Discounter Big Lots has recently announced the close of its 7323 Farm to Market 1960 Rd W, Houston, TX 77070 location. The location represents one of three in a 6-mile stretch of 1960 from Jones Road to Veterans Memorial. The store is the newest of the three, opening in 2011 in a former Toys ‘R Us, which had moved to a larger space adjacent to Willowbrook Mall. According to Big Lots, its recent store closures are not limited to Houston and are part of broader measures to help desaturate the chain and trim back losing locations. The chain has not publically addressed the Houston closing, and investigating other stores turned up a recent review noting an out-of-business sale for the North Oaks location. It appears that Big Lots exit there is part of a larger redevelopment of the center, including the arrival of a Burlington and Five Below at North Oaks. HHR reader Michael D. originally reported the Willowbrook store closing. If you have a hot tip you’d like to share with HHR, please reach out!
I wouldn’t have been surprised if the Willowbrook Big Lots R Us was the only location that was closing given the three Big Lots in six miles in this area (it is actually four in ten miles if you count the Highway 6 & W Little York location as well), but the North Oaks closure is certainly surprising given that Willowbrook is also closing. It was in the retail news only about a year ago that Big Lots had renewed their lease at North Oaks, but it appears that they were a victim (though perhaps with a nice buy-out, who knows) of what appears to be a pretty major redevelopment at North Oaks with Burlington and Five Below filling in the last of the remaining mall elements and also taking over the old Half Price Books location (it is very sad that is gone).
Out of the three Big Lots close to me, the Jones & FM 1960 Kroger Lots location is the one I shop at most frequently, and I’ve been shopping there since it was Pic-n-Save (same with North Oaks), so at least that one appears to be on solid ground for now.
It should be noted that the relocated Humble Big Lots has recently opened so it is not like it is all bad news for Big Lots here along the FM 1960 corridor.