Akron's Krazy Bins to be reborn as new concept Krazy Racks to open in Twinsburg Oct. 7

Krazy Bins is returning to Summit County.

Well, sort of.

After closing its Akron location earlier this year, the store known for overstocks and returns of mostly Target merchandise is opening a new concept store Oct. 7 in Twinsburg.

Unlike the former Akron store and its other locations in Parma and Mentor where items are sold from bins and prices get progressively cheaper as the week progresses, the new Krazy Racks looks a lot more like a traditional retail store.

Owner Noah Leavitt said the biggest difference is that prices will not fluctuate daily.

Housewares from Halloween decorations to toys to kitchen items to bedding will be displayed on shelves and will be half off the regular retail price.

And clothing is displayed on racks and will be 70% off the regular retail price.

Leavitt said this new concept in the large store that was once a Gander Mountain in a plaza on Creekside Drive off Darrow Road should be a less stressful shopping experience for some.

Don't get him wrong, Leavitt said, he still loves the excitement of opening the doors with customers waiting in line at his bin stores looking for bargains.

But one of the issues with these types of stores is how quickly the merchandise gets snapped up with fewer customers each ensuing day until the price drops to a $1.

"People rush in and by 1 o'clock no one is left in the store," Leavitt said. "All the good items are gone."

Proliferation of 'bins stores' in northern Ohio

There's also some uncertainty in the bin business.

Pallets of returns and overstocks that were going for $10,000 just a few months ago and are now fetching upwards of $16,000.

Leavitt said the dramatic rise in prices as more and more get into the liquidation business makes the margins very tight.

And then there's the labor involved in completely flipping the merchandise in the store each and every week.

This new, more traditional retail approach will allow more customers to enjoy the savings as merchandise is added daily, Leavitt said.

It will also ensure that more fragile merchandise − like large Santas that will be for sale in Twinsburg location − are not jostled and broken by customers rooting through bins.

Another fun thing about this business, he said, is you never know what you are getting in these liquidation pallets until you open the box.

It could be full of Christmas wrapping paper or squirt guns or Black History Month T-shirts or stools.

"Every day is like Christmas," he said.

Leavitt said he is happy to reopen in Summit County after he was forced to close the Akron location because the owner of the plaza was looking to put in an Aldi grocery store in his space.

Krazy Racks will have between 15 and 20 employees.

"It's exciting," he said. "I can't wait to get the store open − there's nothing else like it out there."

Craig Webb, who can never pass up a good bargain, can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Twinsburg Krazy Racks store to feature Target returns and overstocks