Big Lots is now a retailer going the way of the dinosaur, with only a slight hope of staying in business. Adios. As one extreme longshot, the company:

"...will call off the liquidation if it can reach a last-minute company-saving deal with Nexus or another entity, the company said."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/economy/big-lots-store-closings-2025-retailer-plans-to-close-all-stores/ar-AA1wevpN?ocid=BingNewsSerp

In my opinion:
There was no point in going to their stores anymore -- in recent years, their prices have not been any lower than places like Walmart. So I can't say this is any great loss, though of course it's terrible for their thousands of employees. And hundreds of empty stores adding to the woes of cities already dealing with the loss of Bed Bath & Beyond and other retailers.

When you get the general picture when bargain closeout stores were becoming huge these bargain closeout stores were thought of as a cheaper version of a dollar store or a clearance outlet. And so when bargain closeout stores became huge people would go to these stores because they would find interesting items and these stores for some people was better than a Target Kmart or Walmart because people could get the same items at a cheaper price at these stores. Out of all the bargain closeout store chains Big Lots had always been in first place because they were known for great bargains at excellent prices. But when other bargain closeout store chains such as Ollie's Factory2U and DD's Discounts started becoming popular Big Lots moved to fourth place in bargain closeout stores because people liked them better than Big Lots. But what I think ruined Big Lots forever was when they started selling furniture and you could never walk into Big Lots without the first thing you would see would be furniture like dining tables bedroom sets mattresses and couches and you could tell this was the new image that Big Lots was aiming for. A second thing that also played a factor in the downfall of Big Lots was in the cities that they would be put in were in shopping centers in crime areas and that hurt them a lot. Take for example my Big Lots used to be originally next to a CVS Pharmacy but they had to close due to crime and they moved to the mall when Toys "R" Us closed in the mall in 2019 and I also had another Big Lots miles from me that had been open since the 90's and that location was crowded and difficult to shop in because it was messy and it was a former Albertsons that they moved into. But I blame the popularity of Walmart and Kohl's and Target for the downfall of Big Lots because by their commercials it seemed that they wanted to focus on furniture than other merchandise in my eyes

Sad to hear. Hopefully, Big Lots will be able to consolidate its debt and maintain at least some of the stores open. I went into my local Big Lots just the other day. It was actually full of merchandise, especially furniture, which I attributed to the fact that it probably received extra merchandise from nearby closing locations. I have to say, I didn't find any bargains, although they did have some clearance candles that I purchased as a Christmas gift.

Party City also bit the retail bullet

MANY 1000s OUT OF JOBS. Yes, Party City too. Who is next?? Anyone Left/ Will everyone be an Amazon employee?I shop on line but NOT with Amazon.....Ebay when I need stuff.....


Robberies and Killings will continue, people are DESPERATE....

And those who think all is OK, you need your heads examiined..

My mom went into my Big Lots new location in my shopping mall during Black Friday 2019 and she was disappointed in it and when she returned from looking around in it Mom told me that Big Lots had indeed changed it's image and from what she did see was mostly furniture in there and as I mentioned in my previous post I think Big Lots is focusing on furniture and they actually think furniture does sell. But I remember when Big Lots had good deals on things such as clothing accessories home decor and toys and when my cousins were little my aunt was a huge fan of Big Lots and most of my cousins toys were from Big Lots and she introduced my mom to it and got my mother shopping there too as well. But I can blame the rise and popularity of Dollar General for the failure of Big Lots because it seems that variety stores like DD's Discounts and Factory2U have overtaken the popularity of bargain closeout stores. But I think Big Lots will not close it's stores but they will become a mail order catalog much like Fingerhut. But when you get the general picture Big Lots has always wanted to compete with Walmart and Target but they never got the chance to shine in the Walmart/Target type of store image

Sad! I liked Big Lots. The one closest to me shut down years ago, sad that all of them will be closing !:(

Also sorry about Party City . I never really shopped there, but sorry for the people who did and will miss it.:(

There's so much competition, in my area there are lots of furniture stores competing. As far as general merchandise, we have Target, Walmart, Sam's Club, Costco, Meijer, and Ollie's. Those are very large stores chock full of stuff. Also Walgreens & CVS, the Dollar Tree and Dollar General chains, and supermarkets like Kroger.

I guess I'm really fortunate to have so many stores nearby. People drive down fairly long distances from southwest Michigan to shop where I live. Almost all of the Christmas gifts I bought this year I got from local stores.

In the late 1980s onward, I used to visit Big Lots practically once a week. I just gradually went less and less often.

Party City also bit the retail bullet.

Sad about Party City. :( I used to enjoy browsing through the store, especially around Halloween & Christmas. Truth is, most of the items they sold, you can get cheaper at other outlets now, such as the Dollar Tree...

The Big Lots in my city announced it was closing in September, but about a month ago they announced they were staying open!

