By MaryHelen Swanson

According to Jane Van Auken, vice president of store planning and design for Shopko, the new Shopko store in North Branch will be opening in October, 2008. It will be designed the same as the prototype that will open in Green Bay, Wisc., in March this year. The 80,000 sq. ft. building will include health services, drive thru pharmacy, optical and other updated departments.

The store will be hiring somewhere between 100 and 120 jobs both full-time and part-time including high school students and management jobs.

Currently, the closest Shopko to North Branch is in St. Cloud.

Later this year, the store will announce when job openings begin.