Ocean State Job Lot will open its 10th store in Worcester County and 55th in Massachusetts this Thursday in Auburn.
The 43,000-square-foot former Big Lots will be located at 416 Southbridge St., right across from the Auburn Mall. Ocean State acquired the site after a lease bankruptcy auction and continues the OSJL’s mission of repurposing former retail sites. In May, Ocean State opened a new store in Webster at another former Big Lots location.
“Our new, large Auburn store will allow us to bring an even wider selection of incredible values to our loyal Job Lot Insiders and new friends in the community,” Mark O’Connor, director of real estate for Ocean State Job Lot, said in a Tuesday press release announcing the opening. “They’re going to love this new location.”
Ocean State plans to hire up to 70 positions for its new location with jobs including store leadership and supervisory positions, and full-time, part-time, and seasonal positions, according to the press release.
Founded in 1977, Ocean State Job Lot is a privately held retail chain with 168 stores serving New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. OSJL has roughly 5,6000 employees and annual sales exceeding $850 million.
Lucy Coran is an editorial intern for Worcester Business Journal and a rising sophomore at Smith College.
