Oct. 27, 2020

A new discount business could become a fast favorite for those who love the thrill of finding a good deal.

Cole and Alisa Schantz are opening A Crate Deal next month, calling it “a discount store with an entertainment twist.”

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,” Alisa Schantz said. “It felt like Black Friday every weekend. Our first big find was a pair of AirPods for $5. We were hooked. Who doesn’t love a great deal? With new merchandise every week, it was hard to stay away.”

Their new business at 2520 S. Carolyn Ave. will have a distinct business model that’s reflected in the name.

“The merchandise will be held in big crates on the sales floor and restocked weekly. Items are essentially unseen and straight from distribution companies,” Shantz said.

“We disperse the new merchandise every week into 4-by-4 crates, making it a truly fun and unique experience for customers to find their crate deal.”

A Crate Deal will start each week on Friday with freshly stocked crates 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.

“We are closed Wednesday and Thursday in order to clean out, sanitize and restock crates for another week starting on Friday,” Shantz said, adding items will be sold for up to 90 percent off retail.

“We are all about the bargain for our customers. Everything is a flat rate correlating with the day you choose to shop. Buying truckloads of merchandise ensures the best price possible for customers, which makes it possible for our customers to be paying pennies on the dollar.”

Merchandise could include anything you’d find from a major big-box online retailer in the U.S. or worldwide, she said. That includes home goods, tools, books, clothing, electronics, car parts, food, baby accessories and toys.

The business won’t use traditional retail shelving “because half the fun is searching for the deals,” she added. “We aren’t just selling merchandise, we are selling an exciting experience.”

The previous tenant had used the space that’s one block west of The Home Depot for personal use, so a few changes are being made such as new paint and flooring.

The plan is to open around the week of Thanksgiving, with a grand opening on Black Friday, Nov. 27. The couple plans to run it themselves to start and eventually hire staff.

While this is the first location for the business, “we do plan to open more,” Shantz said.