Meet&Co
HENDERSON, N.C. — Variety Wholesalers will soft open the first nine Big Lots stores under its ownership on April 10. The revived brand will initially focus less on furniture, marking a shift from its previous strategy.
Variety Wholesalers, based in Henderson, N.C., acquired the Big Lots brand from Gordon Brothers, which purchased the assets out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year. The retailer operates 380 stores across the Southeast under banners like Roses, Maxway, and Bill’s Dollar Stores.
Jeff King, Variety’s vice president of sales and marketing, shared plans to soft open 220 Big Lots stores by June 5, with potential for further expansion.
“We’ll still be aggressive looking for opportunities to open more Big Lots stores,” King said. “We want to make sure the growth is strategic and that we can provide the best chance for success.”
The first nine Big Lots stores under Variety Wholesalers’ ownership will reopen in Mt. Sterling, Ky.; Metairie, La.; Tupelo and Pearl, Miss.; Asheboro, N.C.; Clarksville, Gallatin, and Dickson, Tenn.; and Roanoke, Va.
Jeff King, Variety’s VP of sales and marketing, explained that these locations closed earlier during liquidation. Additional waves of openings will follow as other stores complete liquidation sales.
The second wave of soft openings is set for May 1, with the third wave planned for May 15. Grand openings for all Big Lots stores are expected in October.
Regarding product assortment, King noted that the Broyhill brand was not part of the acquisition, and furniture will take a backseat initially, though this could change over time.
“In the initial opening, furniture will not play as prominent a part in the merchandise selection,” King said. “That doesn’t mean as we work through the stores, we won’t add furniture to the mix.”
