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• Ellsworth gains its first 'big box' retail outlet

By Bill Kirk, RiverTown Staff

First, a busy Ellsworth intersection got what was then a local novelty: a set of traffic signals.

Next, a growing village prompted the construction of another skyline landmark: a second water tower.

Now, the community will realize one of the largest retailers it's ever been home to with the opening of a new Pamida store in the next few weeks.

"Ellsworth will benefit from having the new prototype for our stores," Manager Hans McCarthy said Wednesday, noting there are presently 204 Pamida locations, mostly in the Upper Midwest, with 15 expected to open this year and one to relocate, plus 25 new stores planned for next year.

The outlet on the southwest corner of N. Maple Street (Hwy. 65) and Crosstown Road contains approximately 30,000 square feet of retail space and 5,000 square feet in the warehouse, McCarthy said.

Last week, he discussed what the company offers the public, both in goods and services, as well local support. His comments on the two fronts were in keeping with Pamida's slogan: "Far more. Close to home."

Touring the new facility with a visitor, the manager showed a vast array of merchandise, attractively displayed and arranged for convenience.

Prominent signage will guide customers who may be unaccustomed to the sheer size of such a display floor. A staff of approximately 45 employees will be on hand to direct and serve them, too.

"We take a 'good, better, best' approach," he said about quality and pricing, explaining nearly every department makes these choices available. That way, someone who's willing to pay $7 for an item can find it, but so can someone else who wants to pay $3 for a similar item.

For example, he referred to a line-up of vacuum cleaners in the household section. There was a top-of-the-line model going for nearly $500, while a recognizable brand tagged at less than $100 stood nearby.

Additionally, the chain has introduced its own brand to give patrons further such options, including the large bags of Pamida dog food on a pallet in the pet department or the "Top Shelf" soaps sold alongside more famous-name kinds in the convenience grocery. The pharmacy is representative of the retailers' thinking in concept and convenience.

"Our business strategy is different from any other company," McCarthy said in this regard.

With 80 percent of the stores having a pharmacy, all resulted from a local pharmacy being bought, he said. Here, Pharmacist Joel Schulze and his employees from Village Pharmacy in Ellsworth's midway district will now be the staffers serving area residents at Pamida.

The set-up is state-of-the-art, he said, featuring amenities like a privacy room for consultation with the pharmacist adjacent to the service counter, fronted by a waiting area.

But customers will be able to call in their prescription orders in advance using a special code, then come to a drive-up window on the east side of the pharmacy to pick them up.

"It's going to be especially nice for seniors who don't want to walk all the way through the store," he said.

Get more on this story in this week's print edition of the Pierce County Herald.