GREEN BAY, Wis. — Shopko Stores Operating Co. has opened five new Shopko Hometown stores, including three in Wisconsin. The openings bring the total of Shopko Hometown stores to 180.

Shopko Stores Operating Co. has opened five new Shopko Hometown stores, including three in Wisconsin. The openings bring the total of Shopko Hometown stores to 180.

The Wisconsin locations include Ellsworth, Tomahawk and Winneconne, while the other two units are in Afton, Wyo., and St. Peter, Minn. "We’re excited to continue the growth of the Shopko Hometown concept with these new stores and expect them to be well received by residents in each of these five great communities," said Mike Bettiga, interim chief executive officer and chief operating officer of Shopko. "We understand that consumers in smaller towns want convenient access to the same variety of high-quality goods and on-trend merchandise without having to travel a good distance from their ­community."

The Hometown format is a smaller complement to Shopko’s 134 full-size discount stores. The retailer also operates 12 Shopko pharmacies, five under the Shopko Express Rx banner.