Biz Buzz: Popular discount store in Idaho Falls relocating under new name
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Do you want to know what’s happening in the eastern Idaho business scene? We’ve got you covered. Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley.
BIZ BRIEF
IDAHO FALLS
Johnson’s Discount Foods reopening inside the old A.C. Moore building
IDAHO FALLS – A popular discount store will soon be offering customers an expanded location with new inventory.
Johnson’s Discount Foods is opening Thursday inside the old A.C. Moore building at 2455 East 25th Street under the name Big Deal Outlet.
“We’re excited to have people in here and to be offering new stuff,” Owner Jake Johnson tells East Idaho News.
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Some of the new items include shoes, clothes, microwaves, mini-refrigerators and air fryers. It will also offer its usual food items. A grand opening is in the works, but a date has not been determined.
At 16,000-square-feet, the new building is eight times the size of their previous location at 1570 North Woodruff.
Johnson says he was drawn to the A.C. Moore building because it’s in the heart of the shopping district on the busiest street in Idaho Falls.
“We try to make it convenient to shop. We want people to get in and out fast. This store is bigger, so it will take longer to shop,” but it will improve the overall shopping experience, says Johnson.
The business offers products that are used, damaged, discontinued or store-returned, so everything will cost 30% less than it would at any other retail store.
“If it’s not 30% less, then we probably messed up. Just let us know, and we’ll try to fix it,” says Johnson. “If you’re getting a microwave, we make sure that we’ve tested it. If we haven’t, we disclose that and have a return policy so (you) can bring it back.”
Johnson acquired the space after A.C. Moore closed its doors in March.
RELATED | A.C. Moore announces its closing all stores nationwide
Johnson’s Discount Foods first opened in 2013 inside the old Eddy’s Bread store. Johnson grew up in California and worked for a guy in college who had a similar store.
Johnson says he’s grateful for the customer support over the years, and he’s excited to open in a bigger location.
“We had a lot of customers asking us for a lot of years, ‘When are you going to grow?’ It’s nice to finally be able to offer that,” he says.
Big Deal Outlet’s new hours will be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m Monday through Saturday. Visit the website or Facebook page for more information.
BIZ BITS
WATCH: Jacksons Food Stores makes surprise $203,762 donation to Boys & Girls clubs
POCATELLO – Team members with the Boys & Girls club logged on to a Zoom videoconference with Jacksons Food Stores on Tuesday to finalize the results of a customer coin drive in support of the national nonprofit. At the meeting, it was announced that giving by Jacksons customers in the round-up campaign, which was spurred by a national coin shortage, amounted to $101,881. This total greatly exceeded both partners’ expectations for the campaign.
What came next was an uplifting jolt as Jacksons President Cory Jackson revealed over the Zoom video call that the company would add another $101,881 to match the giving of its customers for a total donation of $203,762. The funds will be distributed to 22 Boys & Girls Clubs across the West in the states of Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Washington.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America is a national organization of local chapters that provide voluntary after-school programs for young people.
See the highlights of the call in the video above.
Bank of Idaho expands and modernizes SBA department
IDAHO FALLS – Bank of Idaho has expanded its commercial lending division, embracing the strengths of the Small Business Administration. With an eye toward becoming the go-to SBA lender in Idaho, the bank is capitalizing upon its comprehensive expertise in SBA lending by creating a cutting-edge, stand-alone SBA department headed by Tony Vahsholtz, formerly the VP and area commercial manager of the Boise Market. The shift creates advantages on multiple levels: Clients will benefit from the enhanced focus of the new department, and the bank gains assurance because a larger portion of its small-business lending portfolio will be backed by the SBA. Vahsholtz officially began work in his new role on Aug. 17. He relishes the unique opportunity.
Local dessert supplier endures COVID-19 pandemic without laying off a single employee
REXBURG – Frozen Dessert Supplies, a local ice cream shop supplier, has made it a point to retain every employee through the pandemic. While many companies found themselves in a position to lay off hundreds of employees, Frozen Dessert Supplies made it a priority to refuse any lay-offs. Frozen Dessert Supplies is a Rexburg-based ice cream shop supplier that works with clients throughout the country and internationally. It was established in 2011 and now employs 33 people. Visit its website for more information.
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