The Speculation is Over: Ollie’s Is Coming To Sedalia

Gentle Reader, I know we're all invested in our retail options.  We all like to have good choices.  I know I don't like to go to the same food library every week.

And now, it looks like we've got confirmation of our latest addition: Ollie's!

So What's Ollie's?

Admittedly, I've never heard of or seen an Ollie's.  But you could be forgiven for that, seeing as the stores have only been around since the early 1980's.  They started out in Pennsylvania and have slowly worked their way west.

It started with four dudes, and started their bigger expansion in the mid nineties.  From what I could read up on their website, it seems like they're on overstock retailer.

Like for example, if you love... Sunny Face shampoo (I made that up, hope it's not a real product).  Let's say Sunny Face just changed their packaging to a new design.  The SF company wants those old bottles with the old logo OFF the shelves as soon as possible.  So companies like Ollie's buy up that inventory, and then sell it at a huge markdown.  Same thing if a company or product gets discontinued.  Rather than toss all that stuff in a landfill, Ollie's buys it up.

As a closeout store, Ollie’s also works closely with financial institutions to buy up leftover stock from companies that are closing down. When these companies are liquidated, the banks sell remaining inventory to Ollie’s for cash & we pass the savings on to customers at discounted prices. Everybody wins!

 

Cool.  They're Probably Hiring, right?

Yep.  They've got signs up all over the Thompson Hills Shopping Center, and they've been sending out links on social media. It sounds like a fairly physical job. You have to be able to lift at least 50 pounds, and be able to push and pull about 35 pounds. They do offer a pretty nice employee discount of 20%, though! And they don't need much experience. You really just need a HS diploma or a GED, and they aren't even too firm on that. They'd "prefer" a diploma, but I think they're just keeping the door open for high school kids to work there.

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Hold Up.  Where's It Going?

Short answer:  The old Big Lots Building.  So they're serious about a lot of inventory.  And it doesn't seem like they're specializing in anything in particular.   They say they have food, kitchen supplies, flooring, toys, electronics, sporting goods, all that.  Clearly they'll need the room.

I think that might be the most obvious downside - every time you go out there, you'll never know what you'll find.  So if you're looking for something specific, you might not get it.  But, apparently the "thrill of the find" is part of their whole thing.  So if you're the kind of person who loves to spend time poking around a store and finding stuff, this is perfect for you.  If you're going to the store for just like, ten things and you know exactly what you  need, this probably isn't it.

Yes, you've heard the rumors for months.  There have been a few tip offs here and there, but it's really official now.  They're looking for employees, someone's working in the old building, and it looks like this thing might be here before you know it.

Ollingly yours,
Behka