Retail expansion intensifies in 2026, raising stakes for Big Lots workers

Big Lots workers are heading into a year when store openings are not just a real estate story, but a fight for labor, attention and neighborhood spending. More than 900 stores were set to open across the U.S. in 2026 as of May 8, while more than 2,000 closures had already been announced, a split that is reshaping where shoppers go and which retailers can keep good workers. Discount chains and value retailers are driving much of the expansion, putting Big Lots in a crowded field with Dollar General, Aldi, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, Walmart, Target, Barnes & Noble and Nordstrom Rack all pushing for traffic.

The larger picture is that retail is splitting into two markets at once. Some chains are shrinking, but others are using the shakeout to grab sites, build labor pipelines and win loyalty from shoppers who still want deals more than full-price groceries or apparel. That matters on the sales floor. In a market with several value players opening or remodeling at the same time, Big Lots associates can expect tighter competition for customer visits, more pressure on availability and more scrutiny on execution, from shelf standards to inventory turns.

Retail real estate analysts are also calling 2026 a stronger opening year. ICSC summarized a Telsey Advisory Group forecast saying store openings excluding restaurants would rise 1.4% this year, up from an estimated 0.7% in 2025. Including restaurants, Telsey projected 1.8% growth in 2026, compared with about 1% in 2025. Coresight Research, in its Jan. 27, 2026 U.S. Store Openings and Closures 2025 Review and 2026 Outlook, framed the year as part of a broader post-2024 reset in physical retail. That reset followed a huge 2024, when U.S. openings reached 5,970, the highest since 2012, while closures hit 7,325.

Big Lots is part of that same churn. Variety Wholesalers acquired 219 Big Lots locations out of bankruptcy, with the deal finalized in January 2025. The first reopening wave started April 10, 2025 with nine stores across six states, and the company said the remaining stores would come back in waves through early June. Variety Wholesalers president and CEO Lisa Seigies said the stores would feature remodeled layouts, closeout deals and new categories such as family apparel and electronics. “We know the stores won’t be perfect to start, but each week we’ll add more new products as we build towards the grand opening celebration in the fall,” she said.

That backdrop leaves Big Lots employees in a harder, but possibly more open, job market. Stores that execute fastest are the ones most likely to get the hours, the support and the customer loyalty. For associates, 2026 is likely to reward the stores that can turn value into a dependable reason to come back.