Ocean State Job Lot Prepares for Late Autumn Move Into Tewksbury [POLL]

In a few months time, the vacant mall will have a new—and established—tenant. Ocean State Job Lot is preparing for renovations and hopes to open in a few months, according to the company’s CFO John Conforti.

“Our goal and hope is that we have the store opened ... hopefully inside the third week of November,” he said. Conforti acknowledged the quick turnaround of the project.

“It is for a building that’s tired and in desperate need of repairs,” he said of the rapid pace of the development process. “So it’ll be fun to bring this building back to life and fill the parking lot up with customers, so we’re looking forward to it.”

According to the short timeline of the project was possible because of the history of the building.

“They are filling a space that was previously used for retail and storage and will be roughly the same type of use,” said Sadwick.

According to Sadwick, the company has received a roofing permit and a partial demolition permit, which will allow them to remove interior construction.

“They currently have a main building permit that has been applied for and is in process of review,” he said.

Ocean State Job Lot is a Rhode Island-based, family-owned company that specializes in selling “first-quality” and brand names at discount prices, according to Conforti. The company has been in business since 1977 and has expanded to 103 stores in New England and New York, according to the company’s website. According to Conforti, much of Ocean State Job Lot’s inventory comes when the company is able to buy excess inventory from retailers because of closeouts.

“Sometimes ... a manufacturer doesn’t like the color of the packaging and they’re changing it and we may have the leftover product offered to us, which is first-quality, good condition product,” Conforti said, as an example.

Ocean State Job Lot will occupy the 40,000 sq. foot building on Main Street in Tewksbury as of November, and is also opening locations in Johnston RI, and Westborough MA, according to the company’s Twitter feed. Conforti said that Ocean State has had to “hunker down” in the recession, but because Ocean State Job Lot operates in a “value-based business,” the company has been able to grow moderately over the past few years.  

“If offered the choice of operating in a time when everyone had plenty of money and everyone had a job, that would be our preference,” he said. “But the fact is we’re operating in today’s times so our buyer is looking for good-quality merchandise that we can offer to customers at low prices.”

Conforti said that Ocean State Job Lot had been , but was just recently able to come to an agreement with the property owner that “made sense” to the company.

Ocean State Job Lot also recently tried to open a location in North Reading in retail space vacated by Stop & Shop. The endeavor was met with much controversy by residents, who set up a Facebook page against the development.

Sadwick also said he was unaware of the controversy in North Reading, but that he didn’t expect the same reaction from Tewksbury residents. He believes residents will be “thankful” that the building will be occupied.

“There will be neighboring abutters that will have a use reactivated after a long period of dormancy,” he said. “Hopefully, residents will shop at the store to support a new merchant in town.”

Conforti is of much of the same opinion. He believes Ocean State Job Lot’s low prices and quality items will be “well-received” by residents.

“At least that’s our hope,” he said. “I think our customers will really enjoy shopping in our store, having a convenient Ocean State Job Lot to shop in.