Why Big Lots announced going out of business sales at remaining locations. What to know about closures in Tennessee

Big Lots has closed over 400 stores in 2024 and has now announced going out business sales across its remaining locations.

On Thursday, Big Lots announced in a news release that it did not anticipate a sale to Nexus Capital Management going through. In this deal, Nexus Capital Management would have taken over Big Lots by early January helping the chain achieve financial stability.

Here’s what to know about Big Lots closures in Tennessee.

Is Big Lots closing all its stores?

Big Lots does not have any plans to close all of its stores yet. The going out of business (GOB) sales are a way for the company “protect the value of its estate,” according to their statement. The goal is for the sales to allow Big Lots to continue being a company that is financially stable enough to meet obligations and continue business in the near future.

“We all have worked extremely hard and have taken every step to complete a going concern sale. While we remain hopeful that we can close an alternative going concern transaction, in order to protect the value of the Big Lots estate, we have made the difficult decision to begin the GOB process,” said Bruce Thorn, Big Lots’ President and Chief Executive Officer,

The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September after announcing the original plan to close less than 50 stores in July. There have been over 400 stores announced for closure since then.

Which Big Lots stores in Tennessee are closing?

As previously reported by USA TODAY, the stores closing in Tennessee include two stores outside Nashville and one in northwest Tennessee. They are:

There has been one store added to the closing list:

How many Big Lots are there in Tennessee?

There are a total of 47, soon to be 43, Big Lots stores across Tennessee. Locations include Chattanooga, Clarksville, Memphis, Knoxville and more. A complete list of Big Lots stores can be found at local.biglots.com/tn.

Why is Big Lots closing stores?

High inflation and interest rates are impacting Big Lots like many other stores. Additionally, a news release from the company said economic trends like customer spending on home and seasonal products, have affected the company’s revenue.

The company had previously reported that sales in the first quarter of 2024 fell more than 10% compared to the previous year. The company did perform better in the second quarter, yielding improved comp sales.

“While the company’s underlying performance has been improving, the Board of Directors conducted a broad strategic review of alternatives and determined that entering into the Sale Agreement with Nexus, and initiating a court-supervised sale process, is the best path forward to maximize value and ensure continued operations,” wrote Big Lots in the news release.