Ollie’s Bargain Outlet coming to Rock Falls

ROCK FALLS – A long-vacant space along busy state Route 40 soon will be home to one of America’s largest and fastest-growing closeout and excess inventory retailers, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet.

Ollie’s will lease 1000 First Ave./state Route 40, once home to Save-A-Lot, from building owner Cocca Development, Mark Searing, the city’s building inspector, confirmed Thursday morning.

It’s all the empty space south of Rent-A-Center, at 1002 First Ave., plus the dock space in the back of the building, Searing said.

Ollie’s sells overstock food, household furnishings and textiles, pet supplies, toys, electronics, sporting goods, and automotive, lawn and garden, health and beauty and seasonal items.

It does not sell online, relying instead on brick-and-mortar locations, which the company is opening at a rapid pace.

Remodeling of the 40,215-square-foot site, which Save-A-Lot left in 2010 when it moved into its current building at 928 First Ave. (and which, years before, was a Belscots discount department store), began last week, Searing said, adding that he first was approached about the the space about a year ago.

Calls and an email to Ollie’s and Cocca officials seeking more details have not yet been returned.

Ollie’s also broke ground April 18 on a $68 million warehouse distribution center in Princeton in Bureau County, just north of the intersection of state Route 26 and Progress Drive.

The 600,000 square-foot facility, which will be completed next year, is expected to create 250 full-time jobs and serve more than 150 of its Midwest stores.

According to Retail Dive, Ollie’s CEO John Swygert said the publicly traded company, which is based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, plans to more than double is outlets, from 480 stores in 29 states – 37 of which opened in 2022 – to 1,050.

Ollie’s, which offers a popular shoppers rewards program, is outpacing several of its competitors, industry news sources report.

According to Bloomberg Second Measure, for example, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet’s sales growth in early 2023 outperformed Dollar General, Dollar Tree Inc./Family Dollar and Big Lots, while its combined sales in January and February increased 23% over the same time in 2022.

During that same time frame, sales increased 20% at Five Below and 13% both at Dollar Tree Inc. and Dollar General, Bloomberg reported.

The first Ollie’s opened in July 1982 in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Illinois’ most recent store opened March 15 in Granite City. There also is an Ollie’s in Rockford, Peoria, Aurora, Crystal Lake, West Frankfort, Champaign, among other towns.

Go to www.ollies.us or find it on Facebook to learn more.