Pier 1 Imports Outlet Malls

About Pier 1 Imports

First, a note: there are no Pier One Imports store outlets; however, there are always sales and discounted items so it is still worth the stop.

The first Pier One Imports store opened in San Mateo, California in 1962 as a small store with a rather limited selection of items. By the time the corporate headquarters was moved to Fort Worth, Texas, Pier One had become a chain with a total of 16 stores. The customers continued to find and fall in love with the expanding and ever changing lines of merchandise, and in 1979 a store in Royal Oak, Michigan hit a major milestone by becoming the first to have a million dollars in sales in a single year.

Pier One continued to change what it offered, adding furniture to the store in 1985. Three years later a Pier One Preferred card was offered, with more than 100,000 people signing up for one in the first year. Adapting and rolling with the times meant adding an online presence, which happened in 1999.

Cargo Furniture and Home stores was bought by Pier One in 2001 with those stores changed into Pier One Kids. In 2003, the chain opened its 1,000^th store, which was also to be the largest of the Pier One Imports stores in North America. It was located in the city of Summelinn, Nevada, which is just outside of bustling Las Vegas.

What Does Pier One Imports Sell?

One of the best parts of shopping at Pier One Imports stores is the fact that it is never the same thing. You could walk into a store in your local area and shop, drive to another store in a neighboring city and find all new things. While there are some items that can be found in most if not all of the stores, there is always a wide array of items that will be unique to the store in question. Some of this is because of demand- stores that sell a lot of candles will have a wider selection of candles and related products, while another store might carry other items because that is what those customers want. Here are some of the categories that the stores offer:

• Décor and lighting
• Furniture
• Holiday and seasonal items
• Cushions and pillows
• Entertaining/dining
• Outdoor items
• Curtains and rugs
• Gifts and occasions

Each category has a number of subdivisions. Here is a closer look at the “furniture” category.

• Dining room
• Living room
• Wine and bar cabinets
• Storage and home office solutions
• Bean bags and poufs
• Outdoor furniture including papa san and wicker furniture
• Bedroom furniture

Under the category storage and home office solutions, there are more than 160 items listed including 39 shelves and bookcases, 56 cabinets and chests of various colors, sizes and types, 32 random storage solutions and 18 trunks. The Lancaster trunk, as just one example, is a dusky blue, foot locker sized trunk with a beautiful floral design on the front. Another trunk features a bright and bold paisley design in pale red, green and yellow. There are many others, including some that could be easily modified to perfectly match the décor in your own home.

How to Shop a Pier One Imports Store

As previously mentioned, not all items are carried by all of the Pier One stores. Even the online store is limited by the number of items that it carries. Sometimes that one unique item that you want or need for yourself or as a gift can only be found by being at the right place at the right time. If you are only going to be satisfied with a certain item, then you might be set up for disappointment. But, if you go into the store with the right attitude, you might be able to amaze yourself, your friends and your family with the remarkable finds that you have discovered. Cast away all of your expectations. Forget about items that you may have seen in an advertisement. Don’t even think about the cookie cutter items that you might have seen in other stores. Walk in like you are exploring the far reaches of the globe, like a world traveler out to find something that speaks of its location. Let the store show you what it has- aisle by aisle. Things will leap out and reveal themselves to you- a necklace for your sister or a handmade shawl for your mother.

Consider it more than just shopping. Consider it an educational trip and a vacation all in one. But remember, once you get hooked on “traveling” in a Pier One Imports store, you might not be able to resist going in to browse whenever you find another one. There are many stores all over the United States, Canada and Mexico, so you are probably closer to one than you may imagine. Whether that is a good or a bad thing is up to you.