Grocery Outlet to open new store in Washington on Thursday

Grocery Outlet will open its newest store in Dash Point, Washington, on Thursday, as the fast-growing West Coast discounter's footprint continues to grow, thanks to bargain-hunting shoppers.

The new store, located at 1618 SW Dash Point Road, will employ 32 people. It will be run by independent operators Gary and Cheryl DeCoursey. Grocery Outlet stores are owned by independent operators based in the communities they serve.

“We are so thrilled to be a part of the Dash Point community and provide big savings on quality groceries,” said independent operators Gary and Cheryl DeCoursey, in a statement. “This partnership with Grocery Outlet gives us the ability to grow our business, create new jobs and, more importantly, give back to the local community.”

A destination for value-minded shoppers, Grocery Outlet earlier this month opened a new store in Pocatello, Idaho.

Bargain shoppers fleeing high prices have propelled other bargain discounters to expand their brick-and-mortar footprint.

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, which was founded in 1982 and now operates 476 stores, is known for selling merchandise from food to flooring at closeout prices. And with food prices still high, Ollie’s is another destination for shoppers seeking value in groceries.

“You can just tell by the footprint it's a sizable portion of the store,” Ken Missig, regional director of store operations, told WGB in reference to the grocery offering at the recent grand opening of Ollie’s in Champaign, Illinois.

Ollie’s last month reported a strong fiscal fourth quarter. The closeout chain opened five new stores, ending the quarter with 468 stores in 29 states, a year-over-year increase in store count of 8.6%.

“We are pleased with our fourth quarter performance, which reflects an improvement in our transaction trends and a 3% increase in comparable store sales. Our team executed well in a highly promotional environment and delivered a 110-basis point increase in gross margin compared to last year,” said John Swygert, president and CEO, in a March 22 statement. “For 2023, we are focused on offering great deals, expanding operating margins, and growing our store base, all of which will position us to deliver consistent, long-term growth for our shareholders. We believe we are well positioned to thrive in the current environment and our customers are responding to the tremendous values in our stores. Our deal pipeline is strong, and we are excited about the opportunities ahead of us.”