Not all chain stores are opening in Sequim — here’s one that’s closing

SEQUIM – Faces were falling Friday, down the checkout line at Big Lots.

The reason: Sequim’s 22,000-square-foot closeout store will close this spring.

“Our target date is May 15,” Big Lots corporate spokeswoman Amy Stocker said from her office in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday.

“It’s a tragedy for this community,” said Suzi Schmidt of Sequim.

“So many people depend on the store.

“And the people who work here are the friendliest in town.”

The Sequim Big Lots store wasn’t performing well enough, Stocker said.

“It’s just a natural part of the business model,” she said.

“We evaluate all of our stores” – some 1,380 across the United States – “and we look at sales performance.”