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Pamida had its beginnings in a service merchandise business begun in 1948 by Jim Witherspoon and Lee Wegener. Witherspoon and Wegener opened their first retail outlet in [[Knoxville, Iowa]] in 1963 as part of the Gibson Products Company. A second store soon followed in [[Oskaloosa, Iowa]], and the stores quickly expanded throughout the midwest. By the late 1970s, the stores were no longer associated with Gibson Products and began to be called "Pamida" after Witherspoon's children Pat, Mike, and David.<ref name="Pamida - Your Hometown Store">[http://www.pamida.com/about/history.asp Pamida - Your Hometown Store<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Pamida had its beginnings in a service merchandise business begun in 1948 by Jim Witherspoon and Lee Wegener. Witherspoon and Wegener opened their first retail outlet in [[Knoxville, Iowa]] in 1963 as part of the Gibson Products Company. A second store soon followed in [[Oskaloosa, Iowa]], and the stores quickly expanded throughout the midwest. By the late 1970s, the stores were no longer associated with Gibson Products and began to be called "Pamida" after Witherspoon's children Pat, Mike, and David.<ref name="Pamida - Your Hometown Store">[http://www.pamida.com/about/history.asp Pamida - Your Hometown Store<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>


Witherspoon and Wegener sold Pamida in 1981 to employees, and in 1986 a unit of Citicorp acquired a controlling interest in the company. Several former [[Fisher's Big Wheel]] stores were also acquired in 1994.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3092/is_n17_v33/ai_15805012 |title=Positioning Pamida - Apparel Merchandising Supplement - Company Profile - Cover Story |accessdate=2007-08-11 |date=1994-09-05 |work=Discount Store News | first=Jeffrey | last=Arlen}}</ref> In 1999, [[ShopKo Stores, Inc.]] purchased Pamida and began operating the company as a division within the company. In 2000, ShopKo Stores, Inc. acquired [[P.M. Place Stores|Place's]] and converted the stores into Pamida stores. In 2005, ShopKo Stores, Inc. was purchased by an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, Inc., a private investment firm. In 2007, Pamida was separated from ShopKo, and subsequently reestablished its corporate headquarters in [[Omaha, Nebraska]].<ref name="Pamida - Your Hometown Store"/> On January 4, 2012, it was announced that Shopko and Pamida would merge and that all but six Pamida stores would be rebranded to Shopko Hometown stores.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.shopko.com/docs/company/news_media/Shopko-Pamida_Merger_Press_Release_FINAL.pdf}}</ref> The stores in [[Sparta, Michigan]], [[Ontonagon, Michigan]], [[Albia, Iowa]], [[Red Oak, Iowa]], [[Corydon, Iowa]], and [[Mount Vernon, Missouri]] were closed instead of converting to Shopko Hometown.<ref>http://www.gcdailyworld.com/story/1822943.html</ref>
Witherspoon and Wegener sold Pamida in 1981 to employees, and in 1986 a unit of Citicorp acquired a controlling interest in the company. Several former [[Fisher's Big Wheel]] stores were also acquired in 1994.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3092/is_n17_v33/ai_15805012 |title=Positioning Pamida - Apparel Merchandising Supplement - Company Profile - Cover Story |accessdate=2007-08-11 |date=1994-09-05 |work=Discount Store News | first=Jeffrey | last=Arlen}}</ref> In 1999, [[ShopKo Stores, Inc.]] purchased Pamida and began operating the company as a division within the company. In 2000, ShopKo Stores, Inc. acquired [[P.M. Place Stores|Place's]] and converted the stores into Pamida stores. In 2005, ShopKo Stores, Inc. was purchased by an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, Inc., a private investment firm. In 2007, Pamida was separated from ShopKo, and subsequently reestablished its corporate headquarters in [[Omaha, Nebraska]].<ref name="Pamida - Your Hometown Store"/> On January 4, 2012, it was announced that Shopko and Pamida would merge and that all but six Pamida stores would be rebranded to Shopko Hometown stores.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.shopko.com/docs/company/news_media/Shopko-Pamida_Merger_Press_Release_FINAL.pdf}}</ref> The stores in [[Sparta, Michigan]], [[Litchfield Minnesota]], [[Ontonagon, Michigan]], [[Albia, Iowa]], [[Red Oak, Iowa]], [[Corydon, Iowa]], and [[Mount Vernon, Missouri]] were closed instead of converting to Shopko Hometown.<ref>http://www.gcdailyworld.com/story/1822943.html</ref>


[[Image:Pamida Attica.png|thumb|250px|right|Pamida store in [[Attica, Indiana]].]]
[[Image:Pamida Attica.png|thumb|250px|right|Pamida store in [[Attica, Indiana]].]]

Revision as of 19:06, 19 July 2013

Pamida
Company typePrivate
IndustryRetail
Founded1963
Defunct2012
FateMerged with Shopko
HeadquartersOmaha, Nebraska, United States
Number of locations
175+
ProductsClothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics, market, housewares, pharmacy.
OwnerSun Capital Partners, Inc.
Websitepamida.com

Pamida /pəˈmdə/ was a chain of department stores with more than 175 locations in 16 Midwestern and West Central U.S. states. Pamida stores are generally located in smaller communities that range from 3,000 to 8,000 in population. The Pamida name represents the first two letters of the first names of co-founder Jim Witherspoon's three sons, Pat, Mike, and David.

History

File:Pamida.jpg
A typical Pamida store in Smithville, Tennessee.

Pamida had its beginnings in a service merchandise business begun in 1948 by Jim Witherspoon and Lee Wegener. Witherspoon and Wegener opened their first retail outlet in Knoxville, Iowa in 1963 as part of the Gibson Products Company. A second store soon followed in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and the stores quickly expanded throughout the midwest. By the late 1970s, the stores were no longer associated with Gibson Products and began to be called "Pamida" after Witherspoon's children Pat, Mike, and David.[1]

Witherspoon and Wegener sold Pamida in 1981 to employees, and in 1986 a unit of Citicorp acquired a controlling interest in the company. Several former Fisher's Big Wheel stores were also acquired in 1994.[2] In 1999, ShopKo Stores, Inc. purchased Pamida and began operating the company as a division within the company. In 2000, ShopKo Stores, Inc. acquired Place's and converted the stores into Pamida stores. In 2005, ShopKo Stores, Inc. was purchased by an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, Inc., a private investment firm. In 2007, Pamida was separated from ShopKo, and subsequently reestablished its corporate headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska.[1] On January 4, 2012, it was announced that Shopko and Pamida would merge and that all but six Pamida stores would be rebranded to Shopko Hometown stores.[3] The stores in Sparta, Michigan, Litchfield Minnesota, Ontonagon, Michigan, Albia, Iowa, Red Oak, Iowa, Corydon, Iowa, and Mount Vernon, Missouri were closed instead of converting to Shopko Hometown.[4]

Pamida store in Attica, Indiana.
First Pamida Store (Knoxville, Iowa)

References

  1. ^ a b Pamida - Your Hometown Store
  2. ^ Arlen, Jeffrey (1994-09-05). "Positioning Pamida - Apparel Merchandising Supplement - Company Profile - Cover Story". Discount Store News. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
  3. ^ http://www.shopko.com/docs/company/news_media/Shopko-Pamida_Merger_Press_Release_FINAL.pdf. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ http://www.gcdailyworld.com/story/1822943.html

External links