With locations in 20 states, Burkes Outlet is a fairly well-known off-price retailer. But if you're not familiar with the name "Burkes," you might have heard of Bealls Outlet. Both retailers are under parent company Bealls Inc., which also oversees Home Centric, Rugged Earth Outfitters, and Bealls Department Stores of Florida. In total, Bealls operates over 500 locations, and if you frequent any of these stores, you'll want to be clued in on the lesser known aspects of their business practices. Read on to discover five secrets Burkes Outlet doesn't want you to know.
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1 | Inventory can end up in the trash.
Billy F Blume Jr / ShutterstockSome stores have faced criticism for throwing away inventory, including Bath & Body Works and Ulta, which allegedly requires employees to destroy returned products before throwing them out. According to one YouTube video, Burkes Outlet is also guilty of tossing items in the trash from time to time.
In the video, user Renegade Thrifter showcased three items found in the trash at a Burkes Outlet store. The YouTuber said that he and his wife were looking for cardboard boxes in the dumpsters, but they stumbled upon some decorative items as well. In the video, he shows a decorative vase with fake flowers and a large decorative lantern that was missing a front glass panel.
"The wood itself is in perfect condition and so is the top where you will be hanging it from, so not too bad," the YouTuber said. "I don't see a price on it, but I would think that at this kind of store the item would sell from $14 to about $30, not too cheap."
The last item is a pair of earrings, priced at $3.99, which he called "a nice little find." The YouTuber didn't make it clear if he knew why the Burkes items were in the dumpster, but you might want to consider what you're returning to your store and where it could end up.
2 | You could be overcharged.
ShutterstockReturns are a pain, but they're even more aggravating when you have to go back to the store due to an incorrect price on your receipt. According to one employee review on Glassdoor, Bealls' information technology (IT) department leaves a bit to be desired.
"IT team and technology development is below acceptable standards," the employees wrote, adding that the servers went down during one holiday season leading to all customers being double charged. "There has been countless issues with our serves and POS [point-of-sale] software since I started a few years back."
This may have been an isolated incident of double-charging, but it's well worth it to scan your receipt whenever you shop next.
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3 | There are certain days to shop and save.
IgorGolovniov / ShutterstockDepending on your age and where you live, consider stopping by your local Bealls store on specific days. According to WINK News, joining Bealls' loyalty program will save you 15 percent every Monday at Bealls Outlet, Burkes Outlet, and Home Centric stores. For Bealls department stores, you'll want to shop on Tuesday, where you'll also save 10 percent.
These deals can only be applied in stores, but as TikToker @amberrnoelle34 noted, you can save an extra 15 percent on one transaction during your birthday month. Your birthday reward is a bit different, as it can conveniently be used both in-store and online. According to the fine print on Bealls' website, you have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the last day of your birthday month to use your reward.
4 | There's a way to maximize your pick of the clearance section.
Kenishirotie / ShutterstockIs there a better feeling than getting something you've wanted at a fraction of the price? When shopping at Burkes Outlet, you know you're already getting low prices, but you can score even better deals on the clearance rack, former employees say.
According to a post on Rather-Be-Shopping.com about the best days to shop, markdowns at Burkes are reserved for certain days. "Burkes starts to do [markdowns] on tuesday and is usually done by 3 the next day!" an ex-employee wrote in a comment. If you want to scour the clearance racks, consider heading to your local store after work on Wednesday.
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5 | The stores themselves are a well-kept secret.
Eric Glenn / ShutterstockAs there are so many different names for stores under the Bealls umbrella, things get a bit confusing. Bealls department stores are exclusive to Florida, but Bealls Outlet stores are in Florida, Georgia, and Arizona. Burkes Outlet stores, on the other hand, are found in the other 20 states in the Southeast, Southwest, South Central, and Midwest regions of the U.S.
On social media, users are surprised to see others shopping at Burkes Outlet, noting that they have a similar store called Bealls Outlet—without realizing that they're owned by the same company. Some say they've never even heard of these outlet stores, with one commenter asking "What is THIS MAGICAL PLACE?"
In another video posted on TikTok in June, shopper @chigshopaholic filmed her experience shopping at a Burkes store, calling the store "slept on" when it comes to trendier items. Employees were quick to comment, noting that these outlet stores aren't recognized for the inventory that they carry.
"I'm a manager at Burke's! It's so slept on we get all of the trendy things—like the Steve Madden purse, but no one knows it exists," a comment reads.
Interestingly enough, TikTokers who frequent this store are trying to keep it a secret to save the deals for themselves, especially on hotter brand-name items. "Stop that's my secret store," one TikToker wrote in response to a "haul" video showcasing Wrangler apparel from Burkes, while another commenter called to "gatekeep" the store.
