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Big Lots

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Big Lots Stores, Inc.
Big Lots
Formerly
  • Consolidated Stores Corp.
    (1967–2000)
Company typePublic
IndustryRetail
FoundedDecember 13, 1967; 57 years ago (1967-12-13), in Columbus, Ohio, U.S. (as Consolidated Stores Corp.)
FounderSol A. Shenk
DefunctFebruary 2025
FateBankruptcy and Liquidation
Headquarters
Columbus, Ohio
,
U.S.
Number of locations
960 (2024)[2]
Area served
Contiguous United States
Key people
Bruce Thorn[3] (president and CEO)
ProductsFood and Beverage, toys, furniture, clothing, housewares, small electronics
Brandsbig lots.com
RevenueIncrease US$6.15 billion (2021)[4]
Increase US$239.7 million (2021)
Increase US$177.77 million (2021)
Total assetsIncrease US$1.41 billion (2021)
Number of employees
22,900[5] (2018)
DivisionsBig Lots Wholesale
SubsidiariesLW Stores
Websitewww.biglots.com

Big Lots Stores, Inc. (stylized as Big Lots!) is an American discount retail chain, specializing in the sale of closeout and overstock merchandise. Founded in 1967 as Consolidated Stores, the chain is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, and includes over 900 locations across the United States.[6]

Big Lots filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2024, and later in December, the chain announced that it would cease operations, liquidate, and close all remaining stores. Liquidation sales began in December 2024,[6] and all stores are expected to close in 2025, but just recently, they reached an agreement with Gordon Brothers Retail Partners to keep their stores open..[7]

History

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The Big Lots chain traces its history to 1967 when Consolidated Stores Corporation was formed in Ohio by Sol Shenk.[8] In 1982, Consolidated Stores Corp. opened its first closeout store, called Odd Lots, in Columbus, Ohio. In 1983, drug store chain Revco bought New Jersey closeout retailer Odd Lot Trading Co.[9] As Consolidated's Odd Lots stores expanded Revco was unhappy it that had a similar name as a subsidiary owned by Revco. Consolidated Stores Corp. agreed to limit its use of the Odd Lots name to stores located within a certain radius of Columbus. Beyond that radius, Consolidated began opening stores under the Big & Small Lots name. Eventually, all Odd Lots stores were rebranded as Big Lots.[10][11][12]

Consolidated Stores Corp. was an investor in the DeLorean Motor Company, which declared bankruptcy in 1982. Consolidated took possession of approximately 100 DeLorean models, then still at the factory in Dunmurry southwest of Belfast, Northern Ireland when the U.S. importer was unable to import them.[8] The unusual excess inventory acquisition is commemorated on Big Lots website's "Closeout Museum" page.[13] In 1985, Consolidated Stores Corp. began trading as a separate public company on the American Stock Exchange.[14] In 1986, Consolidated Stores Corp. switched to the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol CNS.

In 1994, Consolidated Stores Corp. acquired Toy Liquidators, adding 82 stores in 38 states. Looking to expand further into the toy business, Consolidated Stores Corp. purchased KB Toys from Melville Corporation in 1996.[15] Shortly afterward, Melville purchased Revco[16] and folded it into the CVS Pharmacy chain on its way to becoming CVS Health, making the "Odd Lots" dispute moot. In 1998, Big Lots Inc. bought 'MacFrugals' (Pic 'N' Save) stores for $995 million in stock, converting them to the Big Lots brand.[17][11]

In 2000, Consolidated Stores Corp. sold the KB Toys and Toy Liquidators lines to Bain Capital.[18][19] A year later, Consolidated Stores Corp. changed its name to Big Lots, Inc. and its ticker symbol from CNS to BLI.[20][21] In the later part of 2005, Big Lots closed 170 stores, including all free-standing Big Lots Furniture specialty stores.[22] On August 3, 2006, Big Lots announced that it would change its New York Stock Exchange ticker symbol from BLI to BIG, beginning with trading activity on August 18, 2006.[23]

