Consolidated Stores to Be Called Big Lots

Consolidated Stores Corp. shareholders have agreed that the chain of close-out stores and its corporate parent should operate under the single name of Big Lots Inc.

Big Lots replaces various names the Columbus, Ohio-based company’s 1,300 stores have carried, including Odd Lots, Mac Frugal and Pic ‘N Save.

Chairman Michael Potter said the nation’s largest close-out retailer hopes to capitalize on better name recognition as it embarks on an aggressive store-opening campaign. Plans call for nearly doubling the number to more than 2,500 stores within 10 years. The company’s new ticker symbol will be BLI on the New York Stock Exchange. The shares closed up 84 cents at $12.71.