“A chaotic treasure hunt with incredible deals if you look closely! If you go into Ollie’s expecting a fancy, perfectly manicured department store, you’re missing the point. It is basically a giant warehouse filled with closeout buyouts, overstocks, and salvaged name-brand goods. It can be crowded and a bit messy, but that’s all part of the charm. The selection changes constantly, but there are a few areas where they consistently knock it out of the park: Books & Graphic Novels: Their book section is massive. You can routinely find hardcover bestsellers, cookbooks, and kids' books that retail for $20–$30 marked down to $4 or $5. Home & Seasonal Goods: They have fantastic deals on massive area rugs, vinyl flooring, bed sheets, and seasonal lawn and garden supplies. Name-Brand Essentials: It's a great place to stock up on cheap shampoo, laundry detergent, trash bags, and random snacks. One quick tip: Since it’s a liquidation outlet, always double-check expiration dates on the food and snack aisles before checking out. The staff is usually working hard to process a mountain of inventory, and lines can get a little backed up on weekends, but the sheer amount of money you save makes it completely worth it. If you love a good bargain hunt, you'll love digging through Ollie's!”
“Gabe's in LaVale is a must-visit every single time my mother comes to visit from France, and we absolutely love it! The store is always incredibly clean, bright, and well-organized, which makes hunting for bargains a lot of fun. The staff is consistently friendly, efficient, and welcoming. You can truly find some amazing deals here! The only two downsides are that they have cut it down to just 3 fitting rooms (which can mean a bit of a wait), and it is always absolutely freezing inside! Apart from those minor things, it's a fantastic spot and I would highly recommend it.”
“The absolute best DG in the area! Always clean, always well stocked. Most of the employees there are amazing! They go out of their way to help. Gina and Patty are always such sweethearts. The boy is so very helpful and polite. I am 72 years old so I can't get around like I used to. He calls me ma'am every time we talk. He comes around the register to pull items from my cart to ring up. Then bags them for me and puts them back into my cart. He even comes outside with me to help get the bags in my car. I have never had to ask him for help, but I hope he knows I appreciate it so much.”
Burlington Stores is giving its locations a major makeover. The off-price retailer has already transformed about half of its 1,115 stores and plans to complete the redesign across its entire fleet by the end of 2026. The company calls this makeover "Store Experience 2.0." Gone are the cramped aisles and confusing layouts that once defined discount shopping. Instead, Burlington is creating wider walkways, organized sections, and clearer signs to help shoppers find what they need.
Dollar General is adding more of its private label food offerings to stores, following similar moves by big retailers like Walmart and Amazon as store brands keep growing in popularity. The store is launching new items under its own labels, including ice cream, cinnamon rolls, coffee syrups, and salad dressings. The move comes as store brand sales reached $271 billion in 2024, up nearly 4% from 2023.
Daiso, the beloved Japanese retailer known for its variety of affordable household goods, is expanding further in the U.S. market. This week, the company is celebrating the grand openings of three new stores in Texas and California. On Saturday, Aug. 10, Daiso debuted an 8,000-sq.-ft. location in Beaumont, Texas, at Dowlen Towne Center, as well as two Southern California stores - a 6,319-sq.-ft. space in Van Nuys at Mid Valley Marketplace and a 5,200-sq.-ft. store in Westminster at Westminster Center.
Dollar Tree is moving into 170 former 99 Cents Only stores, marking a big shift in the discount retail landscape. The company announced Wednesday it's taking over leases in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas, with plans to reopen the stores under its own brand as early as fall 2024.
Ollie's Bargain Outlet just landed a great deal of its own, winning a $14.6 million bankruptcy auction for 11 former 99 Cents Only store locations across Texas. The discount retail chain pounced after 99 Cents Only abruptly went out of business in March, shuttering all 371 of its stores in California, Arizona, Texas, and Nevada. Ollie's quickly made an opening "stalking horse bid" to grab over a dozen of the empty properties.
