Two Harbors Pamida to begin Shopko transformation

• Two Harbors Pamida

File photo/Catherine Hannula

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The transformation from a Pamida store to a Shopko in Two Harbors begins this Sunday with a liquidation sale.

Two Harbors Pamida Manager Tim Lekatz says only 18 percent of Pamida’s current merchandise will remain after Pamida holds a liquidation sale that will start this Sunday and run until the first week in July. After which, the store will be closed until the first week in August while it undergoes renovation and sets up new store layouts. The store will be completely redone and restocked with new merchandise that is currently sold by Shopko stores.

After Pamida and Shopko merged together in January of this year, Shopko announced that over the next year Pamida stores would undergo a facelift to become Shopko stores.

“It will be a completely different store,” Lekatz said.

Earlier this year, Shopko spokeswoman Tara Powers said Shopko focuses on smaller communities.

“Competitors like Target and Walmart have the corner on the market in larger communities,” Powers said. “We see the need in smaller communities that currently don’t have this.”

While Lekatz says he isn’t certain about what color the new store will be, he says he thinks the makeover will be successful.

“It sounds like people are excited,” he said.

Lekatz says current staff members will stay in place but that the new Shopko will be hiring new staff members. He declined to give an exact number of how many new employees will be hired.

In the meantime, Lekatz says he and other Pamida employees are looking forward to the upcoming changes.

“Everybody is excited for the change,” he said. “Change is good.”

The Two Harbors Pamida is one of more than 180 Pamida stores that will become Shopko stores nationwide. Shopko is spending about $80 million on the changes.

Tags: two harbors, news, business, pamida