Ross Dress For Less Takes Over Vacant Big Lots In Poughkeepsie

Former Big Lots store will be home to a new business before the end of 2026.

Big Lots has faced significant closures in the Hudson Valley in late 2024 and early 2025 due to Chapter 11 bankruptcy, with locations in Poughkeepsie, Kingston, Middletown, Wappingers Falls, Newburgh, and Saugerties initially slated to close, though some experienced temporary reprieves before final liquidation, leaving only a few stores with potential future reopenings under a new retailer, Variety Wholesalers, as reported by the Hudson Valley Post in May 2025, but with no definite NY reopenings yet.

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One Big Lots store that has remained closed since August of 2024 is the location Plaza 44 in Poughkeepsie, home to Stop & Shop and various other businesses. It is now being reported that a popular retail chain will be taking over the spot.

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Ross Dress for Less to Open at Former Big Lots store in Plaza 44 Poughkeepsie

According to REBUSINESS ONLINE, Ross Dress for Less will open a 23,000-square-foot store in Poughkeepsie located within Plaza 44, a 165,000-square-foot, grocery-anchored shopping center. Deborah Stone and Jason Pennington of RIPCO Real Estate represented the undisclosed landlord in the lease negotiations. Brian Katz and Amy Staats of Katz & Associates represented Ross, which is aiming to open this store by the end of the year.

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Ross Dress for Less is the largest off-price retail chain in the U.S., selling name-brand apparel, footwear, accessories, and home goods at 20% to 60% off department store prices by buying surplus stock and operating with a "no-frills" model, meaning less spending on fancy displays and more savings for customers. They offer a constantly changing inventory of first-quality, in-season items for the whole family, making them a popular spot for bargain hunters.

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Gallery Credit: Jahna Michal

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Small and locally owned businesses are the heartbeat of any community, and here in the Hudson Valley, we’re fortunate to have so many shaping our neighborhoods with character and care. Each one carries its own story — from a shop sparked by an owner’s lifelong comic collection to a farm-to-fork destination named after a cherished family nickname. Here are 25 of the best, ready to inspire, delight, and remind you why shopping local matters.

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