & shopping, as well as for connecting to the Amtrak train from Chicago down to Champaign, IL to get back to the U of I.
I believe so, @@DOSBoxMom . I was in Kenosha for work last year.
Shopco failed because of the way they treat their customers. You aren't a successful business by selling a product to a customer, but by selling another product to them. Those customers don't come back when you treat them like shit. This is a simple marketing philosophy they can't seem to learn. Shopco will not be missed.
I was In Our local Shopko a couple days ago looking for a steam gift card no gift cards in sight I noticed that everything was 60 to 70 percent off when me and my grandma where leaving I told her i bet this is going out of Buissness soon
i was hoping shopko was not going to have bankruptky inn my life
Just curious, why did you create this video?
Great job on the video! Really hope the company on your video doesn't go under completely!
Thanks!!!
So far the only part that went under completely was the pharmacy. Luckily many stores will stay open, but not enough
Now the 1st ever shopko ever just got put on today’s closing list
Thats really sad...
I work for Shopko hometown in Utah ... Well, worked, we are in liquidation. Im hard up for a job! Somebody help me out lol
I loved that store boring or not it was nice
Buying Pamida was the single worst decision the company made as it stripped them of cash and prevented them from opening new Shopko stores. Some Pamida’s were literally like big metal barns. With no ability to expand, Shopko lost most of the store level middle management as there were no advancement opportunities. When Sun Capital bought Shopko, they literally sold the ground out from under the stores. Owning their property is the only thing that allowed Shopko to survive. Shopko then leased back the property and paid monthly rent. I don’t know what rents were at other stores, but the store I worked at the rent was 80 grand a month in 2007. That made stores drastically less profitable.
As for the question about luggage, it’s got great margins. As for your statement about stores like Kmart and Sears closing stores, basically the same situation as Shopko and their ownership.
Our shopco prices everything way high, then puts it all on sale. Still higher than wall mart. Plays people for fools! Ridicules. Their pricing put them out of business.
I have fond memories about Pamida because they had interesting stuff I never seen in other stores like PS1 games and accessories when I was ready into PS1 stuff back in 2003-04 and most stores didn't have PS1 stuff anymore at that time.
What I remember the most was the dollar bag of chips and the 25 cent can pop machine which was a lifesaver when you're really low on cash but unfortunately it closed back in 2008 as well I regret not buying all the remaining sealed copies of Dino Crisis games as well few other good PS1 games during their closing sale which are worth lot more then what I would pay now.😰
Payless Shoe's will disappear with Shopko. :(
Hooray!!!!!
My Shopko is closing in May, everything is 30% off. Will be missed, they had really good clearance section.
Awesome video just subscribed to your channel !! I do videos like this
Thanks!!!
Fun fact I saw a Snooki and a old Boston store because I was in Madison a few weeks ago I wold have trying to get it but we did not have a car because we flew and I am lazy and don't Lille walking in the cold or taking a uber
I traveled to open a handful of stores. that's where they messed with with all those green small hometown stores. major fail
The end of Shopko....this sucks....First Kmart and Sears,now this. It's a sign of the apocalypse. Hug a loved one , smell a flower and prepare for the end.
I think it's more a sign that corporate monopoly tactics are in full force. Leveraged buyouts are mega loans to purchase companies like Shopko, Toys R Us. Then they dump the company the once it is no longer profitable and file for bankruptcy. The shell company that the mega monopoly uses dies, but they can just make another, with the money they earn from the lack of competition.
While K-mart, and Sears were not killed off the same way, there were reports of tampering on the banks loans, that finished them off.
In both cases the banks are at fault for giving the loan out knowing that they stood a chance to not only profit, but destroy their larger business partners, competition.
First Toys R Us
Now Shopko?
wth?! >:/
Here’s the thing about shopko.. they are super over priced in all sections of there store. Going in during all these sales I see a lot of things that say was $600 now it’s $250 and I’m thinking to myself that’s an awesome deal then I look online and places like Walmart already sell them for shopkos discount price. One of the employees told me they marked all there products even higher just before they put everything on sale. Buying things at shopko has never seemed worth is to me when I can either drive 20 mins in either direction and go to a Walmart and probably save 20% of what shopko is asking.. or go on amazon which is even easier. My wife worked there for many years and she liked it a lot and many of the stores near me in Utah were nice and kept up on but the greed and over pricing of items really dug their grave. It’s sad to see another store go out of business but I think when everything is so easy to get people realize they don’t have to put up with shitty business tactics. GameStop will probably be going very shortly after them and many other stores.
You can just walk in a store like this & get the sense that its on borrowed time.
18:00 I've always wondered why that even exists. It also plays church music, too. Your Bible app likely works better anyway.
Looks like, sears and Kmart I like wal mart
Look like venture
Kmart was growing? In what universe?
I subbed on day one
Thanks!!!!
Very nice presentation. PAMIDA was named after the original founder John Jenkins children, Pamela, Michael and David.
I worked there many years ago in Fond du Lac, WI
Sorry to see them close
Thanks!!!
The shopko in Russell ended waaaaaa
Pamida is pronounced "puh-my-duh."
When Amazon fails it'll fail Big. And the Mom and Pop stores will be returning. 🔔🔔🔔
Bring back Shopko... prescription..the brothers Grimm..🧙♀️🧹🧹🧹
It looks like Kmart to me
I preferred shopko kmart sears jc pennys kolhs not walmart I would boycott that store, even fleet farm and farm and fleet have better quality stuff then walmart
Even though Shopko is going out of business but yet still hiring 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
They need employees to close stores
*SHOPKO*
🤨
Looks like a target or better Kmart and sears
I would close the subject on glasses or I will run all the glasses again till 1226 and approve it with women.....
F
DIE SHOPKO DIE!!!
they been dead