Nelson’s Announces Plans to Expand Shopping Center

The owners of Nelson’s Shopping Center hope to add more than 8,000 square feet of storage to their Fish Creek store. Photo by Myles Dannhausen Jr.

Nelson’s Shopping Center in Fish Creek has plans to expand its store in Fish Creek, adding extensive storage space to the back of the building. The existing store is 15,628 square feet. The expansion would add more than 8,000 square feet of storage, bringing the center to 23,828 square feet. 

Owner Gary Nelson said he’s continuing to add products to fill the void left by Shopko’s closure, including bath and beauty products and baby diapers. The business is so tight on storage space that much of its stock must be stored off-site in Nelson’s former location in Baileys Harbor.

“For lawn mowers, I have to order in September for the following year, and they come when they’re ready,” Nelson said. “A lot of products are like that, and we don’t have a place to put them on-site.”

Because the expansion would push the building beyond 20,000 square feet and the town is governed by county zoning, a conditional use permit is required. 

“We need this type of development in our community, and we need to encourage it,” said commissioner Brian Hackbarth. 

Gibraltar’s Plan Commission and Town Board recommended that the county’s Resource Planning Committee approve an application for a conditional use permit for the expansion with no conditions. Nelson hopes to begin construction in March.