Goodbye Pamida

I have observed the slow demise of our local Pamida store in the last couple of months. The chain was sold to Shopko and our local store will reopen as a Shopko Hometown store.

Thinking about it, I shopped at Pamida stores in various locations and states over the last four decades. I even worked in the Chadron Pamida way back on the day. I purchased school supplies for my high school and college classes at the Wheatland Pamida and the Chadron store when it was located on the east side of town. I purchased baby supplies for our first born at a Pamida. I purchased baby items for my grandbaby at the Falls City store. I used to shop at the Holdrege Pamida on my way back from Kearney at time or three just to see if there were any good bargains, which usually meant I purchased a book or two in the bargain book bins. We shopped at the Ogallala Pamida as recently as this past April.

We have watched the percentage off go from the initial 10 percent to now 80 percent on select items. Every time we would venture across the street to check out the 'bargains', there were fewer and fewer items left. Slowly and then not so slowly, the remaining inventory was shelved toward the front of the store.

In my most recent adventure, there wasn't much left at all. We were able to find some bargain books though, which seemed fitting.

I am hopeful the 'new' store, with most of the familiar faces I have seen in the last few years, will be as comfortable. I will have to get used to new brands, new store layout and new price points. Like the books I buy, once one chapter closes another begins.

Goodbye Pamida -- I must admit I will miss you.