HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — One of the nation's best-known discount retailers is closing more than 300 locations, including one in Huntsville.
Big Lots faces a dire financial situation fueled be mounting debt and dropping sales.
Earlier the year, the company said it expected to close about 150 locations. But that number more than doubled in a recent filing, and as many at 315 stores are now set to shut down operations.
The "going out of business" signs are now up at the Big Lots in the Westside Centre on University Drive NW.
As of Wednesday, markdowns of 20 percent were being advertised.
The location is one of five in Alabama affected by the closures. A second Huntsville store -- in the 3200 block of Memorial Pkwy. NW -- will stay open.
Big Lots is one of many brick-and-mortar retailers to struggle in the modern economy. In a recent filing with the government, the company said "the U.S. economy has continued to face macroeconomic challenges including elevated inflation, which has adversely impacted the buying power of our customers."
Competition from online outlets, such as Amazon, has also hurt sales.
In 2024, Big Lots was operating more than 1,300 locations in nearly every state. California faces the greatest number of closures.
Nearly 70 percent of the stores there are shutting down.
In addition to the Huntsville location, the other Big Lots stores that are closing in Alabama are in Troy, Sylacauga, Bessemer, and Montgomery.
It wasn't clear how long it would take for those stores to wind down operations.