In 1968, Consolidated Stores Corporation was founded by Sol A. Shenk. The company opened its first store, called Big Lots, in Columbus, Ohio.
The store’s concept was to offer a variety of merchandise at closeout prices.
The company expanded rapidly throughout the 1970s and 1980s. In the 1990s, Big Lots began to offer a wider variety of merchandise, including food and furniture. The company also started to open stores in Canada and Mexico.
In 2001, Big Lots was renamed to Big Lots, Inc. The company continues to operate under this name today. Big Lots is now a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange.
What was Big Lots called before?
Big Lots was originally founded as Consolidated Stores Corporation in 1968. The first store was simply called Big Lots and was located in Columbus, Ohio.
