Big Lots in Biddeford, Maine, to Permanently Close

For several communities in Maine, one of the best big box stores to find deals is Big Lots. The nationwide chain is like a smaller version of Walmart, offering a variety of items at discounted prices. But for the people of Biddeford, Maine, their Big Lots will soon be no more, as the store is set to permanently close.

Shared on Facebook by Heather Neault, the signs that shoppers noticed over the weekend weren't a leftover April Fools joke. Big Lots in Biddeford is closing permanently as soon as inventory is cleared out. Many commenters on Facebook questioned why, as the store is generally busy. The answer to that is somewhat murky.

According to Portland Press Herald, the shopping center that Big Lots has called home for years has been earmarked for redevelopment. With its proximity to the interstate combined with Biddeford's revitalization, the Five Points Shopping Center seems outdated. Developers proposed a plan to transform the shopping center into a "live, work, play" powerhouse.

Similar to many developments in Portland, the space would be reimagined into ground floor commercial units, condos in the uppers floors, and an entertainment center for people to gather in as well. The project was proposed two years ago and has left the businesses that occupy Five Points feeling uneasy. All Day Breakfast moved out of the shopping center last year before they were faced with more difficult decisions in the future.

The remaining five Big Lots locations in Portland, Farmington, Brunswick, Augusta, and Auburn will all remain open. As for the remaining businesses in the Five Points Shopping Center, their futures remain uncertain.