Nov. 20, 2020

Black Friday-style door busters are the norm every week with a new discount retailer that take a different approach to helping shoppers score a deal.

A Crate Deal is owned by Cole and Alisa Schantz, who call it “a discount store with an entertainment twist.”

Here’s how the new business at 2520 S. Carolyn Ave. works:

Merchandise arrives weekly in big crates straight from distribution companies. The actual items themselves are a mystery until the crate is opened.

The freshly stocked crates start on Friday at $7 per item. On Saturday, the store will restock, and items will be $5. On Sunday, items will be $2.50, on Monday they will be $1, and on Tuesday they will be 50 cents. The business is closed Wednesday and Thursday for restocking.

The couple recently moved to Sioux Falls from their native North Dakota after visiting family and friends here multiple times a year for the past decade.

They became interested in liquidation retail after visiting a shop in Bismarck where they felt like they were discovering “hidden treasures.”

Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday.

The store is holding a soft opening today through Tuesday and a grand opening Nov. 27-Dec. 1. Shoppers can enter a drawing once a day for door prizes, including a Coleman CT200U mini bike, a Britax B-Clever stroller and car seat, FisherPrice glider and a king-sized mattress.