Grocery Outlet’s 1st Ohio Store to Open in November

Extreme-value retailer Grocery Outlet Bargain Market will mark its geographical expansion to the Midwest with its first store in Ohio next month. Located at 317 Boardman Poland Road in Boardman, the new store is  scheduled to open on Nov. 16.

The Ohio store will grow the retailer’s footprint to eight states. Grocery Outlet’s approximately 450 independently operated locations are currently scattered throughout California, Washington state, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Nevada, New Jersey and Maryland. 

A significant shift has occurred this year into the value channel as consumers seek out lower prices amid high periods of grocery inflation. In its last financial quarter, Grocery Outlet reported that it hit $1 billion in quarterly net sales for the first time in its history. For its second quarter ending July 1, the extreme discounter posted a 12.5% gain in net sales and a 9.2% spike in comp sales on a year-over-year basis.

[Read more: “Lowes Foods to Open 1st Store in Georgia”]

To sustain its successful operations, the retailer continues to work on increasing its store count. Other upcoming Grocery Outlet stores include:

• Oct. 19: Fontana, Calif.
• Oct. 26: New Castle, Pa. (the first location in western Pennsylvania)
• Oct. 26: Cameron Park, Calif.

The Boardman and New Castle locations are only 17 miles apart and will share independent operators, Eric and Sarah Senges, who bring a combined total of more than 30 years of retail experience, including operating the Lake Elsinore location in California since 2018.

At both stores, the first 100 customers attending the store openings will also receive Grocery Outlet Bliss Buck gift cards in mystery amounts ranging from $5 to $500. All shoppers will also receive a free limited-edition reusable bag while supplies last. In addition, from Oct. 16 through Nov. 23, New Castle customers may enter for a chance to win $1,000 in groceries.

“We’re so excited to open the New Castle location as well as our very first location in Ohio, which is a huge milestone for us,” said R.J. Sheedy, president and CEO, Grocery Outlet, Inc. “After the success we’ve had in the Mid-Atlantic, we’re eager to expand to the Midwest and make high-quality, affordable groceries more accessible to the community.”

The grocer also recently opened a location in Kingston, Wash., on Oct. 12.  

During the company’s Q2 earnings webcast, Sheedy emphasized the work of Grocery Outlet’s independent operators and noted that it’s committed to help operators grow sales and profits. “Interest in becoming an operator is at an all-time high. We received nearly 30,000 leads over the last year, which is up 50% over the last four years,” he added.

Emeryville, Calif.-based Grocery Outlet offers products sold through a network of independently operated stores at nearly 450 locations. The company is No. 66 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.