VIDEO: Three Former Benny’s Locations to Become Ocean State Job Lots

VIDEO: Three Former Benny’s Locations to Become Ocean State Job Lots

Ocean State Job Lot in conjunction with the Carpionato Group announced Wednesday that they have entered into a multi-store agreement for Ocean State Job Lot to occupy three former Benny’s locations at 1109 Warwick Avenue in Warwick, 148 Atwood Avenue in Cranston and at 688 Kingstown Road in Wakefield. 

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The announcement marks the latest since the Carpionato Group announced their plans in 2017 to invest more than $100 million to redevelop 29 former Benny's stores across southern New England.

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Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello, and other elected officials were on hand at the former Benny’s on Atwood Avenue in Cranston for the announcement. 

“We are pleased to announce our deal with the Carpionato Group, and to be able to reopen three former Benny’s locations in Cranston, Warwick and Wakefield,” said Marc Perlman, Principal Owner and CEO, Ocean State Job Lot. “We recently acquired seven former Toys ‘R’ Us locations throughout the northeast, including in Pennsylvania, a new market for us."

PHOTOS: See More Photos of Announcement at Bottom

“This agreement with the Carpionato Group will add a second convenient location in Cranston and will allow us to move two of our older locations in Wakefield and on Warwick Avenue in Warwick into improved new spaces,” said Perlman. “When we open formerly shutdown locations we try our best to hire those associates who have lost their jobs. We look forward to creating employment opportunities, and offering a bigger, better, brighter shopping experience for our customers.”  

“Like Benny’s before it, Ocean State Job Lot is a Rhode Island-institution where consumers know they can go to find quality merchandise they need at affordable prices,” said Kelly Coates, President and CEO of Carpionato Group. “Our goals in purchasing these locations were to ensure they would remain a go-to neighborhood resource and would be positioned for long-term success.  Ocean State Job Lot has a long-track record of community investment and involvement, and we know that like Benny’s before them, they will provide services to these neighborhoods, jobs in these neighborhoods and pay real estate taxes in these three cities for many years to come.”

Long-term leases have been signed for the Cranston and Wakefield sites, and Carpionato will be selling the Warwick site to Ocean State Job Lot. The terms of the sale and leases are not being disclosed.