Big Lots will reopen 78 stores this week as part of a wave of store revivals, months after it was saved from bankruptcy. The discount retailer secured a last-minute rescue deal in December with retail focused investment firm Gordon Brothers and Variety Wholesalers.

Under the agreement, Gordon Brothers would purchase the retailer and then transfer between 200 and 400 Big Lots stores to Variety Wholesalers, which operates discount chains including Roses, Maxway and Bargain Town. The retailer's remaining locations saved by Variety Wholesalers will open across nine states this week. The states with the soon-to-be-opened stores are Florida , Georgia, Kentucky , North Carolina , Ohio , Pennsylvania , South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

'We are excited to reopen additional Big Lots stores this Thursday, June 5!,' Variety Wholesalers told DailyMail.com. 'We have been thrilled with customer response to the soft openings we've held so far and cannot wait to continue serving these 78 additional communities.' The company opened its first 141 locations between April and May. It will celebrate the new stores with 'exciting new deals' at a grand opening event this fall.

'This enthusiastic response reinforces our belief that taking Big Lots! back to the roots of what made it a huge success resonates with our customers. Proving great value will always be out core mission,' Variety Wholesalers CEO Lisa Seigies said. Big Lots had been struggling for over a decade before filing for bankruptcy protection last year . Shoppers first spotted the chain's 'closing' signs hanging at about 315 stores in multiple states this past summer.

While the chain later trimmed its store closures to 292 , they confirmed the number rose to 500 that fall . All stores offered massive liquidation sales , but it wasn't enough for the company to survive its financial woes. The chain closed around 555 locations by November and announced its plan to go out of business a month later.

However, Big Lots was saved soon afterward when the chain reached a deal with Gordon Brothers to transfer assets to other companies . Other retailers that purchased Big Lots locations include Trader Joe's , Ollie's Bargain Outlet and Ocean State Job Lot. Variety Wholesale is exploring the possibility of purchasing more Big Lots locations. The company has not revealed if it intends to keep the Big Lots name in other potential stores.

Various brands have not been able to retain their name after a sale. Hudson's Bay launched liquidation sales after planning to permanently shutter stores by June 15 . The company struck a deal to sell up to 28 stores to Canadian mall owner Weihong (Ruby) Liu, who plans to launch a new store concept and not keep the Hudson's Bay name. Some retailers like Joann Fabrics and Crafts , Forever21, and the Party City chain were unable to be saved, permanently closing all locations this year.