My Shopko Expansion Strategy

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

If I were to have Shopko expand, I would purchase the leases of the failing Kmart and single-story 80,000 sf Sears locations throughout Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (just like how Target Canada purchased Zellers; I'm pretty sure Zayre88 knows what I'm talking about), and convert them to Shopko stores, nearly doubling the number of Shopko stores in Wisconsin and Michigan. I would later apply this strategy to Kmart and (single story) Sears stores across the United States, giving Shopko a larger presence in the United States. Shopko would also have to tell us the news through the TV, newspaper, and Internet (including videos on the Shopko YouTube Channel). There are also a few shopping malls across the country that have Kmart stores and Sears stores in them, that could use a Shopko store as a replacement. Shopko would give the interiors and exteriors a complete overhaul, so each store looks more like Shopko, and less like Kmart or Sears. Shopko also has a better selection of merchandise than Kmart or Sears.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

I would also have Shopko expand into Canada, opening its first store in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. I would open Shopko in most former Target and Sears locations in many of the mid-sized Canadian cities and suburbs in the entire province of Ontario. In the smaller communities, I would open up Shopko Hometown stores (one of the first Hometown stores will be located in Timmins, Ontario). Like their American counterparts, the shoe department would be leased to Payless ShoeSource. I would have the Canadian corporate offices and first Canadian distribution center be located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and the web address be www.shopko.ca.

I would also learn from the mistakes Target made, so I would try not make the same mistakes they did, where they expanded too fast, stores were under stocked, and attendance was low after the first day. I would make everything's done right, unlike in Target Canada's case (where they missed the bulls-eye).

Shopko Canada will make sure their stores are well-stocked, and carry "The Stuff That Counts"(TM) for every occasion including pharmacy, optical, and FastCare Clinic services.