Big Lots

[JJBers]

Charter Oak Mall (East Hartford, Connecticut) by JJBers, on Flickr
It's in a sketchy area, so that's why.

I don't go to East Hartford very often, but it's been my observation that most of the city is sketchy. That's why even when I do get my own automobile I don't think I'm going to take my friend up on his offer to sit in on his radio show on La Mega, which has their studios on Burnside Avenue. He hosts 2 shows on the station - one that's mainly in Spanish and the other that's mainly in English. Obviously I would sit in on the show that he does in English.

Yeah, my parents occasionally have training which mostly takes place in East Hartford. My mom blames the public transport, allowing most of Hartford to dump into the area.
And for any non-natives of CT, Hartford is the equivalent of Cleveland, the north end especially.

[jason83080]

Sorry for the low-quality photo, but this is the infamous green stripe that's still on the old-Ames back wall of our new Big Lots. Further down the back of the store, there's a second set of doors that reveal more of the stripe, as well as a portion of the wall that's been broken out that, I assume, was where Ames's back door was to their Receiving area. It's pretty nostalgic to see that stripe, but I thought it'd be higher up on the wall than it is. Also, I have to wonder how much of the back offices are in tact, since I could see one of the old Security Windows still in place...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbnNUSyB3Pw/?taken-by=jasontakach

[JimSawhill]

Here is the Big Lots from Norwich, this was a former Caldor before the mall was renovated into a strip mall:

Norwichtown Commons by JJBers, on Flickr
I would have a photo of the Big Lots in East Hartford, but it came out blurry, so instead enjoy this photo of the sign:

Charter Oak Mall (East Hartford, Connecticut) by JJBers, on Flickr
It's in a sketchy area, so that's why.

JJBers, I have to disagree about  Charter Oak Mall being in a  sketchy area. I grew up East of the mall (Sunset Ridge Estates area) and it isn't bad. Of course, directly to the west is the lower middle class apartment complex, and south is the dead Silver Lane Plaza (my hangout was the Woolworths and JM Fields).

I know the town is not what is was back in the 70s and 80s, but it is an underrated town.

[JimSawhill]

Charter Oak Mall (East Hartford, Connecticut) by JJBers, on Flickr
It's in a sketchy area, so that's why.

I don't go to East Hartford very often, but it's been my observation that most of the city is sketchy. That's why even when I do get my own automobile I don't think I'm going to take my friend up on his offer to sit in on his radio show on La Mega, which has their studios on Burnside Avenue. He hosts 2 shows on the station - one that's mainly in Spanish and the other that's mainly in English. Obviously I would sit in on the show that he does in English.

Yeah, my parents occasionally have training which mostly takes place in East Hartford. My mom blames the public transport, allowing most of Hartford to dump into the area.
And for any non-natives of CT, Hartford is the equivalent of Cleveland, the north end especially.

True about Hartford...

[JJBers]

Here is the Big Lots from Norwich, this was a former Caldor before the mall was renovated into a strip mall:

Norwichtown Commons by JJBers, on Flickr
I would have a photo of the Big Lots in East Hartford, but it came out blurry, so instead enjoy this photo of the sign:

Charter Oak Mall (East Hartford, Connecticut) by JJBers, on Flickr
It's in a sketchy area, so that's why.

JJBers, I have to disagree about  Charter Oak Mall being in a  sketchy area. I grew up East of the mall (Sunset Ridge Estates area) and it isn't bad. Of course, directly to the west is the lower middle class apartment complex, and south is the dead Silver Lane Plaza (my hangout was the Woolworths and JM Fields).

I know the town is not what is was back in the 70s and 80s, but it is an underrated town.

I'm not sure, the abandoned cinema there has some crime issues, and that's directly across the street from the mall

[Bdubs]

Sorry for the low-quality photo, but this is the infamous green stripe that's still on the old-Ames back wall of our new Big Lots. Further down the back of the store, there's a second set of doors that reveal more of the stripe, as well as a portion of the wall that's been broken out that, I assume, was where Ames's back door was to their Receiving area. It's pretty nostalgic to see that stripe, but I thought it'd be higher up on the wall than it is. Also, I have to wonder how much of the back offices are in tact, since I could see one of the old Security Windows still in place...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbnNUSyB3Pw/?taken-by=jasontakach

The Ocean State Job Lot in Jewett City still has the green stripe around their back room as well. They even use the old Ames register stations still, complete with the A+ logo on the sides of the lighted numbers still.

