Paramus Big Lots Store Is Opening Thursday

PARAMUS, NJ — Big Lots will open its newest North Jersey store, and first in Bergen County, Thursday.

The soft opening is 8:30 a.m. A grand opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting with local dignitaries will be July 26, Shannan Bunting, a Big Lots spokesperson, confirmed Tuesday.

The first 50 customers on July 26 and 27 will get a reusable shopping bag with treats from Big Lots, the company said.

The 28,000-square-foot store takes over the former Toys R Us location at 634 Route 17 northbound. The store will feature a new layout and design that Big Lots is implementing in its newest locations and at stores being remolded.

Big Lots has partnered with Advance Housing, a Teterboro-based nonprofit that provides housing support and mental health services to local residents. For the next six weeks, Big Lots will donate $5 every time a rewards member redeems a reward at the store from July 27 through Sept. 7. Advance Housing had a notice about the charity drive on its website.

"We are excited to introduce our new store format to Paramus," Steve Haffer, Big Lots senior vice president and chief customer officer said in a statement. "It brings to life our new brand traits and showcases our product assortments of affordable solutions in furniture, seasonal, home, food, and consumables. We are also very proud to serve alongside the Paramus community with our support of Advance Housing."

Big Lots has 27 stores in New Jersey, including North Jersey locations in Clifton and North Bergen.

Toys R Us closed the Paramus store and all of its other locations last year after it filed for bankruptcy in September 2017. Big Lots purchased the rest of Toys R Us' 12-year lease on the 36,000-square-foot store for $2.75 million, according to a report on TheRealDeal.com.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com