Ocean State Job Lot To Move Into Three Former Benny's Locations

JOHNSTON, R.I. -- The Carpionato Group announced Wednesday morning that Ocean State Job Lot locations will be moving into three former Benny's locations in Warwick, Wakefield, and Cranston.

“Like Benny’s before it, Ocean State Job Lot is a Rhode Island-institution where consumers know they can go to find quality merchandise they need at affordable prices,” said K. MacArthur Coates, president and CEO of Carpionato Group. “Our goals in purchasing these locations were to ensure they would remain a go-to neighborhood resource and would be positioned for long-term success. Ocean State Job Lot has a long-track record of community investment and involvement, and we know that like Benny’s before them, they will provide services to these neighborhoods, jobs in these neighborhoods and pay real estate taxes in these three cities for many years to come.”

Carpionato acquired 29 former Benny's locations after all stores were closed. The Cranston and Wakefield locations are under long-term leases, while Ocean State Job Lot is purchasing the Warwick store. The details of the store were not disclosed. The company says it plans to make major renovations to the sites.

"We are pleased to announce our deal with the Carpionato Group, and to be able to reopen three former Benny’s locations in Cranston, Warwick and Wakefield,” said Marc Perlman, Principal Owner and CEO, Ocean State Job Lot. "This agreement with the Carpionato Group will add a second convenient location in Cranston and will allow us to move two of our older locations in Wakefield and on Warwick Avenue in Warwick into improved new spaces. When we open in locations formerly occupied by other retailers, we try our best to hire their former associates who have lost their jobs. We look forward to creating employment opportunities, and offering a bigger, better, brighter shopping experience for our customers.”

Ocean State Job Lot also recently bought or leased seven former Toys R Us locations across the Northeast, including two in Massachusetts.