Traffic in the parking lot was brisk on Thursday, Nov. 3, when Big Lots opened its doors to the public.

Big Lots opened its store in Warsaw on Thursday, Nov. 3, in the MarketPlace of Warsaw. InkFreeNews photos by Dan Spalding.

By Dan Spalding
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The revival of the MarketPlace of Warsaw shopping center reached a milestone Thursday, Nov. 3, after Big Lots became the third national business to open its doors there in recent weeks.

Big Lots, which had a presence on Warsaw’s west side years ago, opened its newest store Thursday on the northwest end of the shopping center that was once home to Pier 1.

Big Lots joins Gabe’s and Planet Fitness as the latest tenants to sink roots into a shopping center that was on the verge of collapse just a year ago.

The reversal came after the property was purchased by Sullivan Wickley, which worked with the city to provide financial support for the improvements.

The Georgia-based company pledged to transform the property by the holiday shopping season and began moving quickly, making extensive improvements to the heating and cooling system, as well as the roof and parking lot, which now includes new lights.

A small collection of storefronts in the elbow of the shopping store remain empty.

Nevertheless, it didn’t take long for customers to begin showing up at the outset of Big Lots’ “soft opening” Thursday ahead of its official grand opening set for Saturday, Dec. 10.

By early evening Thursday, a large portion of the parking lot was being used.

Madison Rife, 19, and some friends were headed to Gabe’s Thursday afternoon when they saw Big Lots had opened and headed there first.

She’s seen the shopping center struggle in the past and said she’s hopeful about its future.

“I’m excited,” Rife said.

Word on the street was boosted by a celebratory video posted by the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce announcing the store’s opening. The clip features chamber staffers dancing and prancing with Store Manager Amy Johnson and other Big Lots employees to the song “Funkytown.” Within a day, the video had been seen by more than 3,200 people on Facebook.

Chamber CEO Rob Parker said he believes the opening marks a milestone.

“I’m thrilled to see we’re getting that shopping center filled,” Parker said. “They’ve really done a great job of bringing in tenants as they said they would. Kudos to them.”

The 31,000-square-foot store follows the modern Big Lots floor design that features furniture in the center of the store and is surrounded by other areas such as home items, health and beauty items, seasonal offerings, toys and food.

Furniture became a centerpiece in their strategy after acquiring the Broyhill furniture brand, said Keith Jacobsen, district manager for Big Lots.

He said the company does especially well in smaller cities and said the new store’s proximity to US 30 in Warsaw will help.

He said the company offers customers a great rewards program, curbside pickup and ongoing discount specials.

The store has hired about 35 employees, Jacobsen said.

The company has 1,450 stores in 48 states.

Store manager Amy Johnson smiles while talking with staff shortly after the store opened Thursday, Nov. 3

Furniture is centerpiece of the store’s floor plan.