Winco Foods LLC started remodeling the old Shopko site in Bend on Monday in preparation of an opening in late 2020 or early 2021, city officials said.

Building permits were issued Friday, said Ben Hemson, city of Bend business advocate. Winco did not respond to questions from The Bulletin.

Hemson said the employee-owned grocery chain will be removing the old concrete floor in the Shopko site at the Riverbend Plaza and replacing/refurbishing the front facade of the building, Hemson said.

Some work will be done on the parking lot as well.

The Boise, Idaho-based supermarket has signed a lease for the 106,216-square-foot building that housed Shopko at 60 NE Bend River Mall Ave.

Founded in 1967 as a Waremart, according to the company’s website, the chain’s predominant presence was in the Pacific Northwest through the 1970s. It became employee-owned through an employee stock ownership program in 1985.

The 126-store grocery chain is known for its low prices, not accepting credit cards and requiring customers to bag their own groceries.