Kingsport Spirit

BURLINGTON OPENS AT KINGSPORT PAVILION ON OCTOBER 10

Burlington has been part of Kingsport for 36 years, but the new store at Kingsport Pavilion (2626 East Stone Drive) isn’t “more of the same.” The retailer has rebuilt its playbook and is expanding nationwide while many chains are shrinking. At a time when others lean harder into e-commerce, Burlington doubled down on the in-person “treasure hunt”—now the No. 3 off-price apparel/home chain behind TJX (TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods) and Ross.

The shift began with a contrarian call in 2020: Burlington closed its e-commerce site and centered the business on stores. The idea was simple—shipping one-off bargains eats into margins; keeping the deals on the rack keeps prices sharper.

Next came the physical reset. New stores and remodels use a smaller footprint—about 25,000 square feet or less—with open sightlines, simpler aisles, and clearer signage so shoppers can cover the floor quickly. More than half the fleet has been refreshed. Kingsport’s move mirrors that approach: a compact space just over 18,000 square feet, front “power tables,” and edited racks that turn over frequently.

The results have shown up in recent reports: sales up roughly 10 percent, comparable sales up 5 percent, and higher full-year guidance—evidence that smaller boxes and tighter merchandising are working.

How does that compare with the two giants? TJX remains the heavyweight, with more than 5,100 stores worldwide and steady growth (sales up about 7 percent; comps up 4 percent). Ross keeps adding stores as a brick-and-mortar model (about 90 openings this year; sales up 5 percent; comps up 2 percent). Burlington is smaller, but its recent pace and store rollout put it on the same path—on a leaner cost base and with an even tighter focus on in-store value.

For Kingsport shoppers, the differences are practical. Parking is close. The walk is short. You can cover apparel, home, and beauty in a quick loop. Associates roll out new carts through the week, so what’s on the rack today may be gone tomorrow. If you already shop TJ Maxx and Ross, you’ll recognize the off-price mix; Burlington’s layout simply makes short, frequent stops easier than long passes through a big box.

Burlington opened here in 1989. The relocation keeps the store in the same East Stone corridor while updating the format for how people shop now: short errands, fast finds, and brand names without full-price tags. It also benefits from strong co-tenancy at Kingsport Pavilion—Target, Kohl’s, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Michael’s, Ulta Beauty, Books-A-Million, Bealls, Bath & Body Works, Ashley HomeStore, Dollar Tree, Rack Room Shoes, Hibbett Sports, Maurices, GameStop, Great Clips, and others—making it an easy add to a single-trip circuit.

Regionally, Burlington has an existing location in Bristol, VA, with the new openings scheduled this month in Asheville (Arden, NC) and Chattanooga (Fort Oglethorpe, GA, and Dalton, GA).