Albert Lea location one of several in Minnesota

 

The Shopko pharmacy in Albert Lea will close its doors Jan. 3, as part of an announcement made this week to local employees, according to the Albert Lea pharmacy manager.

John Denow said Shopko’s pharmacy in Albert Lea opened in 1985 before the construction of Northbridge Mall. He has worked there since 1990.

He said he was not sure of the reasons behind the closure, but noted there were several others closing across the state and the country. 

Denow said Hy-Vee Inc. purchased the prescription files and drug inventory from the Albert Lea store.

“Relay our thanks and appreciation for the opportunity that we’ve been given to service their needs for these many years,” Denow said. “We’ll do our best to make the transition to Hy-Vee as smooth as possible.”

He said the Albert Lea pharmacy employs two full-time pharmacists, along with one other full-time employee and two part-time employees.

The company announced in a news release Tuesday that it would sell 42 of its 227 pharmacy locations to Kroger, including 25 in Wisconsin and others in Washington, Utah, Nebraska, Montana and Idaho.

Hy-Vee sent out a press release Friday that stated it had acquired the business of 22 Shopko pharmacies in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Shopko pharmacies included in the acquisition were in Mankato, Fairmont, Marshall, Austin, Rochester and Winona in Minnesota and Mason City, Sioux City and Glenwood in Iowa, according to the release.

“As we continue to grow our pharmacy business, we pride ourselves on providing an excellent experience to our customers,” said Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee’s chairman of the board, CEO and president. “We provide customized care for each person who walks through our door. Our pharmacists will go above and beyond to provide numerous services to our patients so we can help them understand and assist with caring for their specific health care needs.”

In addition to traditional pharmacy services, Hy-Vee Pharmacy locations feature free prescription delivery, automated refill ordering, immunization services, free blood pressure checks, private medication consultations and a registered dietitian available for nutritional consultations.

The release stated all impacted Shopko pharmacy patients will receive a letter from Hy-Vee Pharmacy with additional details.

Founded in 1962 and headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Shopko Stores Operating Co. LLC is a $3 billion retailer that operates more than 370 stores in 26 states.