Big Lots to reopen 78 stores this week after securing last-minute deal… and promises 'exciting new deals'
Big Lots will reopen 78 stores this week as part of a wave of store revivals, months after it was saved from bankruptcy.
The discount retailer secured a last-minute rescue deal in December with retail focused investment firm Gordon Brothers and Variety Wholesalers.
Under the agreement, Gordon Brothers would purchase the retailer and then transfer between 200 and 400 Big Lots stores to Variety Wholesalers, which operates discount chains including Roses, Maxway and Bargain Town.
The retailer's remaining locations saved by Variety Wholesalers will open across nine states this week.
The states with the soon-to-be-opened stores are Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
'We are excited to reopen additional Big Lots stores this Thursday, June 5!,' Variety Wholesalers told DailyMail.com.
'We have been thrilled with customer response to the soft openings we've held so far and cannot wait to continue serving these 78 additional communities.'
The company opened its first 141 locations between April and May. It will celebrate the new stores with 'exciting new deals' at a grand opening event this fall.
'This enthusiastic response reinforces our belief that taking Big Lots! back to the roots of what made it a huge success resonates with our customers. Proving great value will always be out core mission,' Variety Wholesalers CEO Lisa Seigies said.
Big Lots had been struggling for over a decade before filing for bankruptcy protection last year.
Shoppers first spotted the chain's 'closing' signs hanging at about 315 stores in multiple states this past summer.
While the chain later trimmed its store closures to 292, they confirmed the number rose to 500 that fall.
All stores offered massive liquidation sales, but it wasn't enough for the company to survive its financial woes.
The chain closed around 555 locations by November and announced its plan to go out of business a month later.
However, Big Lots was saved soon afterward when the chain reached a deal with Gordon Brothers to transfer assets to other companies.
Other retailers that purchased Big Lots locations include Trader Joe's, Ollie's Bargain Outlet and Ocean State Job Lot.
Big Lots will be throwing a grand opening celebration this fall featuring 'exciting new deals'
Variety Wholesale is exploring the possibility of purchasing more Big Lots locations.
The company has not revealed if it intends to keep the Big Lots name in other potential stores.
Various brands have not been able to retain their name after a sale.
Hudson's Bay launched liquidation sales after planning to permanently shutter stores by June 15.
The company struck a deal to sell up to 28 stores to Canadian mall owner Weihong (Ruby) Liu, who plans to launch a new store concept and not keep the Hudson's Bay name.
Some retailers like Joann Fabrics and Crafts, Forever21, and the Party City chain were unable to be saved, permanently closing all locations this year.
Upcoming store openings
Florida
6247 Highway 90, Milton, FL 32570
2384 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, FL 34606
3401 13th St Ste 100, St. Cloud, FL 34769
843 W Bloomingdale Ave, Brandon, FL 33511
3048 E College Ave, Ruskin, FL 33570
13970 N Cleveland Ave, North Ft. Myers, FL 33903
4901 Palm Beach Blvd Ste 230, Fort Myers, FL 33905
Georgia
127 Commerce Ave, LaGrange, GA 30241
3111 Highway 278 NW, Covington, GA 30014
13 Lester Rd Ste C, Statesboro, GA 30458
Kentucky
3000 Scottsville Rd, Bowling Green, KY 42104
North Carolina
125 Weaver Blvd, Weaverville, NC 28787
273 Franklin Plaza Dr, Franklin, NC 28734
1176 Russ Ave, Waynesville, NC 28786
1639 US Highway 74A Byp, Spindale, NC 28160
1450 Andrews Rd, Murphy, NC 28906
1251 Burkemont Ave, Morganton, NC 28655
711 E Innes St, Salisbury, NC 28144
280 Concord Pkwy N, Concord, NC 28027
720 NC 24 27 Byp E, Albemarle, NC 28001
950 S Cannon Blvd Ste A, Kannapolis, NC 28083
1677 Westchester Dr, High Point, NC 27262
2531 Eastchester Dr, High Point, NC 27265
630 Lakestone Commons Ave, Fuquay Varina, NC 27526
2950 S Horner Blvd, Sanford, NC 27332
1371 N Sandhills Blvd, Aberdeen, NC 28315
1664 S Main St Ste B, Laurinburg, NC 28352
520 Berne Sq, New Bern, NC 28562
2750C N Roberts Ave, Lumberton, NC 28358
1110 Western Blvd, Jacksonville, NC 28540
2900 Arendell St Ste 19, Morehead City, NC 28557
6832 F Market St, Wilmington, NC 28405
4600 Main St Ste 1, Shallotte, NC 28470
Ohio
8489 Market St, Mentor, OH 44060
12588 Rockside Rd, Cleveland, OH 44125
1890 W Market St, Akron, OH 44313
405 Howe Ave, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221
241 W Wooster Rd, Barberton, OH 44203
426 East Waterloo Rd, Akron, OH 44319
1336 Whipple Ave NW, Canton, OH 44708
10560 Harrison Ave, Harrison, OH 45030
3640 Werk Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45248
110 S 7th St, Marietta, OH 45750
9025 Ohio River Rd, Wheelersburg, OH 45694
400 Silver Bridge Plz, Gallipolis, OH 45631
367 County Rd 406 Ste B, South Point, OH 45680
Pennsylvania
750 Ohio River Blvd, Rochester, PA 15074
4717 McKnight Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237
2444 Philadelphia St, Indiana, PA 15701
11628 Penn Hills Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15235
254 Oak Spring Rd, Washington, PA 15301
6041 State Route 30 Ste 20, Greensburg, PA 15601
1425 Scalp Ave Ste 130, Johnstown, PA 15904
389 N Reading Rd, Ephrata, PA 17522
500 Lincoln Hwy Ste 4, Fairless Hills, PA 19030
2140 White St, York, PA 17404
1150 Carlisle St, Hanover, PA 17331
South Carolina
1206 Highway 9 Bypass W, Lancaster, SC 29720
9221 Two Notch Rd Ste 30, Columbia, SC 29223
6169 St. Andrews Rd, Columbia, SC 29212
1641 Church St, Conway, SC 29526
710 Hwy 17 S Ste D, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
1370 S Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
1013 Old Highway 52, Moncks Corner, SC 29461
431 Saint James Ave Unit G, Goose Creek, SC 29445
10150 Dorchester Rd Unit 227, Summerville, SC 29485
328 Robert Smalls Pkwy, Beaufort, SC 29906
Tennessee
633 S Jefferson Ave, Cookeville, TN 38501
1301 S James Campbell Blvd, Columbia, TN 38401
1913 Sherwood Rd, Kingsport, TN 37664
3901 Hixson Pike Ste 157, Chattanooga, TN 37415
1426 N Gateway Ave, Rockwood, TN 37854
Virginia
180 Kents Ridge Rd, Richlands, VA 24641
1090 Bypass Rd, Vinton, VA 24179
6610 Mooretown Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23188
2318 W Mercury Blvd, Hampton, VA 23666
1851 E Little Creek Rd, Norfolk, VA 23518
1971 S Military Hwy, Chesapeake, VA 23320
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