After more than six decades in business, House of Bargains will close its doors for good at the end of this week.
Owner Jean Bogg said the last day of sales to the public at House of Bargains will be Saturday, and any remaining inventory will be sold at an online auction run through Atterberry Auction & Realty Company.
House of Bargains, at 5505 Business 50 West, opened in 1959, three years before the first Walmart entered the area, and has remained in the Bogg family since its founding. It has sold a wide range of items, including housewares, sporting goods, furniture, office supplies, electronics, giftware and more.
"It's been a long history," Bogg said.
But as the years went by, things changed. Online shopping has grown and U.S. 50, which once ran right in front of HOB, now bypasses Business 50 West, meaning people often don't see the business itself.
In mid-March 2020, HOB announced plans to significantly reduce its operations, closing all departments except for its hardware department and Rent-It Center. But then the coronavirus pandemic exploded, causing massive changes to businesses across the globe, and plans changed, Bogg said.
"The only department that closed down last summer was sporting goods," Bogg said. "COVID kind of stood in the way of everything."
Other departments slowly began thinning out. But the initial idea to keep the hardware department and Rent-It Center open no longer seemed possible, Bogg said.
"It's been a long time coming," she said. "The Bogg family definitely wants to thank all of our loyal customers and all of our loyal staff for supporting us and making these years possible.
For its remaining days open, HOB is offering discounts of 25-75 percent off, Bogg said, noting anyone who might need something for their home or workshop, "now may be the time for them to check out our last-minute sales." After Saturday, customers can check out the House of Bargains Facebook page or the Atterberry Auction website for more information on the auctioning the remaining inventory.
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