Blain’s Farm & Fleet will open a store in Rhinelander in fall 2022.
The chain calls itself a “Modern General Store” and has more than 40 locations in the region.
"For Rhinelander in particular, we've been working toward this opportunity for several years. This location is special to me because we've wanted to be nearer to my Dad and Uncle's stomping grounds in northern Wisconsin,” said company President, Owner, and CEO Jane Blain Gilbertson in a press release.
The Rhinelander store will be 84,200 square feet and bring about 100 new jobs to the community, the company said. It will be located at East Timber Lane and Highway 17, near the Rhinelander Ice Arena. The company said it bought the land several years ago.
"It's not just about growing. It is about carefully selecting the right communities who truly appreciate our family-owned Modern General Store," said Blain Gilbertson. "We are very selective about the locations where we choose to grow because we are in it for the long haul. Unlike other retailers who close stores regularly, we have never left a community where we have opened a store."
The store stocks clothing, footwear, tools, paint, sporting goods, agricultural items, lawn and garden equipment, and includes a tire and auto repair service. The first Blain’s Farm & Fleet opened in Wisconsin in 1955.
