Roundy's to close Stevens Point facility, cut 196 jobs

STEVENS POINT -- Nearly 200 local workers will be without jobs by the end of the year as Roundy's supermarkets closes its Stevens Point distribution center.

The company announced the closure Tuesday in a news release posted on its website. The release said the company will move operations to its Oconomowoc and Mazomanie distribution facilities and that the transition will be done in phases. The Stevens Point facility, 2828 Wayne St., will cease operations entirely by Sept. 30, the news release said.

Dick Jones, a communications specialist with the state Department of Workforce Development, said Roundy's submitted a notice late Tuesday indicating that all 196 employees at the center will be released by Sept. 13. The company owns several grocery store chains, including Copps and Pick 'n Save in central Wisconsin.

James Hyland, vice president of investor relations, corporate communications and public affairs with Roundy's, said via email that the local distribution center supports stores operated by the company in the Twin Cities. Roundy's agreed on May 7 to sell 18 Rainbow grocery stores in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market to a group of retailers including Supervalu Inc. for $65 million.

Hyland declined to give any additional information about how the workers losing their jobs will be compensated or what services the company might provide them as they seek new careers. Workers contacted by Journal Media reporters also declined to comment.

Stevens Point Mayor Andrew Halverson said he was sorry to hear the news, but anticipated it after the Rainbow sale.

"It was a strategic decision, and in some way, we can be thankful that this distribution center stayed active post-sale. But obviously, it's very unfortunate and our thoughts are with those employees," Halverson said. "We strive very hard for every job in the city, and to see hundreds of them lost is tough."

The Roundy's layoffs add to several closures in the region in the last few years. Joerns Health Care announced in January 2012 that it was moving 146 jobs from its Stevens Point facility to Texas, Arkansas and Mexico as a cost-cutting measure. The NewPage Whiting Paper Mill closed in February 2011, leaving 360 employees without work. Some were transferred to other locations throughout the company.

Some major local employers, however, have announced recently their plans to hire. Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection, the company formerly known as Noel Group, announced that more than 100 full-time and 50 part-time employees have been added this year, and the company plans to add hundreds more by fall.

Sentry Insurance, meanwhile, announced it intends to hire up to 75 full- and part-time employees for SentryWorld, the golf course and sports center that are undergoing major renovations and are scheduled to open in late summer to fall.

"We have a growing and dynamic community, and you are going to have gains and losses. We are always looking for ways to help companies grow here," Halverson said.

Roundy's has more than 26,000 employees in the Midwest. It was founded in Milwaukee in 1872 and operates 174 grocery stores and 110 pharmacies under the Pick 'n Save, Copps, Metro Market and Mariano's brands in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois, according to the news release.