Big Lots

I feel like a Powerball winner.
My life changed two weeks ago when I found seasons two and three of…
-
HOUSE M.D. on DVD
-
for $ 7!!! It was just like any ordinary day, until it wasn’t.
I then realized that ALL of the Big Lots in the area had these seasons on sale, and in stock. But that doesn’t change the fact that I got two critical seasons of the critically hit series in critically perfect condition for HALF of the overly critical price of ONE at Fry’s. (Right now, Fry’s can blow me! They wouldn’t match the price of Big Lots. Fry’s, you’ve changed.)
Seriously, this place could have been knee deep in dead squid and I’d still give it a 5, just for finally having something I’m looking for in-​stock and God fearing cheap.
The store also has a bunch of other things, like food and deodorant, for dirt cheap. If you’re into that kind of thing…

Always organized and well stocked. The prices are great and they just started adding food, which is cool. I always like going here for holiday decorations and they have name brand bath and beauty care products. They also have a great selection for cleaning supplies. They are keeping a consistent trend on making this location better, with their automatic sliding entrance door. They must keep their employees happy since I have seen the same ones for many year like at least 10!

Awesome deals! Usually someone asks if I need help. Has cleaned up the past few months; happy about that! However ALWAYS a long, long wait because they only gave one cashier working. Staff is always wonderful but… Man up your staff for checkout PLEASE. Would have had five stars otherwise

I have only been here once or twice before today, but today I think I realized the value you can get by buying certain things at this store.
I am a Target addict, but I can’t seem to get out of the store for under $ 100, ever. So today, I forced myself to get my «Target List» at Big Lots.
Pantry items: Some really great deals on name brand snacks and off-​brand snacks that taste just as great as anywhere else. Expiration is about 6 weeks away, but we always destroy them by then anyway, so not a problem at all.
Home goods: I actually came here to replace a set of about 10 washcloths selling for $ 5 that have held up wonderfully for 3 years, but i got some bleach stains on the ones i had. I also bought a really nice looking matted frame for a certification I recently achieved for only $ 7. Can’t beat it this!
Kids toys: these are all made cheaply everywhere in major retail chains anyway, so you might as well get the best price shopping here for toys for very near the same value of merchandise at more expensive retail stores for a MUCH lower price.
Checkout: today I came in to check out at a little after noon on a Saturday, and it took very little time. Cashier was friendly, fast, and great.
I will continue going here as a way to cut down my spending habits. They have a lot of the essentials here and the quality is really very decent. I was pleasantly surprised at how cheap everything was for comparable value to bigger chains.

Very nice employees.
The man with the turban on his head is so so so nice. He’s from
India and always is willing to help me find something.
They have good bargains every once in awhile.

I really enjoy this store! I bought several items for our new house. They have a great selection of framed mirrors, kitchenware, and candles. It’s nice when they have 20% off everything. It happens once in a blue moon though. Make sure to get on their email list.

I didnt discover Big Lots until very recently, I for some reason thought that Big Lots was like Costco and that you needed a membership to go in. I also had no idea what they sold and assumed that it was just like Home Depot. No idea why!
So, I went, I saw, I conquered and am now a convert.
I like Big Lots, so many different items under one roof! The fact that this one is near many of my favourite stores is a positive. However, this store is small and therefore there isnt a great selection.
I fully admit that I have taken my daughter here to see holiday decorations and to just browse to see if there is anything I might need. Heck, who hasnt found free entertainment for their babies?
Admittedly I havent spent a great deal in this location in fact my purchases to date have been baby related– stair gates and a potty. Hardly exciting stuff.
However, this place now ranks above Target and Walmart to check out for items I need as I can often get them at a much lower cost!

True: not the best customer service ever, but lets face it that we go there to find the cheapest deals on earth. And I am really good at that because I get them in every visit. What I buy here: cleaning products, candles, stationary stuff to give to friends who are into scrap-​booking, very cheap wax (Nair brand, the best and the cheapest you can find, and I am an expert on this), very cool Revlon nail polishes and all things shampoo and soapy stuff. Now, the novelty for me is the new section of International foods, and you can get also very nice deals with some decent Italian pasta, Spanish cookies and other not known in the US but famous in other countries brands. Try it out and forget the funky smells and the strange dudes there! And just so close to the North Park Produce, you can do a double-​shopping-​date!

So we all know Big Lots isn’t a posh place. You go to Big Lots for cheap deals, not for an experience, so I’m not going to try and rate the place for quality because… well that’s just not fair. It is a little smaller than the Big Lots I have been to, which makes the aisles a little more difficult to navigate with other people browsing, but the selection seemed to be just as… varied as the other stores. My mom had asked me to buy some gift boxes and mentioned Big Lots, since JCP had run out. I found the boxes, they had quite a selection for a reasonable price. My only complaint… the time to check out. There were four staff members, one was checking people out, two were closing registers, and one looked like she had been ringing people up, but then just walked off even with more people in line. It took me longer to check out than it did to browse the whole store and decide on boxes and gift tags. Not really convenient.

