H.C. Prange Co./Prange Way

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

The H.C. Prange Co. was a department store founded in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in 1887 by Henry Carl Prange. In 1911, they introduced the Prange Budget Stores (a sort-of Filene's Basement-type of concept) which later formed the basis for the Prange Way discount store chain.

The H.C. Prange Co. department stores lasted until 1992, when they were acquired by Des Moines, Iowa-based Younkers.


In the late 1970s, Prange Way would take on an upscale/discount approach similar to Dayton-Hudson's Target stores. Prange Way had to deal with a discounter tug-of-war between themselves and their Green Bay, Wisconsin-based rival, ShopKo by the year 1985. Prange Way was sold to a group of Prange Way store managers in 1990, and moved their offices to DePere, Wisconsin, distancing themselves from their former parent company.
By the middle of the decade, the chain was seeing its fortunes brighten after a rocky start apart from its former parent company. Plans were slated to open smaller-sized stores in small towns, similar to the Shopko Hometown stores, and large hypermarkets containing full discount and grocery areas, much similar to Meijer and Wal-Mart's Supercenters of today. Also, a chain-wide renovation plan was readied.

The chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October, 1995. An attorney for Prange Way cited competition from national discount chains as the reason for Prange Way's financial difficulties. Its largest debt was $3 million owed to the State of Wisconsin Investment Board. At the time, Prange Way operated 21 stores in Wisconsin and one in Minnesota, and did not plan to close any stores (though it did expect to lay off some employees). However, the stores did not last long after this, as liquidation sales were soon slated to begin in November. All Prange Way stores would be closed after the 1995 Christmas holiday season.




This is the H.C. Prange Co. (a.k.a. Prange's)

Sheboygan, Wisconsin (flagship store):


Appleton, Wisconsin (formerly Pettibone-Peabody Co. department store):


Green Bay, Wisconsin Downtown (Port Plaza Mall):
(before the shopping mall was added)

(after the shopping mall was added)


Machesney Park, Illinois (Machesney Park Mall):








And this is H.C. Prange's budget store, Prange Way, which had 21 stores in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota.

Green Bay, Wisconsin (Quincy Street):


Green Bay, Wisconsin (East Town Mall):


Machesney Park, Illinois (Machesney Park Mall):


Manitowoc, Wisconsin (Lakeshore Mall, abandoned since 1995):
(exterior)

(interior)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelsteeber/22664512652/in/pool-1378995@N24/

"You Never Overpay at Prange Way"

Newspaper ads:








A Prange Way shopping cart:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/46122647@N08/25200255853/in/pool-1378995@N24/


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