The new Shopko store in Two Harbors will open Thursday after months of preparation.
The new store is the result of a merger between Pamida and Shopko announced in January. It was one of more than 170 locations chosen to be converted after the merger.
Pamida had a four-month-long liquidation sale beginning in April. It has been closed for the past few weeks to allow merchandise to be restocked, signs to be changed and the interior updated.
"The really big change is in the merchandise mix," Shopko spokeswoman Tara Powers said. The new store will carry national brands that Pamida hasn't had in the past.
There also will be some cosmetic changes. "The store layout will be changed, and there'll be new paint, carpet and fixtures," Powers said. The store will have the Shopko Hometown format, which is geared toward smaller communities.
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Shopko will continue to employ the same staff members from before the merger. Powers said no new hires have been made.
"There has been a great deal of excitement in the community through the conversion process, and we're excited to finally be bringing the Shopko Hometown experience to Two Harbors," Paul Jones, Shopko president, chairman and CEO, said in a statement on Tuesday.
A grand-opening ceremony will be held Thursday, with a ribbon-cutting at 8:45 a.m. before the doors open for the first time at 9. The first 100 customers will receive $10 gift cards, and there will be a drawing for a $1,000 shopping spree.
The Shopko Foundation also will present a check for $2,500 to Two Harbors High School. Powers said the grants will be part of grand-opening ceremonies for all of the converted Shopkos.
