Shopko Receives A WEDC Endorsement

By Jeff Simpson

Shopko has been a Wisconsin fixture since 1962:

 Shopko (formerly ShopKo until May 2007) is a chain of retail stores based in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, near Green Bay. Shopko was founded in 1962 by James Ruben, and its first store opened in Green Bay. From 1991 to 2005, the company was publicly held, with stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SKO. In December 2005, the company was acquired by an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners and reverted to private ownership. In 1999, Shopko purchased Pamida, a regional discount chain that operated mainly in smaller communities of 3,000 to 8,000 people. Shopko operated Pamida as a separate division until 2007, when Pamida was separated from Shopko and reestablished as a separate company. In 2012, Shopko and Pamida merged into one company. Shortly after, most Pamida stores were rebranded as Shopko Hometown.

Shopko, has over 300 stores in 20 states and employes 17,500 people.  That is unless the Spokesperson for Scott Walker's signature jobs agency, WEDC has anything to say about it!  

WEDC even handed Shopko $2,000,000 of our tax dollars to expand their corporate headquarters.  Apparently WEDC, was just buying election good will since they obviously do not believe in Shopko as a company.   I guess in Fitzwalkersta, $2 Million taxpayer dollars is well worth it to buy a few votes.

 Also no one should be surprised that righty blogger Ed Willing jumped on the rip on Wisconsin companies bandwagon(I feel for Caledonia businesses).  

Maybe Scott Walker and his team need a lesson on what "Open for Business" really means! 

Hey Shopko Employees

By Jeff Simpson


I know that corporate Shopko just announced a store closing in Madison, WI.

Green Bay-based retailer Shopko plans to close its store at 2602 Shopko Drive, eliminating 66 full- and part-time jobs.
Shopko notified the state Department of Workforce Development in a letter dated May 29.
The first layoffs are expected within 60 days and will last until the end of August.
Shopko has three other Madison stores, according to the company's website.

There is no need to fear though, because Americans for Prosperity - Wisconsin is spending $1,000,0000 in ads to tell us that "it's working.", we have "bold leadership", and as the economy grows strong, Wisconsin is getting back to work too(says the guy in the messy house that represents something).

Since AFP-WI has a million dollars to blow, on bad ads, worse acting and silly platitudes, it MUST be working, our economy has to be stronger.  Which means you did not really lose your job and your store did not close.

If you have any questions, or need a refresher course in the faith and another drink of Kool-aid, contact

Contact AFP-Wisconsin
10 East Doty Street
Suite 800
Madison, WI 53703
608-204-5915 ext 4120
Email: infoWI@afphq.org
State Director – David Fladeboe

Read more: http://americansforprosperity.org/wisconsin/contact/#ixzz33AGOUd7o

David will gladly guide you to where it IS working and where the economy is strong(just be prepared to move to MN). 

PS: I would guide you to contact Scott Walker, but he is never in WI!

The Walker Agenda Is Still Working! Part CCX

Scott Walker's agenda is working so gosh darn well, its success stories continue to keep coming, like this winter's incessant snow falls.  The latest bit of "success" comes from Shopko:

ASHWAUBENON Shopko Stores Inc. laid off 25 office workers Monday, a small percentage of the more than 700 in its corporate offices, company spokeswoman Michelle Hansen said.

“We’re taking this action because, like many retailers, 2013 was challenging,” she said. “We didn’t make our sales and profit goals. This allows a flatter, more flexible structure to redeploy resources to improve customer experience and position us for future success.”

In case the gentle reader hasn't been paying attention, this is part of a changing pattern.

For the first few years after Walker dropped his "bomb" of Act 10 on the state, people had to cut back on their luxury purchases, such as going out to eat or buying things they didn't really need. Due to this, we saw the number of jobs shrink and the number of unemployed soar. We also saw the ripple effect of this hitting other businesses, forcing them to scale back if not close altogether.

Now things are getting so bad that we are seeing bigger stores pull back or, like Kmart and JCPenneys, pull out of the state.

I won't kid you gentle reader, it will take years and years to repair the damage done. But those repairs can't even begin until we get rid of the cause, Scott Walker and his Teabuplican cronies.