RUMFORD – Bill Holt comes from a family devoted to searching for and selling bargains. He started in the business at the age of 8, helping his uncle in the discount business.
His uncle, Bob Dinan, was the owner of Bob’s Discount, a bargain store that recently filed for bankruptcy protection. His grandfather was an auctioneer from the Waterville area.
Now, at age 28, Holt is about to open his second discount business known as Tiny Bill’s in the River Valley Crossing shopping center. The doors open at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 17.
His first store in Lisbon Falls has grown quickly, he said. Customers have become friends.
Now, he’s decided that Rumford is the right place to be.
“There’s not many bargain stores for Rumford’s population,” he said.
He started bringing in merchandise while the Discount Barn was still in the space he’ll be leasing for the next five years. In fact, the Discount Barn’s manager, Dan Lajoie, is one of Holt’s partners.
The store, once the site of Ames Department Store, was nearly filled with furniture, clothing, candles, sporting goods, foods and a little bit of almost everything else on Thursday as the signs were being erected on the store and at the entrance to the shopping center.
Holt said new shipments with new items will arrive every week.
“I want to give great deals on everything. This is the place to come every week for deals,” he said.
Holt will employ 12 full- and part-time people, more than double the number employed at the Discount Barn.
Coffee and doughnuts will be served during the opening day.
Hours are: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
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