GREEN BAY, Wis. — Shopko Stores Operating Co. will open five new Shopko Hometown stores in late fall of this year. The stores will be located in Afton, Wyo.; St. Peter, Minn.; and Winneconne, Ellsworth and Tomahawk, Wis.

Shopko Stores Operating Co. will open five new Shopko Hometown stores in late fall of this year. The stores will be located in Afton, Wyo.; St. Peter, Minn.; and Winneconne, Ellsworth and Tomahawk, Wis.

The Hometown format was developed to be Shopko’s growth vehicle going forward, specifically serving smaller rural communities and combining a broad offering of general merchandise and everyday consumables with pharmacy and optical centers. The new stores will range between 25,000 square feet and 35,000 square feet, compared with Shopko’s full-size discount stores measuring 80,000 to 90,000 square feet.

The planned openings will bring the total of Shopko Hometown locations to 181 by the end of 2013.