Department store to be on West Fulton
By Angie Landsverk
Work is underway to turn a vacant space on Waupaca’s West Fulton Street into a department store called Everyday Hometown.
“We should be open to some degree around the first of May,” said Jim Becker.
He and his wife Kathy will own the department store, while their daughter Brianna will oversee it.
Everyday Hometown will be located at 825 W. Fulton St., in the former Shopko Hometown space.
The store’s planned opening will take place about two years after Shopko Hometown closed there.
Brianna said Everyday Hometown will have clothing, housewares, hardware, pet supplies, sporting goods, outdoor equipment, a selection of Ashley furniture and lawn and garden items.
There will also be a small area of toys, and she wants to feature a nice selection of arts and crafts supplies as well.
Lawn and garden items are expected to arrive the end of this month.
There will be a greenhouse center outside the front of the store.
“It will not be 100% stocked in every department when we first open,” Jim said.
A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, it continues to be difficult to get some supplies, he said.
The Beckers want their new customers to be aware of that and to be understanding.
Customers will see signage that says “Hardware Hank.”
That will refer to the hardware part of the store.
Hardware Hank stores are independently owned.
The owners are members of United Hardware Distributing Company.
“The advantage of having them behind us is we have a buying power,” Jim said. “United Hardware will come in and do the design work. They will help us in multiple ways, get special buys for us.”
He said the company furnishes the labor for setting up the store and also knowledge.
“They want a store that works,” Jim said.
He noted the company went through the pandemic with one of the best fill rates.
This will be the second Hardware Hank store for the Beckers.
Their other store is in Monroe, south of Madison.
That store is much smaller, Jim said.
Their space in Waupaca totals 40,000 square feet.
About 60% of the shelving that was left in the store is being repurposed.
Jim said they also brought in seven semi loads of equipment and fixtures from other closed Shopko stores.
He said Pfefferle was extremely helpful in making that happen, helping them make arrangements to get those things from other stores.
Prior enterprises
This will not be Jim’s first business in Waupaca.
He owned KK Lawn and Sport here for about six years.
Jim sold that building last year after the person running it retired.
They sold a lot of Bad Boy lawn mowers there.
That is why Jim decided to come back to Waupaca.
He wanted to take care of his former customers.
Jim began looking for a small space last fall.
“When Dad saw the space and talked to United Hardware, it became much more than lawn mowers,” Brianna said.
Brianna has already bought a house in the city.
“The community has been welcoming,” she said.
Jim said the community’s support is appreciated.
He noted City Administrator Aaron Jenson and Community Development Specialist Andrew Dane have been very helpful throughout the process.
The Beckers’ request for a conditional use permit and the site plan review are set to go before the city’s Plan Commission on April 14.
They are in the process of hiring employees, expecting to employ between 15 and 20 people.
Those interested are encourage to stop at the store or email [email protected].
They started advertising for employees a few weeks ago.
The store will be open every day, and they are working on what the store hours will be.
It will be closed on some holidays, so people may be with their families, Jim said.
They are open to ideas for products and how to use the former eye care and pharmacy spaces.
The decision to have clothing was based on what they were hearing in the community.
They are excited to open the store here.
“It’s us, and we care,” Jim said. “We want to care about our employees. We want to care about our community.”