[JJBers]

Sorry for the low-quality photo, but this is the infamous green stripe that's still on the old-Ames back wall of our new Big Lots. Further down the back of the store, there's a second set of doors that reveal more of the stripe, as well as a portion of the wall that's been broken out that, I assume, was where Ames's back door was to their Receiving area. It's pretty nostalgic to see that stripe, but I thought it'd be higher up on the wall than it is. Also, I have to wonder how much of the back offices are in tact, since I could see one of the old Security Windows still in place...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbnNUSyB3Pw/?taken-by=jasontakach

The Ocean State Job Lot in Jewett City still has the green stripe around their back room as well. They even use the old Ames register stations still, complete with the A+ logo on the sides of the lighted numbers still.

There in October, took photos. (see the thread for Jewett City in Ames locations)

[JimSawhill]

Here is the Big Lots from Norwich, this was a former Caldor before the mall was renovated into a strip mall:

Norwichtown Commons by JJBers, on Flickr
I would have a photo of the Big Lots in East Hartford, but it came out blurry, so instead enjoy this photo of the sign:

Charter Oak Mall (East Hartford, Connecticut) by JJBers, on Flickr
It's in a sketchy area, so that's why.

JJBers, I have to disagree about  Charter Oak Mall being in a  sketchy area. I grew up East of the mall (Sunset Ridge Estates area) and it isn't bad. Of course, directly to the west is the lower middle class apartment complex, and south is the dead Silver Lane Plaza (my hangout was the Woolworths and JM Fields).

I know the town is not what is was back in the 70s and 80s, but it is an underrated town.

I'm not sure, the abandoned cinema there has some crime issues, and that's directly across the street from the mall

I wouldn't say the cinemas are across the street, because the Charter Oak Mall used to have the cinemas as part of their ads. The so called street is the driveway to the mall. Next to the cinemas is Nutmeg Village, which is not a nice neighborhood. My friend's dad built those apartments as an upscale complex. Now, it isn't upscale. East Hartford has great neighborhoods but also bad areas, too.

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Big Lots is set to open in these former Toys "R" Us locations:

Fresno, California
Exton, Pennsylvania
Durham, North Carolina
Woodbridge, Virginia
Indianapolis, Indiana

[Everything Community]

Originally posted by d_fife
big lots in manchester ct in the shaw's plaza in the town's center.

sign of big lots in manchester ct

Here's a shot of the newer Big Lots in the Plaza at Buckland Hills on the other side of town.

[TheFugitive]

Big Lots in the Pittsburgh area are all undergoing a major remodel.
The stores are starting to look significantly more upscale, with new fixtures and lighting.
The merchandise seems to be changing too.  They seem to be transitioning to a more
typical department store format, leaving behind the closeout merchant status of Gabe's, Ocean State or Ollie's.

[Retail Regents]

Decor kind of reminds me of that used by Family Dollar. Also gone are the red ex-Target carts (or anything acquired for that matter); rather they use their own, which I believe to be the Peggs KNM650. Here's the Big Lots in New Hartford, NY that I encountered the Store of the Future style.

[JimSawhill]

Decor kind of reminds me of that used by Family Dollar. Also gone are the red ex-Target carts (or anything acquired for that matter); rather they use their own, which I believe to be the Peggs KNM650. Here's the Big Lots in New Hartford, NY that I encountered the Store of the Future style.

Nice looking store...

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Big Lots likes to recycle buildings from other retailers, mainly empty supermarkets, discount stores, department stores, and buildings formerly belonging to various defunct toy stores including Toys "R" Us/Babies "R" Us, Kiddie City/Play World, or Child World/Childrens' Palace.