I have nothing but GOOD memories from my trips to Big Lots....I was shocked when our local store became part of a Whole Foods......

On furniture purchases and lots of stuff, Goodwill and Salvation Army are getting more and more GOOD STUFF from homes of people dying and having their homes CLEARED OUT....... I can visualize that's where a lot of my good stuff will end up......Support these 2 places folks....

Party City also bit the retail bullet


We went there a few weeks ago to get supplies for a family Thanksgiving and they had such a puny selection we walked out. Now I know why.

What I also think played a factor in why Big Lots is going out of business is I think they were trying to make Big Lots like Woolworth and my dad noticed this when he went into Big Lots himself to shop and also what they were doing was trying to become a supermarket because they also had row after row of food and sodas and you can easily go to Grocery Outlet Bargain Market and get the same food for a cheaper price. And when you put groceries in a bargain closeout store it doesn't mix well. But I really think Big Lots will be bought by another store chain and change it's name because with all the stores like Walmart Costco Target Sam's Club and other stores Big Lots had trouble competing with those stores

Some of the stores are gonna be saved

https://nypost.com/2024/12/27/business/big-lots-in-deal-to-keep-hundreds-of-stores-open/

Thanks for the link. Their big distribution centers are particularly good for cities, lots of employees. Really good to hear, sometimes a "Hail Mary" pass succeeds...!

I'll add that the one closest to me did a first-class renovation of a former Kmart store building, it would be a shame for them to close it following all the $$$$ they invested.

Mom was telling me that some Big Lots stores are reopening next month and I would like to know if you have heard about it? I cannot figure out why Big Lots got so successful and how they became popular in the first place? But I guess they seem to become popular for people who wanted good deals on stuff. I guess Big Lots wants to improve themselves again. But why they focused on furniture is beyond me because that seemed to be their strongest link now

There could be some that reopen, never say never I guess.

Of the 2 in my area, both have finished their liquidation sales. So it doesn't look good for the ones I used to visit.

We lost ours, I hated that, as I liked the store. I also hated losing Fred's. I like a lot of smaller stores like that better than Wal-Mart

We lost ours, I hated that, as I liked the store. I also hated losing Fred's. I like a lot of smaller stores like that better than Wal-Mart


It's a self-fulfilling prophesy. People buy at Walmart or Amazon because they are cheaper; then all you have left are Walmart and Amazon.

I spent several months working in a distribution company's warehouse as a temp in the mid-1990s, we stocked primarily candy. Once every couple of weeks or so, a buyer from Big Lots would come by in his truck, and my boss would sell him stuff we couldn't "unload" (get moving in sales). Big cases of candy were sold to the Big Lots buyer for as low as $1 per case (wholesale). So from my experience, their profit margins must have been outstanding -- and as that was before their retail prices were climbing in later years.

The reason I think Big Lots was showing signs of going bankrupt was because I think they shifted their focus towards furniture because that seemed to be their strongest link now and they always seemed to have sales on couches mattresses bedroom sets and any other furniture and I think it was hurting Big Lots business terribly. Even my mom noticed this when she went into Big Lots and when she came back from shopping there she told me that Big Lots was aiming at furniture. But think about when retailers start changing their image the new image causes the retailers to go broke and lose customers. The reason why Party City went broke was simply because nobody ever buys party supplies much "except for when kids celebrate birthdays" and the only time Party City ever made lots of business was during October because people would buy Halloween costumes there. And another example would be the toy stores like Toys "R" Us and KB Toys which also went broke because nobody was really buying their kids toys much and it hurt them a lot and that's why you don't see toy stores anymore. But I think in the case of Big Lots they opened too many stores in cities that could draw people in. Take for example if you look at the store locations list of Big Lots they mostly opened stores in Texas New Mexico Arizona and Utah but in California most of their stores that made money were in the Bay Area like San Francisco and San Jose but I think they wanted to create more spin-off stores like Big Lots Furniture and others. But in retail giants when a retailer adopts a new image they will lose customers over time

Some of you are probably aware that Jo-Ann Fabrics is also closing most if not all of their stores. There's a plaza in my area that will now have 3 big, empty buildings in a row with only one ongoing store (Half Price Books) in between:

Jo-Ann Fabrics - closing
Burlington Coat Factory (moved)
Old Country Buffet - closed

And across the way:

Bed Bath & Beyond - closed
Party City - closed

Bump

Here's a link -- some Big Lots stores are returning...!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/big-lots-is-back-the-full-list-of-store-reopenings/ar-AA1CG9Vp?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=901303e133ab4db8a7827a6c11bd40ab&ei=17

Both of the Big Lots locations near me are coming back. They were always busy.

Are any of the California Big Lots stores gonna be reopening? Because Big Lots was big in the Bay Area and they were huge everywhere in the Bay Area. What about in Texas too?

There are no California or Texas stores listed for reopening yet -- but give it time, there will likely be some...!