Big Lots In Morris County To Shut Down Permanently

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — Big Lots has revealed plans to permanently close its Morris County store amid its bankruptcy filing and sale, according to recent court filings.

The retailer, which declared bankruptcy last month, intends to close hundreds of locations. According to a court filing on Friday, the Morris County store in Dover will be among those affected by the closures.

It’s not yet clear when the store will close or how many jobs may be affected. Patch reached out to the company for further information but has not received a response yet.

Columbus Business First reported that the closeout retailer is shutting down another 46 locations nationwide, bringing the total closures to 496.

Business First said Big Lots will soon shutter this Morris County store:

• 550 Mt Pleasant Ave., Dover

After recently voicing concerns about its long-term viability, Big Lots filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Sept. 9. This decision followed the closure of approximately 300 locations nationwide just a month prior, as the company specializes in discounted furniture and home goods.

Big Lots had 1,389 stores before the closures, but roughly 35 percent are now shutting down, according to Columbia Business First. The company said about 70 percent of its stores are profitable, Business First reported.

Big Lots pointed to "high inflation and interest rates that are beyond its control." The chain added that "core customers curbed their discretionary spending on the home and seasonal product categories that represent a significant portion of the company's revenue."

"Though the majority of our store locations are profitable, we intend to move forward with a more focused footprint to ensure that we operate efficiently and are best positioned to serve our customers," Big Lots President and CEO Bruce Thorn said in a Sept. 9 press release. "To accomplish this, we intend to use the tools afforded by this process to continue optimizing our store fleet in an orderly manner."

Big Lots said its stores and online shopping site will continue to operate as usual. The retailer plans to still honor gift cards and store credit cards.