Sheboygan’s OfficeMax site was once home to Arlan’s, Prange Way, Big Lots and more

Gary C. Klein, Sheboygan Press
·3 min read

SHEBOYGAN — With the announcement of OfficeMax closing, it is a good time to look at the history of the complex that continues to be one of the retail centers of the city.

Back in 1965, according to a Sheboygan Press clipping, the city announced a $2 million shopping center development along Kohler Memorial Drive. At the time, two local firms — Schultz Sav-O Stores, Inc., and Grube Pharmacies, Inc. — would also locate in the Arlan's complex. The value of that shopping center today would work out to $19,542,158.73.

The Arlan's store would be a 60,000-square-foot building on a 20-acre site west of Wilgus Road in the town of Sheboygan. Schultz Sav-O Store's grocery building would be 19,000 square feet while Grube's drug store would contain 4,500 square feet.

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Soon, the City of Sheboygan annexed the complex mainly because of water and sewer concerns.

At the time of Arlan's opening, it would be the 66th store for the New Bedford, Massachusetts, firm and met with great enthusiasm. After that first day of operations, the manager at the store, Jerome Kaufman, said, "It was the best opening of an Arlan's store I've seen in two years!" A Press article headline declared, "20,000 At Arlan's Opening."

Arlan’s Department Store would open its doors, Thursday, November 3, 1966, in Sheboygan, Wis. Throngs of people came to check out the new store on opening day.
Arlan’s Department Store would open its doors, Thursday, November 3, 1966, in Sheboygan, Wis. Throngs of people came to check out the new store on opening day.

Chainwide, the enthusiasm for Arlan's waned and by 1971 the chain was experiencing difficulties and and announced within six months the Sheboygan location would close.

According to a Press clipping, an Arlan spokesman said the company planned to trim its 100-store chain to be 70 profitable stores by the summer of 1972. The plan didn't work out as planned and the entire Arlan's chain would be bankrupt by 1973.

Arlan's Department Store opened, Thursday, November 3, 1966, in Sheboygan, Wis. It was estimated that 20,000 people came to check out the new store along Kohler Memorial Drive.
Arlan's Department Store opened, Thursday, November 3, 1966, in Sheboygan, Wis. It was estimated that 20,000 people came to check out the new store along Kohler Memorial Drive.

The next chapter would be in 1972 when Prange Way would fill the space that Arlan's used since 1966. Prange Way, which started as the discount division in the basement of the H.C. Prange Co., expanded through the years with outlets in different cities. The new Memorial Drive outlet would be the store's 16th outlet and larger than the downtown Prange Way, according to the Press.

By 1990, Prange Way would be for sale after Younkers bought the H.C. Prange Co. At the time in the Press, it was reported that managers of the discount chain bought the firm for "$35 million in cash and other considerations." At the time, the new owners said it would concentrate on items made in the state.

Prange Way would find the discount store environment difficult and would close Prange Way in 1995, according to an Oct. 14, 1995, Press clipping. At the time, the report said the company was in a financial mess.

Some vendors weren't paid for up to eight months. Prange Way had also been accused of pricing discrepancies by some customers.

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OfficeMax arrived in 1997 to fill part of the space left vacant by Prange Way's departure. Then, in 2002, Big Lots arrived to fill a 37,000-square-foot spot in the complex. By 1993, Dunham's Discount Sports would also fill a vacant space left by the departure of Schultz Sav-O grocery store.

Harbor Freight would build a store next to Dunham's Discount Sports in 2017.

With the closing of OfficeMax, it was announced that Michaels would locate in the former office supply store.

Gary C. Klein can be reached at 920-453-5149 or gklein@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @leicaman99.

This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Sheboygan OfficeMax closing; was once Arlan's, Prange Way and Big Lots