Pana, Illinois Walmart closing October 12th

[giantsfan2016]

The Walmart in Pana, Illinois is closing October 12th. It's a smaller sized store.

http://www.sj-r.com/news/20180912/pana-walmart-to-close-next-month

[retailisking]

It's one of the later Division 1 stores. These are systematically being weeded out. Unfortunately, there's no obvious general merchandise retailer likely to take over the space unless someone like Roses wants to expand. Another older small store in Clinton, IL is also closing this year.
https://herald-review.com/business/local/clinton-city-leaders-residents-alarmed-by-news-of-walmart-closure/article_cc7220f1-bb2e-59af-906f-08f272756d88.html

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

It makes me wonder if Shopko would want to open a Hometown store in Pana to replace it. Shopko's Hometown stores replaced Pamida. When ALCO went out of business following bankruptcy, Shopko took over a dozen ALCO locations. Shopko Hometown is the only other discount retailer I know of other than Roses that still does business in small towns.

[retailisking]

It makes me wonder if Shopko would want to open a Hometown store in Pana to replace it.

ShopKo would seem ideal, but I've been told they appear to be pulling away from the region.

[TheFugitive]

The long-term economic projections for downstate Illinois are not good.
The state is heavily in debt, and big tax hikes are likely inevitable.
Businesses and jobs are moving to nearby states like Indiana and Wisconsin
as a result.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

It makes me wonder if Shopko would want to open a Hometown store in Pana to replace it.

ShopKo would seem ideal, I've been told they appear to be pulling away from the region.

They've been having a hard time down there ever since they closed their Peoria and Springfield stores, which was over a decade ago. They are doing better in other parts of the Midwest, Mountain, and Pacific Northwest regions.

[retailisking]

They've been having a hard time down there ever since they closed their Peoria and Springfield stores.

I can understand why they would pull out of those markets, as I imagine the competition is pretty stiff there.

[deerwrecker2017]

The long-term economic projections for downstate Illinois are not good.
The state is heavily in debt, and big tax hikes are likely inevitable.
Businesses and jobs are moving to nearby states like Indiana and Wisconsin
as a result.

That part of the financial trouble in Illinois does not surprise me one bit at all considering that part is also reality in true Democratic Strongholds.

[giantsfan2016]

The long-term economic projections for downstate Illinois are not good.
The state is heavily in debt, and big tax hikes are likely inevitable.
Businesses and jobs are moving to nearby states like Indiana and Wisconsin
as a result.

That part of the financial trouble in Illinois does not surprise me one bit at all considering that part is also reality in true Democratic Strongholds.

Can we keep politics off the boards please?

Thanks,
Brammy - Admin

[deerwrecker2017]

The long-term economic projections for downstate Illinois are not good.
The state is heavily in debt, and big tax hikes are likely inevitable.
Businesses and jobs are moving to nearby states like Indiana and Wisconsin
as a result.

That part of the financial trouble in Illinois does not surprise me one bit at all considering that part is also reality in true Democratic Strongholds.

Can we keep politics off the boards please?

Thanks,
Brammy - Admin

Okay.

[TheFugitive]

I was not getting into an analysis of why the economy is bad in downstate Illinois
(which does delve into politics).  Only that it's a fact and a factor in why stores
could close.

[deerwrecker2017]

I was not getting into an analysis of why the economy is bad in downstate Illinois
(which does delve into politics).  Only that it's a fact and a factor in why stores
could close.

It's not just that part of Illinois that's got bad economic conditions there's other parts of the country that are in the same boat too.