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James Ruben was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1931. In 1936, he moved with his family to Chicago, Illinois, where he eventually married and began practicing as a pharmacist. Ruben moved to the Green Bay area by 1962, with the intention of opening a retail store and purchased a house in Allouez which was constructed in 1954 on Clay Street.
Backed by a group of investors, Ruben opened a department store on Military Avenue in the City of Green Bay's west side in 1962 at the considerable cost of $1 million. While initially announced in 1961 as Shopco, the spelling of the store's name was changed to ShopKo by its opening. A second location, initially referred to as ShopKo East, opened on Main Street in the City of Green Bay's east side in 1966. Several additional locations were opened across northeastern Wisconsin in the subsequent years. The chain's first location outside of the state opened in Marquette, Michigan, in 1969.
With the ShopKo Corporation's success and a growing family, Ruben had a new house constructed by Bob Detrie in 1969 on Delahaut Street.
In 1970, Ruben led the development of a corporate headquarters in nearby Ashwaubenon, which was completed the following year. Also in 1970, the company reorganized as ShopKo Stores, Inc. Ruben sold ShopKo Stores, Inc. to SuperValu Inc. of Edina, Minnesota. That same year, Ruben's goal of a department store with an in-house pharmacy was fulfilled with the first installations of pharmacies in ShopKo stores.
In 1972, Ruben accepted the position of group vice president and director of SuperValu Stores and relocated to Minnesota. Later, he was a part of a group of businessmen who purchased a Denver soccer team and moved it to Minneapolis to form the Minnesota Kicks soccer team franchise. James Ruben passed away in 1983.
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
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1020 W HISTORIC MITCHELL ST
63292
Located in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County
5611, 5623, 5629 N LAKE DR
183982
Located in Whitefish Bay, Milwaukee County
