Overview

• Variety Wholesalers finished the fourth wave of reopenings on June 5, bringing 219 former Big Lots stores back into operation across nine states, including 13 locations in Ohio and three in Georgia.
• The North Carolina company acquired 220 Big Lots stores and two distribution centers from Gordon Brothers in December 2024 after the chain filed for bankruptcy the previous September.
• CEO Lisa Seigies has pledged to maintain the Big Lots name while emphasizing great value and introducing new apparel departments in the reopened stores.
• As part of its restructuring, Big Lots sold its 24-acre corporate headquarters in northeast Columbus to OhioHealth for $36 million and laid off 555 headquarters employees.
• Other retailers such as Ocean State Job Lot, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, Aldi, Burlington and Tractor Supply Co. have purchased additional former Big Lots locations for their own expansions.