Benny's

[C. Fontaine]

Here's a store I have not seen mentioned...  I go to these usually when I am on vacation or at the beach.  I don't know exactly what they specialize in but I see them scattered in the randomest of places.  They sell a lot of outdoor pool and patio stuff, and seem to be a very seasonal chain.

[dayville81]

Benny's Home and Auto Stores has over 30 stores in southern New England and has been around since 1924. Most of their stores are in eastern CT, RI, and eastern Mass near Cape Cod. Their departments include automotive, domestics, seasonal, lawn and garden, fishing, sporting goods, bikes, electronics, patio furniture, and toys. Kind of like a Woolworth but doesnt sell clothes. They opened their newest location in Killingly in an old grocery store. That is one of the few towns that have two stores. I usually never see the store crowded but they do have merchandise you might not see in other stores. Sometimes you can catch good bargins there if something is on sale. Often they are within walking distance to homes.

[Crawford]

Seekonk Mass has 2 of them, one in the Northern part of the city and one in the Southern part. Rather nice little store. I think a lot of them moved into vacant First National Supermarkets buildings when that chain closed down. There is also one in East Providence RI and a very large one in Providence just off Route 95

[dayville81]

One of the nicest Benny's I have been to is the one in Waterford. They used to be located in a small space but moved further down in the plaza when A&P Supermarkets closed up. They have a left and right entrance that places you in a large lobby where they have a good amount of merchandise.
Their Willimantic store is in downtown Willimantic and I believe has helped in bringing people to downtown. They have a small parking lot next to it but they are within walking distance to Eastern CT State University and many students who dont have a car or who just want to buy a couple things especially when it is nice weather just go to Benny's.
I find it very interesting that Benny's has co-existed with the Westerly Wal-Mart for such a long time. That Wal-Mart used to be very small but after much town opposition, they made the store a Super Center. The Benny's is actually within walking distance to Wal-Mart and is more visible from Route 1 than Wal-Mart is. It only proves that other stores can survive with Wal-Mart as long as they have different types of merchandise.

[JSIDA17]

It is a neat little store but never lives up to their sales in their flyers!  >:( And when they do they only have like five in stock so they're always sold out. It definitely reminds me of Woolworth, except they don't sell toys and have fewer locations than Woolworth did. They also have a auto center in the one in Dayville but it never seems like anyone is ever there except like one time before.

[Pikapower]

Is Benny's like a Big Lots?

[JSIDA17]

Is Benny's like a Big Lots?

Not quite, it sells mostly scratch and dent stuff but doesn't have food, books, or a limited amount of electronics in them. Still feels like a Woolworth if you set foot into one!  :o

[Bdubs]

Unfortunately Benny's has decided to close all their stores, but unrelated to the current closings, the former building which houses Benny's in Willimantic has been demolished. Iit was a nice building, not sure what's going in there now. It was a Lots & More for a little while once Benny's closed up.

[JimSawhill]

Unfortunately Benny's has decided to close all their stores, but unrelated to the current closings, the former building which houses Benny's in Willimantic has been demolished. Iit was a nice building, not sure what's going in there now. It was a Lots & More for a little while once Benny's closed up.

Darn, when I used to live in Connecticut, going to the beach meant I had to stop at Westerly Benny's. I guess Americans don't like going shopping except the big box stores...RIP, Benny's!

[BillyGr]

Unfortunately Benny's has decided to close all their stores, but unrelated to the current closings, the former building which houses Benny's in Willimantic has been demolished. Iit was a nice building, not sure what's going in there now. It was a Lots & More for a little while once Benny's closed up.

Darn, when I used to live in Connecticut, going to the beach meant I had to stop at Westerly Benny's. I guess Americans don't like going shopping except the big box stores...RIP, Benny's!

There is another post on the closing stores page, and it says that the people that own it wanted to retire, which is why they are closing the stores.

[JJBers]

Unfortunately Benny's has decided to close all their stores, but unrelated to the current closings, the former building which houses Benny's in Willimantic has been demolished. Iit was a nice building, not sure what's going in there now. It was a Lots & More for a little while once Benny's closed up.

I was at the Dairy Queen across the street while the demolished it...huh.