Pamida Passport Cover
Take a piece of hometown shopping history beyond the Midwest with this Pamida passport cover. The name recalls a department-store chain founded in 1963 in Knoxville, Iowa, then known across rural communities for practical everyday retail. From its Gibson's franchise roots to its independent Pamida stores and eventual Shopko Hometown rebrand, the story carries lasting regional recognition. A thoughtful travel companion for collectors and anyone who remembers the Pamida name.
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.
| 3.9" x 5.8" | |
| Height, in | 5.79 |
| Width (Closed), in | 3.94 |
| Width (Open), in | 8.03 |
| Depth, in | 0.39 |
Product features
- Two card slots plus pockets for boarding passes or IDs
- Cruelty-free black PU faux leather exterior
- RFID-blocking lining to protect against skimming
- One-size fits most passports (3.9″ × 5.8″)
- Vibrant front-cover print with potential edge fading on darker solids
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