Shopko closing more locations

ASHWAUBENON, Wis. — The local retail company Shopko announces it is closing more locations. The latest list can be found here.

Wisconsin-based retail chain Shopko Stores has announced more store closings as the company tries to emerge from bankruptcy.

Shopko said this week it plans to close an additional 139 Shopko and Shopko Hometown stores. That brings the list of closings to 251 stores, about two-thirds of the company’s retail locations.

In addition, the company says it will relocate about 50 optical centers in closing stores to new, stand-alone locations. Shopko filed for bankruptcy protection in January, citing excessive debt and ongoing competitive pressure.

The retailer, headquartered near Green Bay, said in a statement it believes the closings will help make Shopko more attractive to potential buyers.

Shopko released a statement Wednesday evening:

Through our conversations with the potential buyers, it has become clear that it is in our best interest to operate with a significantly smaller store footprint.

Today we are announcing the closure of an additional 139 Shopko and Shopko Hometown stores. Further, we will relocate approximately 50 optical centers in closing stores to new freestanding locations.

Due to these impacts, we have issued a WARN notice in WI and IL to employees affected by these difficult, but necessary decisions. While we have not made any decisions about what positions will be affected, we do know that it will result in a reduction of staff.

We remain hopeful that we will be able to emerge as a stronger company, and we believe that this is the best course of action to make ourselves more attractive to potential buyers and successfully emerge from Chapter 11.

In addition to store closings, health provider ThedaCare announced that Shopko is closing some of its pharmacies at some ThedaCare locations, including its retail pharmacies in ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano and ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca.

ThedaCare says the last day either of these pharmacies will fill prescriptions is Wednesday, February 6. They're working with Shopko to figure out what comes next for customers who used these pharmacies.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.