Image Credit: Harrison Keely, CC By 4.0
(North County Beat) – Three Big Lots stores in San Diego County are set to close as the company faces significant financial challenges. According to the company’s website, the stores in La Mesa, El Cajon, and Oceanside will soon shut their doors.
Additionally, the Big Lots location in Temecula, just north of San Diego County, will also be closing.
Big Lots operates 109 stores across California but is in the process of closing multiple locations nationwide. This move follows the company’s recent announcement to shut down 35 to 40 underperforming stores.
The decision comes after Big Lots reported a 10% drop in net sales for the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
Shoppers at the La Mesa store expressed their disappointment upon hearing the news. Victoria Stephens, a mother who shops at Big Lots for its affordable prices, said, “Obviously, they can’t sustain themselves; it’s just a bummer that businesses that do offer discounts for groceries can’t sustain.”
Patti Fordyce, another shopper, mentioned she was informed about the closures via email from the company. “Very disappointing to me because it’s convenient for me because it is close enough; I just live down the hill,” said Fordyce, a grandmother of two.
Big Lots is the latest discount retailer to announce store closures. Earlier this year, the 99 Cents Only Store and Dollar Tree also revealed plans to close several locations.
The exact dates for the closures of the San Diego County stores have yet to be announced.
