Shopko on pace for September opening

Renovation work is well underway at the Mountain Mall as crews make space for a new Shopko Hometown store that is expected to open sometime in September.

The $3.7 million project includes remodeling the center of the mall for the 37,500 square-foot department store and updating the exterior facade.

Shopko district manager Aaron Cragun gave an update on the store’s progress at a Whitefish Chamber of Commerce luncheon last month. He said the Hometown brand — which is a smaller version of the larger store — is driving the company’s growth.

“It’s a captive need we see in small communities,” he said.

The company plans to open 50 new Hometown store this year across the country. New Hometown stores are planned in Whitefish, Wolf Point and Sidney.

Cragun says the Whitefish store will employ about 25-30 workers, with one-third on a full-time basis. He said that ratio could change depending on how hiring goes.

He highlighted Shopko’s charitable giving programs and noted that the Help Us Give Back campaign will donate $2,500 to Whitefish High School during the grand opening.

“The Hometown store will be a part of your community,” Cragun said.

Mall manager Tom Kraus said the mall is spending millions to solve the “socks and underwear” problem in Whitefish.

“We’ve been looking for a long time to do something like this to better serve the community,” he said. “The Shopko Hometown brand fit us to a T.”

Along with adding jobs and products, the store will serve as a catalyst to add more businesses to the shopping center, Kraus said.

The mall exterior will be remodeled with a look similar to Sportsman with stone work, covered walkways and a similar color scheme.

Whitefish City Council last summer approved using $200,000 in tax-increment funds to assist with the facelift of the facade.

Kraus said the parking configuration at the mall won’t change.

“It should function fine with the parking we have available,” he said.