• Headquarters: Colombus, OH

• President: Bruce Thorn

• Employees: 14,000

• Stores: 1,493 (pre bankruptcy)

• Slogan: Big things in store!

• Founded: 1967

• Website:  biglots.com

COMMENTARY:

Big Lots is a national chain of closeout bargains somewhat similar to Marden's.  The main difference is that it's a much larger chain with a defined inventory system with bar codes for every products.  Stores have a similar layout and generally carry the same products.  Big Lots has regular sales flyers and will carry some items permanently.  Many Big Lots stores are former discount stores or supermarkets.  It slowly expanded into northern New England in the past few years.  They now have six stores in Maine and seven in New Hampshire.

The store in Auburn, ME is using half of the former Rich's department store at the Auburn Plaza.  In Portsmouth, NH, the store is also in the former Rich's at the Southgate Plaza on Route 1.  In North Windham Maine, Big Lots opened in the former Bradlees at the Windham Mall.  Big Lots opened a store in the former Porteous in Brunswick Maine.  They opened in Belmont NH in half of the former Ames store at the Belknap Mall.  In 2008, they added a store in Augusta in a former Service Merchandise and in Portland, Maine in a former A.J.Wright. In the Fall of 2012 a new store opened in Farmington Maine. The North Windham location closed in 2016 and has been replaced by Reny's.  In 2024, Big Lots announced the closing of nearly 300 stores. (1 in Maine, 1 in NH and 2 in Vermont). Big Lots filed for Chapter 11 in September 2024 and has since then added more store closings. The company has entered into a sales agreement with an affiliate of Nexus Capital which got approved in November 2024. On December 19th 2024, it was announced that the deal fell through and that Big Lots would prepare its going out of business sale for all remaining locations.

ME/NH LOCATIONS:

• Auburn ME (Closing 2024-2025)

• North Windham ME* (Closed 2016)

• Brunswick ME * (Closing 2024-2025)

• Biddeford ME * (Closed)

• Augusta ME (Closing 2024-2025)

• Portland, ME* (Closed 2024)

• Farmington, ME (Closing 2024-2025) 

• Claremont NH*  (Closed 2024)

• Derry NH (Closing 2024-2025)

• Goffstown NH (Closing 2024-2025)

• Nashua NH (Closing 2024-2025)

• Portsmouth NH* (Closed 2018)

• Rochester NH* (Closing 2024-2025)

• Belmont NH (Closing 2024-2025)