Landmark to close local Power Center

Consumer product sales will cease in Burlington on Dec. 31

By Jennifer Eisenbart

Staff Writer

Landmark Services Cooperative, which has owned and operated separate agricultural and power center facilities in Burlington for several years, will close the doors on its power center on Milwaukee Avenue Dec. 31.

Power Center Manager Wayne Whitehead confirmed the news Monday. The store’s customers learned about the closing by mail and “liquidation sale” signs pepper the front of the store.

“We’re going to get as much done for the community as we can,” Whitehead said.

A spokesperson from Landmark could not be reached by deadline Tuesday evening. The local power center – which sells consumer yard and garden products – was the only one Landmark operated.

The power center made local headlines several years ago when it was owned by a different cooperative. The operation was relocated to its current site across Milwaukee Avenue from Miller Motors to make way for the development of the Hampton Inn hotel in downtown Burlington.

There was no official word on the local animal nutrition and grain facility, located in the city’s Industrial Park, though that facility is located on the CN rail line, offers grain storage of over 2.7 million bushels and will presumably be unaffected by the closing of the power center.

In the sales void left by Landmark closing the power center will step American Power and Equipment out of Waterford. The company recently purchased industrial property at 4144 Northwest Highway 83 in Waterford – property the company says it needs in order to expand.

American Power will begin selling the Simplicity line of outdoor power equipment that was previously only sold by Landmark in this area, according to American Power owner Bonnie Magestro.