Dublin Big Lots! store prepares to shutter permanently

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The Dublin Big Lots! the location is set to close in January 2023. (Photo by Nicole Gonzales)

Dublin’s only Big Lots! store location, one of two in the Tri-Valley, is set to cease operations in the new year.

With a large banner that reads “store closing” placed atop the building and dozens of other signs throughout the inside, customers are made aware of the imminent closure and associated blowout sales. While a specific closing date is not known, representatives have noted the location in West Dublin on 7991 Amador Valley Blvd. plans to cease operations sometime in January.

The move comes after the chain in January 2022 initially announced plans to open over 500 storefronts in a span of several years. This changed over the course of the year.

Reasons for the store shutdowns have largely pointed toward earning losses for the company, which was later confirmed via a company report from top officials.

According to vice president and chief financial officer Jonathan Ramsden in a public earnings call this month, recent national Big Lots! statements have reported losses of up to 9.8%, or $87 million.

His report examined results from the third quarter of 2022. Ramsden cited “underperforming” store locations that the company will shut down in hopes to offset costs. Big Lots! also plans to shift the company focus to sparsely populated areas that may face less competition for storefronts.

“To reiterate that our real estate strategy is going to be increasingly oriented towards these rural small town stores where the economics are significantly stronger than in the urban stores,” Ramsden said in the call.

Dozens of signs are placed outside and throughout the Big Lots! Dublin location to inform customers of its imminent closure. (Photo by Nicole Gonzales)

Big Lots! has planned a number of other store closures across the nation. “With regard to closures, we do have an accelerated number of closures this year,” Ramsden said. “The closures this year will end up being somewhat higher than the openings.”

Ramsden added, “Going forward, we would hope and expect to return to a more normalized level of closures, but we’ll certainly continue to look closely at underperforming stores.”

The discount retail store’s second Tri-Valley location, Livermore’s Big Lots! on 4484 Las Positas Road, is expected to remain open amid the closures. Another storefront in Tracy will stay open as well.

The future of the tenant space occupied by Big Lots! in Dublin is unknown.