Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, December 13, 2012

The pharmacy and some areas of the store are now open. More areas of the store will be open as shelves are stocked. Shopko plans a grand opening January 10.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, January 03, 2013

After a four-month liquidation sale and store conversion process, the former Pamida store in Mount Ayr has completed its much anticipated conversion to Shopko Hometown and will celebrate with a grand opening event this week. The store, located at 201 North Fillmore, will open its doors to the public as ShopKo Hometown at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 10, following an official ribbon cutting ceremony that will begin at 8:45 a.m. The public is invited to join the Shopko team and community leaders for the event.

The grand opening event will be highlighted by a $2,500 check presentation to Mount Ayr middle/high school from the Shopko Hometown Foundation prior to the ribbon cutting. In addition, the first 50 customers in line on Thursday will receive a free $10 Shopko gift card.

A number of prizes will also be given out through "register to win" events. Customers will also be encouraged to sign up for Shopko's My Extra Savings rewards program to receive exclusive savings each week, 10 percent off on their birthday and special email announcements and offers. Every customer who used their My Extra Savings card on the day of the grand opening will be entered into a drawing for a $1,000 shopping spree. Refreshments will be served inside the store.

"There has been a great deal of excitement in the community through the conversion process and we're excited to finally be bringing the Shopko Hometown experience to Mount Ayr," said Mike Bettiga, Shopko Interim CEO, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Office. "I'm confident that loyal Pamida customers and new customers alike will love what they see and appreciate the great merchandise selection, brands, value and service. We look forward to being part of the local community for years to come."

"Our pharmacy team and store hours remain the same as they were at Pamida and we are dedicated to meeting the health-care needs of our customers with prompt, friendly, professional service," said pharmacy manager Steve MITCHELL, PFh. "We are also committed to looking for new ways to better serve our customers and make their pharmacy experience as convenient as possible, as evidenced by the recent introduction of our free mobile pharmacy app which custoemrs can can use to manage and refill prescriptions anytime from their smartphones."

The conversion from Pamida to Shopko Hometown came after the two companies announced a merger earlier this year. As part of the merger, Shopko is investing approximately $80 million into more than 170 Pamida store conversions which are occurring in phases through the end of the year.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, January 24, 2013

At the age of 22, Pryor M. PLACE established his first store in Lathrop, MO in 1910. After many years of moving around and being involved in different business ventures, P. M. PLACE opened a store in Bethany, Missouri in 1922. Mr. PLACE opened another store in Albany, Missouri in 1927 with his nephew Charles A. PLACE as co-owner.

Some years later, a third store was opened in Grant City, Missouri with Billy PLACE, eldest son of Pryor, as manager. This "variety" store was moved to Maryville, Missouri in 1938. Billy PLACE went with the store and remained as manager.

Store number four would be on the northeast corner of the Mount Ayr square.

R. E. MAYLAND sold his store to P. M. PLACE Stores Co. on April 24, 1947.

This store was managed by P. M. PLACE'S middle son, Joe, and occupied the west half of the Timby building's ground floor. The east half was a store owned by George BALDNER and, later, went under the names of Price Food Market and Bisbey's.

Place's expanded into a "double store" in July of 1954.

Place's would remain at that location until 1978 when a new building was constructed at the intersection of Fillmore and Adams streets.

The new store boasted 10,000 square feet and opened October 19, 1978. The manager, Richard SWEET, came to Mount Ayr in 1971 as an assistant manager at Place's.

By this time, Joe PLACE had become vice president of the company his father founded.

Place's again built a new structure in 1995 and held their grand opening on January 31, 1996. The new store was located across the street of the former store on the lots previously occupied by Hy-Vee Food Store and Hawkeye Lumber Company. One block of Adams Street was closed to accomodate the parking lot.

The first Pamida store opened in Knoxville, Iowa in 1963 and was part of the Gibson Products Company.

ShopKo Stores, Inc. purchased Pamida in 1999. The following year, ShopKo bought Place's Discount Stores.

Our Place's store changed to Pamida about 2001 and now Pamida will change to ShopKo before the year is out.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2013; updated September of 2013