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March 14. 2013 8:07PM
Stash Tea representative John Ruggeri talks to Town Councilor Phyllis Katsakiores at the new Ocean State Job Lot. in Derry on Thursday. (ADAM SWIFT/Union Leader Correspondent)
DERRY - With the town and company officials crowding the front entrance, it took a little maneuvering for the regular shoppers to hit the aisles during the Ocean State Job Lot's grand opening on Thursday morning.
"It's wonderful that it's this crowded," said one shopper as she headed into the aisles of bargains at the newly opened close-out retailer on Manchester Road.
The store is the Rhode Island-based chain's 108th store throughout New England and New York, and the 10th in New Hampshire.
"This is a big thing for the community," said store manager Marcel Cote. He said the customers love the low prices and until now have often had to drive as far away as Portsmouth to get to a Job Lot.
The new 41,000-square-foot store is part of an improving economic outlook along Manchester Road, where the town recently completed roadway improvements associated with a tax incentive district.
Ocean State Job Lot takes over the building that was vacated by Walmart last year as Walmart moved into a newer, bigger Walmart Supercenter nearby on Ashleigh Drive.
"It's one more piece of the puzzle for continued economic development in Derry," said Town Administrator John Anderson.
Cote said the new store has close to 50 employees, which is good news for the local economy.
Although the official grand opening and associated ribbon cutting took place on Thursday morning, the "soft open'' took place in the snow last Friday, according to Cote.
Even with the weather and a lack of publicity for the soft opening, Cote said there were plenty of customers who made it through the doors.
"We've had a good reaction from the community, and the weekend sales were strong with no advance publicity," he said.
In addition to government and community leaders, there were also several representatives from local charities and nonprofits that Ocean State Job Lot with which is associated. The company has donated more than 1 million pounds of food to the New Hampshire Food Bank since the relationship started between the story and the nonprofit.
The company has also helped raise more than $250,000 for Honor Flight, a nonprofit that helps fly World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the World War II Memorial.
Ocean State Job Lot opens in Derry
Stash Tea representative John Ruggeri talks to Town Councilor Phyllis Katsakiores at the new Ocean State Job Lot. in Derry on Thursday. (ADAM SWIFT/Union Leader Correspondent)
"It's wonderful that it's this crowded," said one shopper as she headed into the aisles of bargains at the newly opened close-out retailer on Manchester Road.
The store is the Rhode Island-based chain's 108th store throughout New England and New York, and the 10th in New Hampshire.
"This is a big thing for the community," said store manager Marcel Cote. He said the customers love the low prices and until now have often had to drive as far away as Portsmouth to get to a Job Lot.
The new 41,000-square-foot store is part of an improving economic outlook along Manchester Road, where the town recently completed roadway improvements associated with a tax incentive district.
Ocean State Job Lot takes over the building that was vacated by Walmart last year as Walmart moved into a newer, bigger Walmart Supercenter nearby on Ashleigh Drive.
"It's one more piece of the puzzle for continued economic development in Derry," said Town Administrator John Anderson.
Cote said the new store has close to 50 employees, which is good news for the local economy.
Although the official grand opening and associated ribbon cutting took place on Thursday morning, the "soft open'' took place in the snow last Friday, according to Cote.
Even with the weather and a lack of publicity for the soft opening, Cote said there were plenty of customers who made it through the doors.
"We've had a good reaction from the community, and the weekend sales were strong with no advance publicity," he said.
In addition to government and community leaders, there were also several representatives from local charities and nonprofits that Ocean State Job Lot with which is associated. The company has donated more than 1 million pounds of food to the New Hampshire Food Bank since the relationship started between the story and the nonprofit.
The company has also helped raise more than $250,000 for Honor Flight, a nonprofit that helps fly World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the World War II Memorial.