A former Big Lots in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is getting a second life as a thrift store, giving local shoppers a new place to browse lower-cost clothing, home goods, and other secondhand items.
Savers, a chain focused on resale and reuse, is preparing to open its first Lehigh Valley location, expanding thrift options in the region while extending the life of used goods, WFMZ reported.
What's happening?
The Bethlehem store at 2192 W. Union Blvd. was scheduled to open August 13. Its regular schedule will run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with Sunday hours set for 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The opening will give Savers its first Lehigh Valley presence.
In company information cited by WFMZ, the retailer said it is North America's largest for-profit thrift operator and focuses on reselling secondhand clothing and household goods.
Its stated mission is to "champion reuse and inspire a future where secondhand is second nature."
Why does it matter?
A new thrift store can offer locals affordable access to clothing, decor, kitchenware, and other essentials. Resale stores can keep usable items in circulation longer instead of sending them to landfills after a relatively short life.
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Company figures cited by WFMZ suggested that Savers kept more than 3.6 billion pounds of goods out of landfills from 2021 through 2025.
Over that same period, the company said it paid more than $534 million to nonprofit partners for secondhand clothing and household goods, creating inventory for resale while also sending funding back to those organizations. The approach is meant to extend the useful life of those items instead of discarding them.
What's being done?
The Bethlehem store brings that model to a new part of the region, creating another place where residents can shop secondhand instead of buying brand-new products.
The store's long operating hours may make secondhand shopping easier for people furnishing a home on a budget, shopping for kids' clothes, or looking for reusable household basics.
"Whether you're shopping for a one-of-a-kind find or donating to a nonprofit at Savers thrift stores in Pennsylvania, you're saying yes to Planet Earth, too, by giving goods a second life instead of one in a landfill," Savers noted in a message shared by WFMZ.
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