A remodel permit for the former Shopko building on South 24th Street West was issued by the City of Billings earlier this month to a Texas-based home decor business.
The permit recipient, At Home Stores LLC, is headquartered in Plano, Texas, and describes itself on its company website as "the home decor superstore" and "one of the fastest growing retailers in America offering more than 50,000 on-trend products to fit any room, style and budget."
Shopko announced in March that it was closing its remaining 120 department stores by mid-June after it was unable to find a buyer. Thousands of Shopko employees lost their jobs, including 54 in Billings. A total of 11 Montana stores closed, according to bankruptcy court filings. Other stores were located in Dillon, Glasgow, Helena, Kalispell, Libby, Livingston, Lewistown, Missoula, Sidney and Shelby.
The interior remodel permit was issued on December 3 to At Home Stores LLC and the valuation of work on the permit is $2.6 million.
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It's unclear what kind of timeline At Home Stores is operating on with this project. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment emailed Thursday.
Nicole Cromwell, a zoning coordinator and code enforcement supervisor with the City of Billings, said that the type of permit issued requires a review of the construction by the fire department and the city building department. Cromwell said that generally once a remodel permit is issued work can start at anytime and that first inspections typically happen within six months of the permit being issued.
Fencing has been erected in the parking lot in front of the Shopko building on 905 S. 24th St., and a Yellowstone Electric Company truck was also parked outside near a large dumpster by the main entrance.
On its website At Home states that it operates more than 200 stores in 40 states and that the company believes in the long term it can expand to 600 stores.
At Home announced in October the opening of three new stores with locations in Glen Burnie, Maryland; Kennewick, Washington; and Ellenton, Florida. The same announcement stated that locations in Turnersville, New Jersey; and Madison, Wisconsin, would be opening soon.
There are no At Home locations operating in Montana.