User talk:TheOptopolis: Difference between revisions

 

*** Hey Reschultzed! To the best of my understanding, many those newspapers found on wyomingnewspapers.org (any with a lock icon on them) cannot be viewed online and have to be viewed through microfilm. I've been actively researching newspapers by hand to better my understanding of the history behind of Kmart among other businesses in the Cheyenne area. I've also been searching through photos taken by media outlets from those corresponding years.--[[User:TheOptopolis|TheOptopolis]] ([[User talk:TheOptopolis|talk]]) 02:59, 17 February 2024 (UTC)

 

** P.S. here's what I can find as of right now. According to an ad in the Scottsbluff Star-Herald, which was recently digitized, Sutherlands held its grand opening in the former Kmart in July 1994: [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/141115172/] There was a Pay 'n Pak bankruptcy auction at the same address in September 1992 (would this be the smaller space to the north that is now SMART Sports Medicine?): [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/141115445/] Also, while I can't see the contents of the Wyoming Eagle and Wyoming State Tribune, I can see the dates that certain phrases appear in there. Searching for "5221 Yellowstone" tells me that, aside from a few scattered results in the mid-70s, that address started regularly showing up in the papers in June 1981 and then suddenly stopped in September 1992. Then no results at all during 1993 (might just be that they haven't digitized anything from 1993, though) and you start getting results again in April 1994 (presumably Sutherlands preparing to open). So, based on that, I would think the Kmart most likely closed in 1992, and I've updated the spreadsheet to reflect that. -[[User:Reschultzed|Reschultzed]] ([[User talk:Reschultzed|talk]]) 17:41, 16 February 2024 (UTC)

 

*** Nice to see another source mentioning Sutherland's opening, that actually helps me in my research! I did dig through more of Cheyenne's newspapers and photos today to see if I can further verify the date that Sutherlands opened, but I was unsuccessful in that respect in this visit. With that Scottsbluff Star-Herald clipping, I guess I don't need to research Sutherland's opening any further for now. As for the Pay N' Pak... Upon discussions with the archivists at the state archives, there was talk of some other business being at the 5221 Yellowstone Rd Kmart before Sutherlands and after Kmart, but I never found out what it was if true; with your finding in that respect, it's quite possible the Pay N Pak was in the former Kmart though more research is likely needed to confirm this, maybe even photos...I'll have to see if I find anything next week. Whichever location in the plaza Pay N Pak occupied, it must have been brief, as 1993 and 1994 city directories do not list Pay N Pak on Yellowstone Road. I found that the space that is now SMART Sports was occupied by a Payless Shoe Source back in 1982 (I don't know the opening and closing dates yet); both the Kmart and SMART Sports spaces were listed as vacant as of 1993. (Side note indirectly related to this conversation, there was also a Pay N' Pak next to the E Pershing Blvd Kmart [https://wintersgriffith.com/project/jonah-building/ (see Photo 2 before remodel)]. Also on another side note, I found that the E Pershing Kmart opened Thursday, April 1, 1971, and I will be updating the Bluepages article on that topic momentarily. It may be good to check your spreadsheet on the Dell Range Blvd Kmart also, as I've updated that page with more accurate information too on when it opened/closed.)--[[User:TheOptopolis|TheOptopolis]] ([[User talk:TheOptopolis|talk]]) 02:59, 17 February 2024 (UTC)

 

== Replying to Reschultzed and TheOptopolis ==