[TheFugitive]

Big Lots' stock price takes a 31% hit as word gets out that the company is struggling to find additional financing.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/big-lots-stock-falls-31-the-outlook-is-very-concerning-analyst-says/ar-BB1i9SNv

Analysts quoted in the article say the outlook for the company is "very concerning".

[Retail Regents]

Found these baskets in the Amsterdam, NY store. Not sure where they came from, but they appeared fairly recently. A little bit on the plain side too.

You cannot see attachments on this board.

[BillyGr]

Found these baskets in the Amsterdam, NY store. Not sure where they came from, but they appeared fairly recently. A little bit on the plain side too.

You cannot see attachments on this board.

Odd Lots was their original name back in the 1980's (they began around Columbus, OH) and they only used the name for a time and only in that area (since other Odd Lots chains existed elsewhere).

So likely a really old basket that somehow wandered from OH to NY State :)

[Retail Regents]

Knowing Big Lots has ordered carts with the Odd Lots name as late as 1999, I cannot say for certain that this basket is actually that old!

P.S. This store actually used to have late 1990s Big Lots/Odd Lots US&W carts. It appears that co-branding lasted until the exclamation point era.

[TheFugitive]

Today's headline:  Big Lots announces plans to close approximately 40 of their nearly 1400 stores.

Tomorrow's headline:  In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission Big Lots says that they have "substantial doubts" that they will be able to continue as a functioning business.

https://patch.com/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/big-lots-closing-dozens-stores-pa-could-lose-locations

[Retail Regents]

Rumor has it the Queensbury, NY location is among those scheduled to close. I wonder how many of these stores are fairly new locations such as this one.

[BillyGr]

Rumor has it the Queensbury, NY location is among those scheduled to close. I wonder how many of these stores are fairly new locations such as this one.

Not a rumor - go to their store locator and you'll see a banner at the top saying 20% off for that store location.

As far as I could tell, that was the only one in the region, maybe since they already closed quite a few over the past few years?

[Retail Regents]

I wanted to make sure the list I saw on the r/BigLots was correct. Looks like the only Upstate store on the list (the other two in NY are on Long Island).

[TheFugitive]

In an SEC filing update Big Lots is now saying that they plan to close up to 315 stores.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/big-lots-is-closing-up-to-315-stores-here-s-where/ar-AA1opAp4?ocid=BingNewsVerp

The company cites a pullback in consumer spending on big-ticket items as a driving force.

The article contains a list of stores that are closing.  Coraopolis, PA is the only one in my area that's on the list.

[Retail Regents]

Here in Upstate NY, we are set to lose two stores in Buffalo, and individual stores in Canandaigua, Ithaca, New Hartford, Plattsburgh, and Poughkeepsie. Canandaigua and Plattsburgh are just two out of four stores in NY to still have a pre-exclamation point logo.

[EddieJ1984]

The first Big Lots! I ever went to is closing, the Franklin Mills one in Philadelphia, leaving the Somerton location on Bustleton Ave the only Philly location left.

The one nearest me, remains open (Fairless Hills, PA)

[Retail Regents]

Big Lots is preparing to file for bankruptcy, and is in the process of lining up a "stalking horse bid".

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/big-lots-prepares-bankruptcy-filing-203037195.html

[TheFugitive]

Won't it be kind of hard to use a stalking horse bid to pump up the price when their entire plan has just been published on Yahoo! News?

Maybe it's just me.  That's probably why I never made it into senior management in this biz.

[Retail Regents]

The Binghamton and Troy locations are now scheduled to close.

https://wnbf.com/ixp/497/p/big-lots-binghamton-facing-sudden-closure/
https://local.biglots.com/ny/troy/120-hoosick-st

[TheFugitive]

Big Lots continues to slow roll the announcement of store closings.

https://patch.com/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/another-pittsburgh-area-big-lots-store-close

The one in Green Garden Plaza in Aliquippa is I'm pretty sure in the former Hills location.  Across the parking lot is an office building that was the Operations Center for Hills.  Pretty much all of the company except for the C-suite and the buyers was located here and not in Canton, Mass.

[Retail Regents]

Irondequoit and Wappingers Falls (former GU/Treasure Island) are on the latest list.