I have shopped here for decades (since this was called Pic N Save) and it’s pretty good. Good deals on most items and they’ve always got new deals so I go back often. It is also one of the few places where the «Club Card» is actually worth the hassle. They regularly send email coupons that offer significant savings. The staff is often friendly, if a bit on the slow side! Big Lots has a thrift store feel to it and I personally don’t mind that, but if you are looking for a bright, trendy, upscale store, keep looking! I shop here because it’s cheap, not for the vibe!

This location is particularly small compared to the Mira Mesa location. I feel like they don’t have the selection, but this isn’t their fault. They work with what they got, right?
Why the low rating then?
–It’s always so hot. Are they too cheap to put the AC on?
–Customer Service is poor. 2 check stands open on the busy weekend. In a hot store, I want a quick check out.
–Aisles are cluttered. Watch your step, don’t twist an ankle!
–Funky odor upon entering the store. I won’t say anymore…

Place is okay to pick up sales items. Could be better organized. They need to open up a few more check stands so you don’t have to wait forever. Take a look at the Big Lots in San Juan Capistrano in Orange County. They know how to do things right! That’s a nice store.

I love me some Big Lots. Yeah it’s cheesy, disorganized, check out is slow, etc. But somehow that never stops me from going anyway. And I am always amazed at the deals I get. It is the best place for any kind of toiletries, pantry stuff, odds and ends. I can’t speak to how it compares to the other Big Lots in the area because I haven’t been to another one in awhile, but I’m definitely a regular here.

The store is generally disorganized. The employees are slow and there’s only one check out open for all the people in the store every time I’m in there. Half of the food items are overprocessed crap that you shouldn’t be eating anyway, but I come here for inexpensive dog toys, because they have a good selection of them.
So my pooch likes the offerings. Me, not so much.

Messy store! Mira Mesa location has more and better selection.

Great prices, but horrible employees.
I was being followed around by one lady and then finally she asked me if I had their rewards card. When I said no, she said I should sign up. I said that I would when I was checking out. She said I should really sign up right away. That was annoying. I said I wanted to finish shopping. She said to make sure that I sign up.
When I was checking out, the cashier kept ringing up my stuff and then running off. She said she was getting my rewards set up, so I didn’t think much of it. At the end of the sale, she put the rewards thing in the drawer, so again I figured that is just how they do it. I found out later that she was supposed to give me an actual card.
When I unloaded my car, I saw that one of my items never made it into my bags. Honestly, I think the employees there are ripping off the company and customers. I think she wanted the credit for the rewards for herself or someone she knows and I think she ripped me off for one of my items. I am tempted to stand outside the store and take a DVD of how hokey the employees act. I am pretty sure I will get a criminal act on tape. And that would just be fun.

Great deal on things you won’t find across the street at the 99 cent store. Been coming here for years.

I seldom go there…
So, maybe I don’t have a lot of input to give but it SMELLS!
And when I go there, I either don’t get what I want, I get nothing, or I settle for something lesser…
Just not a fan.
(and it’s right across the street from my work…)

I have a love/​hate relationship with Big Lots. I’ve only been to the Poway one, so I can’t compare it to the others.
I decided on a whim to stop in. I was driving by it, and thought I’d go check out the Xmas stuff. Yes the stuff is cheap. Yes you can pick up a sheet set for 10 bucks and a «As Seen on TV» chicken Rotisserie oven for 29.99. But at what price??? Aisles are very narrow and cluttered, and I will always get frustrated trying to navigate my way around the zombies. It never fails. I am pushing my cart through an aisle and either someone comes out right in front of me or stops in my path and then just LEAVES their body. No amount of «excuse me“s or «can I get by you“s will get them to stop staring blankly at the 1.99 CD collections or the giant popcorn tin shaped like a guitar with Elvis on it. (not kidding they have a bunch of these) AARRGGH!
And there won’t be anyone working there that can help you with anything. Don’t even try to ask.
So if you can take the frustrations, and long lines at checkout, and you want to save a few bucks… go for it.
I’ll leave you with some words of wisdom. Don’t bring anything to the register that doesn’t have a price tag. You’ve been warned. Happy shopping!

So the other day I busted my home brew headphones and needed to glue some parts together. Where can I get superglue on the cheap?
Big Lots baby!
98 centavos for super glue that will bond your fingers in 15 seconds? Hell yeah.
The thing about big lots is that they have a lot of stuff that’s useful that you might not expect them to have. Over the years, I’ve bought wooden hangers, blank CD/​DVDs, compressed air cans, notebooks, pens, tape, car brush, candy, bungee cord, chips, drinks, soap, penetrating lubricant, glue, cereal, toys, holiday stuff, hookup wires, gloves, blah blah etc etc. In a pinch and need cheapo tools to finish your project? They got it. Need a refill on bath soap or freshener? They got it. Condoms? They even got THAT man. And a lot of this stuff is from recognized companies although you do get your share of «exotic» brands.
I’d give this place 5 stars based on price and selection alone, but I must say, the layout of the store seems a bit cluttered and hard to navigate. Just walking in, the place seemed a bit messy. Big Lots in Mira Mesa is nicer, but this location has a nice selection of items to rummage through and find super cheap treasures for your projects.