National discount retailer of closeout merchandise, excess inventory opening store in Quincy in November

QUINCY — Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, a retailer of closeout merchandise and excess inventory, plans to open a store in Quincy in November.

A customer service agent with Ollie’s, headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa., recently told Muddy River News the store will be at 3003 Broadway — next door to the west of Planet Fitness. 

The property at 3001-3007 Broadway is owned by the Charles T. and Kathie J. Marx Trust. Tory Kaufmann, a Marx Commercial Properties and Development Company spokesperson, said he could not comment about the announcement by Ollie’s.

As of May, Ollie’s had 525 stores in 31 states. The first Ollie’s Bargain Outlet store opened July 29, 1982, in Mechanicsburg, Pa. The first Illinois store opened in West Frankfort in October 2021.

Ollie’s opened its newest distribution center earlier this week in Princeton, Ill. A press release from Ollie’s said the center will play a role in the company’s growth in the Midwest region and national expansion westward. Other distribution centers are in Harrisburg, Pa., Lancaster, Texas, and Commerce, Ga.

The closest Ollie’s stores to Quincy are in Burlington, Iowa, and Kirksville, Mo. Ollie’s also has three stores in the St. Louis area — Granite City, Florissant, Mo., and Ellisville, Mo.

Much of Ollie’s merchandise is unsold or overstocked merchandise bought in bulk from other retailers and sold at discounted prices. Items typically come from some of the top manufacturers in the country. If a manufacturer makes too much of an item or changes its packaging, Ollie’s will buy the overstocked or old packaged items. Ollie’s buyers look for closeouts, overstocks, package changes, manufacturer-refurbished goods and irregulars.

Ollie’s also works with financial institutions. When companies are liquidated, the banks often sell remaining inventories and turn them into cash. Ollie’s will buy those goods.

Among the categories of items sold by Ollie’s are houseware and home textiles, food, flooring, books and stationery, toys, home improvement and hardware, electronics, clothing and luggage, lawn, garden and patio, health and beauty supplies, sporting goods, pet supplies, automotive and holiday items.

Marx Commercial Properties recently built a 6,000-square-foot building at the intersection of 30^th and Broadway, and two businesses are leasing space in the building — cellphone provider Verizon and Pancheros, a Mexican restaurant chain. A Jersey Mike’s sandwich restaurant will open later this year in the same building.