Submitted by discospiderattack t3_ywv8av in RhodeIsland
They advertise just like Building 19, right down to the “good stuff cheap” tagline. Is it back? Is the delightful chaos of my youth accessible again? I saw a billboard the other day and would love to hear how it is.
So building 19 then?
To me, building 19 was just straight chaos though, like a flea market. This at least is cleaner than building 19 ever was.
I remember seeing a barrel of individual unwrapped latex gloves at building 19. Truly a tragedy this great institution is gone.
Does Ollie’s still have the unsettling Building 19 murals high up on the walls?
By unsettling do you mean completely amazing?
Was anyone else traumatized by the Pawtucket building #19 that was located on the abandoned Narragansett horse track grandstand? That place creeped me the fuck out when I was little, the smell still haunts me…
I loved that place it was my favorite.
Nothing like wake and bake on a Sunday morning and hitting up that location in particular!
Haha so true
i'm glad somebody documented that place (and the smell!) before they closed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odz_-BcKxx0
Last time I accidentally turned down that road, it was still there.
I remember when they sold defective radiation suits. I miss Bldg 19.
Cleaner so far. It was an empty space not long ago so cleanable with the floor Zamboni machines.
Give it time
Ollie's actually predates building #19 despite the close similarities, I think they are a Pennsylvania company. Ollie's bought a bunch of former building #19 locations in MA and named them "Ollie's @ Building #19" to pay homage to the former retailer, which is neat. Ollie's is a virtually identical business model to Ocean State Job Lot but more expensive IMO.
I had no idea it already existed, thank you for this. Bummed it’s more expensive, but I shouldn’t be expecting early-mid 90’s prices anyways.
I was hoping for "Ollie's and 1/3" style naming.
They actually had a really good variety of graphic novels with a decent price. Though yeah, definitely a job lot type situation, makes sense since they are jobbers. Which are people who take deliveries that get canceled by larger companies.
Good to know about the graphic novels, I'll have to check it out!
They have a decent book section that Job Lot no longer has
I live in FL now with an Ollie’s right up the street, I agree their book section is pretty dope!
Building 19 had the absolute best newspaper advertisements, esp the Sunday ones. They were so much fun to read, such a refreshing change from the type of advertisements we are used to. They were chock full of cartoons, terrible pictures and self directed insults. I loved it. This was before the internet.
check out the 'have a cheap day' instagram page! https://www.instagram.com/have_a_cheap_day/
OMG that's fabulous, thank you so much.
I miss building 19.
One of them had a sign by the exit that said “Wipe your feet in the way out; you don’t want to track it into the real world!”
So great.
Some minor differences, but it’s basically building 19.
Like a hybrid of job lot and building 19. Definitely worth a visit.
I lived in RI my whole life, but moved to Charlotte for a few years before returning. There are Ollie’s stores all over in that area. Very similar to OSJL and Building 19 in terms of business model. A fun store to pop into every once in a while to see what they’ve got at that time.
It reminds me lots of it.
Same random stuff, some things super cheap. I'd be wary of the 2003 cookies, however, I scored an incredibly good deal on a carpet.
They also had an Idris Elba coloring book, and I have shoppers regret over not purchasing it.
I bought a 21 century foxes coloring book of a similar vein for a gag gift. Lots of Harrison Ford and Peirce Brosnan.
Went in there and it was very similar, they had some really cool lights for our room that were over half off their normal price
My son and I love Ollie's! Its fun because we get to enjoy something from my childhood, with a spin. It's kind of like other stores great deals on some stuff not on others. Half the fun is spending time wondering the aisles and finding the most obscure item you didnt know you needed!
I'm not going back. Bunch of mediocre stuff and they sell mypillows so ffffffffff
Cleaner than a building 19 and definitely smaller. Less stocked than a job lot and less likely to keep a regular stock. It’s a hybrid of the two. No flea market vibe.
Horrible - horrible - ocean state is better.
I've been to one before, it's definitely like Building 19.
I haven't been, but I'm super curious, even the font in the sales flyers looks the same as bldg19 used to use.
I’d never heard of it, thanks!
It's pretty much like Job Lot. At least the one in Seekonk is. Went once, didn't buy anything and will probably never go again.
The one in Woonsocket is great. Great place to buy toys for the nieces, nephews and for donations at a very affordable price.
You can get some good deals there. The problem is selection.
It’s a nice store with a good selection. They have a ton of books, lots of deals on food and vitamins and such. Right now they have a lot of Target stuff.
Ollie's in Woonsocket has good stuff sometimes. I like the store
Ive been i thought it was gonna be like building 19 but its way worse its been a few months so it could have chaged but when i went it sucked
Far Cleaner than Building 19.....Same overall vibe though.
Basically Building 19 lol. I went there to get a carpet for my dorm and couldn’t be happier with it!
Last week I read that Ollie's serves as the liquidator for stuff returned to nearby Target stores.
I hadn't heard it before but it certainly feels right. *shrug*
Went to the one in EP, great time. $6 jeans for the kiddo
kyden t1_iwlhsc9 wrote
It reminds me of job lot, but a touch less organized.