Ocean State Job Lot

Ocean State Job Lot is an American closeout retailer which operates stores in the New England region of the United States as well as New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. It currently operates 139 stores in the US and has more than 5,600 associates. Its selection of merchandise comprises a variety of discounted household goods, apparel, pet supplies, kitchen pantry staples and seasonal products (holiday, gardening, patio, pool and beach supplies).

Overview[edit | edit source]

Ocean State Job Lot was founded in 1977 in North Kingstown, RI by Marc Perlman, Alan Perlman and Roy Dubs. The company has revitalized numerous commercial spaces and shopping plazas throughout the Northeast by acquiring vacant properties once occupied by other retailers. In the wake of several chains in the Northeast going out of business in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Ocean State Job Lot saw a surge in new stores, particularly those opening out of former Ames locations. In 2019, Ocean State Job Lot entered Pennsylvania by absorbing several Toys Я Us locations.

Business Model[edit | edit source]

Ocean State Job Lot is a family-run privately-held business with the corporate headquarters and distribution center in North Kingstown, RI at Quonset Point. OSJL's business model involves purchasing merchandise from manufacturers and other retailers in bulk and selling in smaller quantities to customers with the minimum operational and distribution costs. The merchandise selection consists of a variety of manufacturer's overruns, overstocks and packaging changes, as well as selected other products. Like many retailers of its kind, OSJL also acquires fixtures from retailers that have either gone out of business or upgraded their stores.