All Pamida stores will transform into Shopko Hometown department stores by the end of the year.
Since the merger earlier this year the corporation decided to have all their stores under one name... and this change will affect some area communities.
"Really the genesis for that merger was looking at the retail landscape and seeing that there was a void that existed in serving residents in smaller communities," said Shopko spokeswoman Tara Powers.
Communities like Holdrege where a Pamida store is currently serving the area.
"It's going to be good to still have that service offered in our community and hopefully Shopko will be able to serve the customers that Pamida have been serving and perhaps attract some new ones too," said executive director of the Holdrege Chamber of Commerce Katie Madsen.
The merger was announced in January and then in March it was finalized. The transition process consists of six phases and the Holdrege store is in the last group to be converted. Not only will the store be transitioning, the employees will as well.
"When Pamida and Shopko became one, the same faces-- the people who previously are still in there today as part of that Shopko team. So they're still getting that same great service but it's in a fresher, more modern store format," said Powers.
And that new store format will include a variety of changes.
"Customers are going to see changes aesthetically. The signage will change it will have a more modern, fresher feel, fresh paint and the store layout itself will be different," said Powers.
Area officials say they are looking forward to the new changes.
"I think it's going to be really neat. I've heard a lot of positive comments from people who have been here for a really long time and they're really excited about the transition. I think people in the community will be really excited to check it out and I think it will be neat to see what they have to offer," said Madsen.
During the whole transition process officials say they only had to close down five stores out of 190.
The Omaha based Pamida also had to lay-off some employees in the corporate office when the merger happened.
Right now no date has been set for a grand opening, but Shopko officials say their new store will open in Holrege sometime before Christmas.
