Big Lots is back! After closing its stores due to filing for bankruptcy, the chain will reopen its stores, now under the management of Variety Wholesalers, its new owner. Some stores will open this Thursday! We’ll tell you which ones.
Which Big Lots stores will reopen?
After the bankruptcy of Big Lots, Variety Wholesalers acquired 219 of the company’s stores, which will reopen remodeled, with new product categories and more clearance sales. According to a statement issued by the company, the store reopening will take place in several phases, with the first phase on Thursday, April 10, when nine stores in six states will open, including the following locations:
- Kentucky: 1342 Indian Mound Dr, Mount Sterling, KY
- Louisiana: 755 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Metairie, LA
- Mississippi: 2605 W Main St, Tupelo, MS; 5778 Hwy 80 E, Pearl, MS
- North Carolina: 1432 E Dixie Dr, Asheboro, NC
- Tennessee: 1041 S Riverside Dr, Clarksville, TN; 744 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN; 220 Dickson Plaza Dr, Dickson, TN
- Virginia: 2911 Hershberger Rd NW, Roanoke, VA
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“We’re thrilled to bring the Big Lots! brand back to life by offering more deals than ever, lots of famous brands, and a new apparel department for the entire family. We’re opening stores quickly so we can serve the community. We know the stores won’t be perfect to start, but each week we’ll add more new products as we build towards the grand opening celebration in the fall. Every time a customer visits Big Lots! we want them to find something new and exciting!” said Lisa Seigies, president and CEO of Variety Wholesalers.
An additional 55 Big Lots stores will open on May 1, and the rest will reopen in early June, according to the statement issued by Variety Wholesalers.
What can I buy at the new Big Lots stores?
The renovated Big Lots stores will have the same low prices that customers are accustomed to. Additionally, you will find a wide variety of products in different categories, such as:
- Clothing
- Home decor
- Health and beauty items
- Clearance
- Seasonal products
- Recognized brands
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History of Variety Wholesalers
Variety’s story began in 1932 when James Pope, the father of John Pope and a descendant of a dry goods store owner, decided to open a dime store in Angier, North Carolina. From a young age, John ventured into the business world, inheriting his father’s business acumen. Foreseeing the shortages brought by the war in the 1940s, he began stockpiling goods, which allowed him to expand his business with more branches in North Carolina.
In 1947, with his savings and his father’s support, John started his own business, though his early ventures, such as a jewelry store and a wet mop factory, were unsuccessful. After his father’s death, who had left the dime stores to his brothers, John decided to acquire the business in 1949 due to their lack of interest in running it. Two years later, he bought his brothers’ share and began growing the company, managing it with cash flow for the next 20 years. In 1953, he opened his first self-service dime store, and in 1957, he officially formed his company under the name Variety Wholesalers, Inc.
Pope demonstrated an admirable ability to adapt to market changes, evolving his father’s dime stores into a variety store concept that responded to trends of the 1950s and early 1960s. He identified his space in small communities in the South and Mid-Atlantic, betting on the dollar store model in the 1970s and later diversifying his offerings with a mix of formats in the 1980s and 1990s.
How many Variety Wholesalers stores are there in the United States?
Currently, the company has over 400 stores in 18 states across the United States.
What brands does Variety Wholesalers manage?
Variety Wholesalers’ brands include:
- Roses Discount Stores
- Roses Express
- Maxway
- Big Lots
