ALTON – Bethalto entrepreneur Shawn Downing is adding a second location to his chain of overstock stores called Discount Liquidation Products.

Downing’s second location will be at 1848 E. Broadway in a 10,000-square-foot facility and it opens Saturday. The location formerly housed Dollar General; long-time Alton residents may remember it as Ben Franklin’s. Downing has another store at 3671 Nameoki Road, Granite City.

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The new store will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Sunday. The Alton location will become the “corporate headquarters” for the company.

Discount Liquidation Products (DLP) is an overstock liquidation business that offers the following products: furniture, apparel, general merchandise, food – and they are also a licensed U-Haul dealership, so U-Haul vehicles will be rented from locations.

A grand opening will take place Saturday at the business as it opens on April 1.

Downing said customers can expect to find a variety of items from clothing to household goods, typically 50 percent off big box retailers.

“We may not have the massive selection they do however our prices are less and our inventory is constantly changing,” Downing said. “It is always a new experience for a customer each trip that they make into the store.”

“We are very excited to become part of the Alton community. I grew up in the Alton area and knowing our price structure, we will be a benefit to the community. Our prices are typically 50 percent off other retailers which is one reason to drive customers in our store.

“We are also locally owned and operated, which helps us bring a different approach to the community compared to a bigger corporation. We will be bringing employment opportunities to the community and giving back to various charitable organizations within the community.”

Downing said his favorite part about being a business owner is seeing the opportunities that he gives both to his employees and customers.

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“We had a family come into the Granite City store a few months back looking for baby items for their newborn,” he said. “I could tell they did not have a lot of money and offered them a buy one get one free on any baby item in the store. We, as a company, took a loss by giving them an astonishing deal; however we did a good deed and earned a customer for life.”

The Alton location will also be a “hub” for his U-Haul services business, Downing said.

Another aspect of his business will be their grocery line with its unique random one-off opportunities.

“For example, we might have jars of peanut butter for 50 cents,” he said. “We have 3,400 in stock in our warehouse and once they are gone, we won’t be carrying that item any longer. We will then add another product to the lineup once that is done.”

During the next quarter, Downing said he will host the River Bend Growth Association’s high school CEO program at the Alton facility.

“The young entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to learn about our business and how I got started, along with insights from other local business owners,’ he said. “Discount Liquidation Products plans to tie into the community from various angles to give back to and thank it for supporting us.”

Downing said his business has become one of the largest fishing bait suppliers in the country.

“Within the next few weeks, as the fishing season commences, we will add a full-scale lineup of basic fishing supplies, including live bait. With our hours being 9 a.m to 9 p.m. and the close proximity to the Mississippi River, we expect DLP to become the go-to spot for local anglers as well.”

Downing invited people to come out this weekend to see his new Broadway location.
DISCOUNT LIQUIDATION SERVICES
1848 E. Broadway
Alton, IL 62002
Discount Liquidation Products Facebook Page

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