Mid-America's junior-sized discount mart, known as Tempo, was established by Gamble-Skogmo, Incorporated, of Saint Louis Park, Minnesota. Originally an auto parts retailer, the company was founded by Bertin Gamble and Philip Skogmo, who had opened the first Gamble Auto Supply Company store in 1925.
The discount department store field was entered with the opening of the first Tempo unit -in Montevideo, Minnesota- on March 16, 1962. Tempo units encompassed between 20,000 and 60,000 square feet. Each included the following departments; auto supplies, large & small appliances, men's, women's & children's apparel, hardware, housewares, luggage, sporting goods, home furnishings, jewelry, fabrics & notions, cosmetics and photo supplies. There was also a drive-in Auto Service Center at most locations.
The Tempo enterprise expanded quickly during the 1960s, establishing a large presence in Mountain and Midwestern states not serviced, in any great degree, by other discount stores such as Kmart, Target, Fred Meyer or Valu-Mart.
Gamble-Skogmo had acquired Los Angeles-based F.S. Rasco & Company in August 1951. Rasco operated a chain of 5-10 & 25 Cent Stores in California, Arizona and New Mexico. The new parent company continued to operate standard variety stores...at least for the time being.
A merger of Gamble-Skogmo and its Founders, Incorporated holding company was conducted in January 1966. In doing so, Gamble-Skogmo acquired Ohio's Cussins & Fearn and Buckeye Mart stores, as well as Mode O' Day, a national ladies' wear retailer. In July 1967, a majority interest in Minnesota's Red Owl Supermarkets and Snyder Drug stores was established.
By the late '60s, Rasco was operating a few large-format discount department stores, in addition to its smaller 5 & 10-type units. In the fall of 1969, Mountain States Tempo stores were rebranded as Rasco Tempo. In 1971, Gamble Skogmo merged its Midwestern Tempo and Buckeye Mart divisions. Tempo and Buckeye Mart stores were rebranded -as Tempo Buckeye- in July 1974.
At Tempo's peak, in 1967, there had been fifty-nine stores. This number began to fall in the early 1970s. After several less-than-lucrative years, it was decided to liquidate the 45-store Tempo Buckeye division in 1978. Nineteen stores were sold to Pennsylvania's Fisher's Big Wheel in January 1979. Twenty-six were placed under the Rasco division.
Gamble-Skogmo, and its various holdings, were acquired by Illinois-based Wickes Companies, Incorporated in August 1980. What Rasco Tempo stores that remained in business were shuttered in 1982.
TEMPO-ANCHORED SHOPPING MALLS:
*ARROWHEAD CENTER, Ward County, ND (1962)
*KARCHER MALL, Nampa, ID (1965)
*WESTERN MALL, Sioux Falls, SD (1968)
*KARCHER MALL, Nampa, ID (1965)
*WESTERN MALL, Sioux Falls, SD (1968)
