Columbus-based discount chain Big Lots is planning to reopen some store locations after filing for bankruptcy protection last year. The stores are set to reopen under new ownership as soon as April 10.
The retailer announced in a news release that its first wave of openings start Thursday, with nine stores across six states returning after being acquired by Variety Wholesalers, which acquired 219 Big Lots stores as well as two distribution centers. Four former Ohio Big Lots locations are set to open as Ollie’s Bargain Outlet stores.
Are any Ohio Big Lots locations reopening soon? Here’s what we know.
Yes, Ohio is on the list of states where Variety Wholesalers will reopen Big Lots stores. There hasn’t been an exact date and time announced, but more than 50 other Big Lots stores will reopen on May 1, with two other waves of reopenings set to take place “through early June,” according to the release.
“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,” Variety Wholesalers CEO Lisa Seigies said in the release.
These are the Big Lots locations that Variety Wholesalers announced would reopen later this week:
Mount Sterling, Kentucky: 1342 Indian Mound Dr.
Metairie, Louisiana: 755 Veterans Memorial Blvd.
Tupelo, Mississippi: 2605 W Main St.
Pearl, Mississippi: 5778 Hwy 80 E
Asheboro, North Carolina: 1432 E Dixie Dr.
Clarksville, Tennessee: 1041 S Riverside Dr.
Gallatin, Tennessee: 744 Nashville Pike
Dickson, Tennessee: 220 Dickson Plaza Dr.
Roanoke, Virginia: 2911 Hershberger Road NW
In addition to Ohio, other Big Lots will open in North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and West Virginia, as well as “other states.”
Nearly 30 Big Lots stores in Ohio were expected to survive bankruptcy and be taken over by Variety Wholesales, according to USA TODAY. That included locations in Akron, Canton, Cincinnati and Columbus.
Ohio had 83 Big Lots store locations at one point, the highest number of stores in the country, according to data scraping site ScrapeHero. Columbus had the second-highest number of stores out of all cities with four locations, beaten out only by San Antonio, Texas.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Big Lots reopening stores in 6 states this week. Are any in Ohio?