In October 2023, CreditRiskMonitor reported that Big Lots was nearing a potential Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.[24] The company closed 52 stores in 2023. In July 2024, Big Lots announced the closure of 35 to 40 underperforming locations nationwide, blaming inflation and high rising costs as part of the decision. The company warned that it might not be able to survive the rest of 2024 and that a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing might be imminent; in the first quarter of 2024, net sales decreased 10.2% compared to the first quarter of 2023.[25][26] Of the company's 1,400 stores nationwide, 144 stores were confirmed to be closing that month including one in Rapid City, South Dakota, the only one in the state.[27][28] In a filing on July 31, 2024, Big Lots reported that it would close up to 315 stores.[29][30]

On August 28, 2024, Big Lots warned that they could file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection within the coming weeks, blaming declining sales caused by rising interest rates as part of the decision. The company is searching for options to avoid a potential filing. The company's stock sank 27% after the announcement.[31] On September 9, 2024, Big Lots filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, with plans to sell itself to Nexus Capital Management.[32]

On December 19, 2024, Big Lots announced that it did not anticipate closing the sale to Nexus, and that the company would go out of business and close all of its 963 remaining stores. CEO Bruce Thorn said the company would continue "efforts to secure an alternative deal with Nexus or another party".[33]

  • A store, Big Lots Store No. 1, was in Berwick Plaza Shopping Center in Columbus, Ohio. The first store in the Big Lots chain was a former Kroger store in the same shopping center. The store later moved to the former Buckeye Mart/Sarco building on Winchester Pike.
    A store, Big Lots Store No. 1, was in Berwick Plaza Shopping Center in Columbus, Ohio. The first store in the Big Lots chain was a former Kroger store in the same shopping center. The store later moved to the former Buckeye Mart/Sarco building on Winchester Pike.
  • A Big Lots in Murrieta, California which was a former Pic 'N' Save
    A Big Lots in Murrieta, California which was a former Pic 'N' Save
  • Entrance to a Big Lots in Englewood, Colorado (closed in 2023), which was a former Children's Palace
    Entrance to a Big Lots in Englewood, Colorado (closed in 2023), which was a former Children's Palace
  • Big Lots in Raleigh, North Carolina (closing in 2024)
    Big Lots in Raleigh, North Carolina (closing in 2024)
  • A Closing Big Lots in Mansfield, Texas (November 2024)
    A Closing Big Lots in Mansfield, Texas (November 2024)

Big Lots Wholesale

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Big Lots operated a wholesale division which provided merchandise in bulk. It closed its wholesale division at the end of the 2013 fiscal year. The retailer had conducted wholesale operations through Big Lots Wholesale, Consolidated International, and Wisconsin Toy for more than 34 years.[34]

Big Lots Canada

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Main article: LW Stores

On July 19, 2011, Big Lots announced that it had purchased Liquidation World Inc., a Canadian closeout retailer with 89 locations for $20 million in cash and the assumption of certain liabilities. This is Big Lots' first retail venture outside of the US. The first Big Lots location in Canada opened in April 2013 in Orillia, Ontario followed by Burlington, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, and Thunder Bay (all in Ontario as well). Big Lots exited the Canadian marketplace in 2014, citing poor sales.[35]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Abboud, Mike. "Retail News: Big Lots closing Willowbrook store". Houston Historic Retail. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  2. ^ "All Big Lots Locations". Big Lots.
  3. ^ "Leadership". Biglots.com.
  4. ^ "Annual Reports". BigLots.com.
  5. ^ "Big Lots". Fortune. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Schwartzberg, Eric (December 23, 2024). "Store closing sales begin at all Big Lots". Dayton Daily News.
  7. ^ Bomey, Nathan; Tyko, Kelly (December 20, 2024). "Big Lots store closings 2025: Retailer plans to close all stores". Axios. Archived from the original on December 20, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Holusha, John (September 1, 1994). "Sol A. Shenk, 83, Merchandiser Who Built a 700-Store Empire". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  9. ^ "REVCO BUILDING "CLOSE-OUT" MERCHANDISING BUSINESS WITH ODD LOT ACQUISITION FOR $113 MIL.; PURCHASE INCLUDES $78 MIL. WHSLE. BUSINESS". The Pink Sheet. April 30, 1984. Archived from the original on March 2, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  10. ^ "Leased thru June 30, 2027" (PDF). Retail Investment Group. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Jensen, Trevor (July 2, 2001). "Bigger Budget Backs Big Lots Rebranding Moves". www.adweek.com. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  12. ^ "Big Lots: History". Big Lots. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  13. ^ "Big Lots - Retail". October 16, 2006. Archived from the original on October 16, 2006. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  14. ^ "Securities Act Registrations" (PDF). SEC News Digest. May 24, 1985. p. 5. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  15. ^ "Melville in Accord to Sell Toy Chain to Consolidated". The New York Times. March 26, 1996. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  16. ^ Segal, David (February 7, 1997). "CVS TO ACQUIRE REVCO IN $2.8 BILLION STOCK DEAL". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  17. ^ Martin L., de Vore (July 2, 2002). "MacFrugal's get a new name". Chron. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  18. ^ "COMPANY NEWS; BAIN CAPITAL BUYS TOYS UNIT OF CONSOLIDATED STORES". The New York Times. December 9, 2000. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  19. ^ Maestri, Nicole (December 8, 2000). "Consolidated Stores sells KB Toys". MarketWatch. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  20. ^ "COMPANY NEWS; CONSOLIDATED STORES CHANGES ITS NAME TO BIG LOTS". The New York Times. May 17, 2001. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  21. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (May 17, 2001). "Consolidated Stores to Be Called Big Lots". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  22. ^ "Big Lots closing up to 170 stores". Milwaukee Business Journal. October 7, 2005. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  23. ^ "SEC 10k Filing" (PDF). 2006 Annual Report. Part III (Part 3): 14. May 31, 2007. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  24. ^ "11 retailers at risk of bankruptcy in 2023". Retail Dive. October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  25. ^ Herzlich, Taylor (July 5, 2024). "Big Lots to close stores, may file for bankruptcy". New York Post. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  26. ^ Walrath-Holdridge, Mary (July 10, 2024). "Big Lots to close 35 to 40 stores this year amid 'doubt' the company can survive". USA Today. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  27. ^ Martinez, Jeremiah (July 22, 2024). "Big Lots closures in California: Here's which stores are shutting down". Fox 40. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  28. ^ Bink, Addy (July 23, 2024). "List: Big Lots set to close dozens of stores — here's where". The Hill. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  29. ^ Grothaus, Michael (August 6, 2024). "Big Lots store closures: Latest list of hundreds of doomed locations across 35 states". Fast Company.
  30. ^ Valinsky, Jordan (August 13, 2024). "Big Lots is closing hundreds of stores after warning it could go out of business | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  31. ^ "Discount retailer Big Lots mulling bankruptcy filing as sales decline, Bloomberg reports". Reuters. August 28, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  32. ^ Kao, Kimberly (September 9, 2024). "Discount Retailer Big Lots Files for Bankruptcy, Agrees to Sale to Nexus Capital". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  33. ^ Bink, Addy (December 19, 2024). "All Big Lots stores to see 'going out of business' sales". The Hill. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  34. ^ Feran, Tim (November 11, 2013). "Big Lots to shut down wholesale division". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  35. ^ Buchanan, Doug (December 5, 2013). "Big Lots getting back out of Canada". Columbus Business First. American City Business Journals. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
[edit]
  • Business data for Big Lots:
  • Media related to Big Lots at Wikimedia Commons
  • Official website
  • Big Lots SEC Filings
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