Residents will have to wait until next summer for freedom of choice in the local mass-merchandising market.
When the Spanish Fork Fred Meyer outlet closes in late May, it will leave the local K mart as the only chain retail store in the city, at least until a new ShopKo store opens in summer 1991.ShopKo officials say the store, the 15th ShopKo store in the state, will be built at the southwest corner of I-15 and Main Street - approximately 951 N. Main - across the street from the existing Fred Meyer store.
However, instead of using that soon-to-be-closed facility, ShopKo will build a new structure tailor-made to the franchise's exacting standards, according to Jane Kresin, ShopKo public affairs manager.
"Basically, we already had plans to go ahead with building a new structure before that Fred Meyer decided to close. We announced that we would be building in January."
Also, the Fred Meyer facility "was built for a different format than our stores," Kresin said. "We're not sure that the building would be able to house everything that we would need it to."
Current plans call for the new 71,000-square-foot structure to be built on approximately 9.5 acres the national company, housed in Green Bay, Wis., has purchased, Kresin said.
"We'll be inviting local contractors to bid on the project, which involves two phases - site and actual building - very soon, we just don't want to get more specific than that."
Officials anticipate that construction will begin around the middle of summer, and as soon as that is completed - which could be as early as this autumn - ShopKo will begin its search for a store manager, Kresin said.
"We'll be hiring approximately 180 Spanish Fork-area residents for the store in early spring next year."
Two professional health-care departments within the new store include a pharmacy and an optical center, Kresin said, bringing ShopKo's commitments in those areas to 91 and 82, respectively.
Spanish Fork was selected for the chain's next store based on the company's marketing research, Kresin said. "We were looking for a site with a strong division in its economic base, between industry and agriculture.
"Those kinds of communities have been successful for us in the past. They are usually traditionally family-oriented communities, and those have been the most receptive to our services."
The company "is proud to be a part of Spanish Fork," ShopKo Vice President of Operations Gene Bankers said. "We believe the Spanish Fork consumer will be very receptive to our name brand products at discount prices, as well as our excellent services and policies."
ShopKo Stores Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Super Valu Stores Inc., of Green Bay, Wisc. The chain operates in 13 states in the United States, including the Midwest and Mountain West areas. The addition of seven stores in 1990 will bring the chain's commitments to 106 stores in operation.