
Menards (left) plans to use the former Shopko, south of it near North 27th Street and Cornhusker Highway, for storage.
Redevelopment plans are in the works for another of Lincoln's vacant Shopko buildings.
Menards has filed an application with the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Department to turn the former Shopko building at 3400 N. 27th St. into storage.
According to the plans, about 70,000 square feet of the building would be converted to mini-storage that would be open to the public, while Menards would use about 40,000 square feet as an outdoor warehouse area for its store next door to store bulk materials such as drywall.
The Wisconsin-based home improvement chain bought the building in 2015. Shopko, which leased it, closed its store there in March after the company announced it was going out of business.
Shopko, which also was based in Wisconsin, closed its other three Lincoln stores in April.
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The store at 6845 S. 27th St. is being remodeled to accommodate home furnishings retailer At Home. The owners of the other two former Shopko locations, at 100 S. 66th St. and 4200 S. 27th St., have yet to announce any plans for new tenants or redevelopment.
Though a Menards spokesman earlier this year said it was advertising the 3400 N. 27th building for lease, the company said in a letter to the Planning Department that it bought the building in 2015, "with the anticipation of incorporating the property into its development at some point in time."
Menards officials could not be reached for comment about the plans, but according to the letter, they also include a potential expansion of the existing Menards building to add a roughly 30,000-square-foot mezzanine area for storage.
In addition, because mini storage will not require anywhere near the amount of parking that the Shopko store did, Menards said in the letter that it will offer about 4 acres of the parking area for potential commercial development by other users.
Lincoln stores that have closed or are slated to close
Toys 'R' Us

The 30,000-square-foot Toys 'R' Us store at 5220 N. 27th St. in Lincoln closed in June 2018.
Younkers

The 100,000-square-foot Younkers store at Gateway Mall closed in August of 2018.
Post and Nickel

The Post & Nickel at 14th and P streets closed in November after 52 years.
Shopko

Shopko closed its four Lincoln stores, including its location at 27th Street and Nebraska 2, this spring.
Sears

Sears' Lincoln location at Gateway Mall closed in March.
Gap

The Gap store at SouthPointe Pavilions is closing by the end of January 2019.
Beauty Brands

Beauty Brands in Centro Plaza at 48th and R streets opened in 2016 (shown in photo) but was closing Jan. 19, 2019.
Charming Charlie

Charming Charlie closed its store at SouthPointe Pavilions.
Rogers Jewelers

Rogers Jewelers at Gateway Mall is going out of business in 2019.
Akin's Natural Foods

The Akin's Natural Foods store at 6900 O St. in Meridian Park closed in June 2018.
Gamers

Gamers closed its location near 27th and Superior in July 2018.
Husker Headquarters

Husker Headquarters in Lincoln Crossing on 27th north of Superior Street closed in April 2018. There is another location downtown, at Gateway Mall and at 5631 S. 56th St. in The Alamo Center.
Mattress Firm

The Mattress Firm location at 5001 O St. closed in October 2018.
Charlotte Russe

Charlotte Russe announced the closing of its Gateway location and all other stores.
Banana Republic

Banana Republic is closing its Lincoln store at SouthPointe Pavilions.
Dressbarn

Dressbarn, with a SouthPointe location, announced in May it is closing all of its stores.
Wright's Jewelers

Customers walk under a store closing banner at Wright's Jewelers in the Pioneer Woods shopping center at 70th Street and Pioneers Boulevard in early November.
Forever 21

Forever 21 opened a store at Gateway Mall in June 2013.
Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com.
On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz.