First of all, it’s pronounced “bells.”
Florida-based discount apparel and home goods retailer Bealls is coming May 5 to Allegheny Township, the company announced Monday, marking its first foray into the Alle-Kiski Valley.
While the name might spark some confusion, the Bealls business model is familiar to most shoppers. Spokesperson Suzanne Santangelo compared Bealls to a T.J. Maxx, Marshalls or Ross, collectively known as “off-price” retailers in the industry.
The 21,000-square-foot store in Hyde Park Plaza will open May 5, followed by grand opening ceremony at 8:45 a.m. May 9. Customers have the chance to receive gifts and enter gift card giveaways through May 11.
Bealls is going in between the plaza’s Aldi and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet locations.
The company will be hiring 16 to 18 supervisors and associates in the coming weeks.
Bealls operates more than 600 stores across 22 states, including six in Pennsylvania. The nearest location is in Butler Township.
Another 25 stores, including the one in Allegheny Township, will open in the coming months, primarily in the southeastern part of the country.
Hyde Park Plaza has seen a remarkable resurgence in recent years.
Aldi, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and Dollar Tree all have opened since 2023. After Bealls opens, only three vacancies remain in the retail complex. Plaza owner Jeff Paul said in January he has heard from businesses interested in occupying those spots.
A Starbucks is also on the way, Paul said, and will operate out of a freestanding building being erected on a seldom-used patch of parking lot. Work is expected to finish in the fall.