Ollie’s celebrates its Grand Opening in St. Joseph

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- Ollie’s Bargain Outlet hosted its Grand Opening on Wednesday morning.

Ollie’s, located at 1401 N. Belt Highway, Suite A, offers up to 70% off brand-name products by buying closeout merchandise and excess inventory from manufacturers and retailers.

The grand opening began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by a wave of shoppers who flooded the store to take advantage of special deals.

Ollie’s offers a variety of brands, including Dove, Dyson, Bella Kitchen Appliances and more.

Darrin Wheat, Ollie’s Regional Director of Stores in the Midwest, said it’s very exciting to be opening in St. Joseph.

“Ollie’s is a growing organization; we’re going to open several stores this year throughout the United States, and to be in St. Joe, it’s very exciting for us,” he said.

Wheat said shoppers can find great deals on everything they might need.

“From food, to hardware, to some apparel. We’re also selling furniture now,” he said. “You can find deals in our store each and every day. We sell laundry detergent, we sell bath soap and things like that. We sell a lot of things throughout the entire year.”

"Ollie’s Army," the company's loyalty program, also provides opportunities for coupons and deals.

Lynne Hoffman, a St. Joseph resident, said curiosity brought her to the opening. 

“To come into the store and see the variety of the things they have and just check it out,” she said.

Hoffman said it’s important to have stores like Ollie's, especially in today's economy.

“Everyone has a budget, and this really helps people out a lot in their shopping,” she said.

Wheat said the message he would like to send to shoppers who haven't visited yet is to give Ollie’s a try.

“You might find something in here you need, but probably more than likely, you might find something you think you didn't think you needed,” he said. “Check us out, see what we have. It’s exciting, we get different products throughout the year, so it’s not always the same stuff. It’s a treasure hunt for you to see what we have.”

Ollie’s will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.