Pamida Can Cooler
Keep the gathering close to home with a Pamida can cooler inspired by a name familiar to generations of Midwest shoppers. From its 1963 start in Knoxville, Iowa, Pamida expanded from early discount retail and Gibson's franchises into a distinct regional department-store presence. Later Shopko ownership and the Shopko Hometown conversion added another chapter to its story. This piece is for cookouts, tailgates, reunions, and collectors who remember the local Pamida aisle by aisle.
Pamida was a Midwestern and West Central U.S. department-store chain founded by D.J. Witherspoon and Lee Wegener in 1963. Its roots reached back to a rack jobber business started by Jim Witherspoon in 1938, which became known as NuWay Drug Service by 1948. After Witherspoon acquired a distribution business in 1962, Wegener joined the company and Pamida Inc. was formed as a holding company for Witherspoon's businesses. The first discount outlet opened in Knoxville, Iowa, in 1963, followed by Oskaloosa, Iowa. Early growth included Gibson's Discount Center franchises, and Pamida became Gibson's largest franchisee with 74 stores. By the late 1970s, it withdrew from the franchise and concentrated on larger Pamida-branded stores in established markets. Employees bought the company in 1981; a Citicorp unit gained controlling interest in 1986. Shopko bought Pamida in 1999, separated it in 2007, and merged it back in 2012. Most stores became Shopko Hometown locations, which closed in 2019 during Shopko's bankruptcy and liquidation.
| Regular Can | Slim Can | |
| Height, in | 4.30 | 6.00 |
| Diameter, in | 3.50 | 3.50 |
Product features
- Durable 100% polyester exterior with edge-to-edge vibrant print
- Soft 100% foam liner for firm grip and insulation
- Lightweight and slim — fits regular and slim cans
- Outside white polyester with black foam interior for contrast
- Available sizes: Regular (3.5" x 4.3") and Slim (3.5" x 6'")
Care instructions
- Wipe with a damp cloth, air dry or use a soft, non-abrasive cloth
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Generic brand, 2 year warranty in EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC
Care instructions: Wipe with a damp cloth, air dry or use a soft, non-abrasive cloth