As the first customer waiting to enter Marshalls on Thursday, Samantha Winkel got a chance to cut the ribbon outside the store’s doors. The retailer officially opened Thursday morning, at the former Shopko location in Marshall.

MARSHALL — The buzz had been building for the new Marshalls store in Marshall. By the time the store was ready to open its doors for the first time on Thursday, there were already more than 30 people gathered outside.

“I knew it was going to be super busy this morning, so I thought, why not just be first in line?” said Samantha Winkel. Winkel’s timing gave her the opportunity to cut the ribbon at the Marshalls doors, before she and other shoppers headed inside.

The new Marshalls store, located in part of the former Shopko building in Marshall, held its grand opening starting at 8 a.m.

“It’s been a long time coming – ever since Shopko closed,” Winkel said.

“It’s another option,” said Heather Rokeh, who was checking out the grand opening together with her niece. Marshalls carried items like off-price clothing, shoes and home goods, and it was closer to home for area residents. “You can shop without having to travel for it,” she said.

Marshalls district manager Nick Koeling said the new “Marshalls in Marshall” will have about 60 employees.

“We’ve been wanting to come here for a long time,” said Koeling. “It’s a great community.”

Koeling said Marshalls has been expanding, and was looking at locations in more rural markets. He said it was exciting to be part of the Marshall area community. Local residents had also been showing lots of interest in Marshalls as the store opening approached.

“People have been coming by nonstop,” he said.

Area residents had been anticipating a Marshalls coming to town for a couple of years. In 2023, signs for Harbor Freight, Marshalls and Big Lots went up outside the former Shopko building along Susan Drive. In September of that year, it was confirmed that Big Lots would not be coming to Marshall. But renovations continued for Marshalls to move in.

To go along with the grand opening, Marshalls also presented a $10,000 donation to WRAP (WoMen’s Rural Advocacy Programs).

“When we join a community, we want to be part of it,” Koeling said. He said store managers from the Marshall area recommended WRAP to be a donation recipient.

It wasn’t only shoppers showing interest in the Marshalls grand opening Thursday. A good-sized group of city officials and Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce ambassadors gathered for an early-morning ribbon cutting ceremony before the store opened.

“This is much-anticipated, and welcomed in the community,” Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes said.

Chamber President Brad Gruhot said the type of retail Marshalls offered helped add to the Marshall area business community.

“It’s this kind of store that will draw people to town,” Gruhot said.

Marshalls is one of several off-price retail stores operated by TJX Companies, Inc. In the U.S., TJX operates TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Homesense and Sierra. According to the company website, TJX operated more than 5,000 stores worldwide as of August 2024.

Before the Marshall store location opened, the closest Marshalls locations were in Sioux Falls and Hutchinson.

Two of three total retail spaces inside the former Shopko building now have tenants. Marshall EDA Director Lauren Deutz said this spring that building owners were looking for a third tenant to fill up the building.