ShopKo Taps Ghormley, Heralds Remodels

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 7/9/2007 12:00:00 AM

Green Bay, Wis. —

Upper Midwestern mass merchandiser ShopKo has named Rod Ghormley svp and gmm-home, reporting to president and chief merchandising officer Paul White.

Ghormley joins the company from Amazon.com, where he was dmm of home textiles, tableware, home furnishings, floorcare, clothing care, and organization. He previously had posts at mattress and foam accessories maker Sleep Innovations, and at retailers QVC, May Co., and Sanger Harris Department Stores.

ShopKo, currently with 135 stores, will open a new unit in Suamico, Wis. in spring 2008 – its first new full-service location since 2001 – and many of the internal visuals will be rolled out to the chain, the company said.

The retailer said better lighting and fixturing will accompany more "efficient" layouts to boost shopper convenience; strollers and carts will have total access to each department.

At a groundbreaking ceremony for the 80,000 square-foot Suamico store, ShopKo chairman and ceo Mike MacDonald unveiled the new logo that will soon festoon the $2.2 billion chain. It comes with the slogan: "My life. My style. My store."