Bargains in a Box is a unique discount outlet store that sells many brand name goods. Bargains in a Box was started by Rob Nardick, the owner of a closeout company called The Bazaar, Inc. The Bazaar is a distributor that buys and sells closeout name brand merchandise to wholesalers and retailers. Bazaar has over 400,000 square feet of warehouse space. Rob found that after awhile his company was accumulating pieces, samples and items that didn’t quite make a full case or pallet. So he decided to start a retail store with a small investment and see how it survived. The store did very well, and it turns out that people loved digging through boxes.

Bargains in a Box is unique in the sense that when you go shopping for items it’s like looking for buried treasure. All the products are put in boxes and customers can dig through them to find their prize. Pricing is color coded and there are colored stickers on each item that tells you how much it is. Even the shopping carts are unusual: they are boxes with a string attached so the customer can pull it along behind them. Bargains in a Box sells everything from big screen televisions and electronics to food, cleaning supplies, baby goods, books, pet supplies, toys, clothing, and much more.

The store was so successful that several other Bargains in a Box stores have been opened in the Chicagoland area. There are currently 8 stores.