BEATRICE - Almost two years since it was last occupied, a former Shopko Hometown Store that closed in east Beatrice has a new purpose, beginning Thursday.
Bomgaars, based in Sioux City, Iowa, opens its 101st store… this one in east Beatrice.


Manager of the new Bomgaars in Beatrice, Benjamin Leppert says the space was easily adaptable to the company’s needs. The store will initially employ 25 staffers with possible expansion to 30. Leppert gives a preview of what customers will see.


"They'll see a big presence with our seasonal goods, especially when it comes to lawn and garden care. As the season changes, you'll see a lot of that...it's a big part of business, the seasonal changes. The greenhouse is up right now and we'll be getting plants and trees in. And then, our DeWalt Tools set up...we carry Milwaukee Tools as well. It's a very large department, its a big business for us. Clothing is another big part too...we carry brands like Ariat, Carhartt, Wrangler...and we have a good portion of the store dedicated for that. The last part of it is our feed...dog, cat, equine, poultry feed...and any number of care products for that."


Response to a January job hiring fair was very good, and Leppert says he’s still receiving several applications on a weekly basis. He said there were a lot of high quality candidates. Leppert says the company has been expanding southward and the Beatrice store is one two being opened this week.


"This week we're opening a Seneca, Kansas store and there are several other Kansas stores that are slated to open. We've kind of expanded to the south....so Kansas is a new market for us."

Beatrice Store Manager, Benjamin Leppert
Beatrice Store Manager, Benjamin Leppert  

 
The Beatrice location will be supplied by a Bomgaars Distribution Center in Sioux City. The company has a distribution center in Gering, along with at least 29 other store locations in Nebraska.


Bomgaars stores are located in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado and Idaho.