Struggling discount furniture and home furnishings retailer Big Lots is going out of business.

The Columbus, Ohio-based chain plans to close its more than 900 locations at an unknown date after a court-supervised sale to private equity firm Nexus Capital Management fell through. Big Lots will continue to pursue a transaction with Nexus or another buyer, the company noted in a statement sent Thursday, hoping to close a deal by early January.

“While we remain hopeful that we can complete an alternative going concern transaction to protect the value of the Big Lots property, we have made the difficult decision to initiate the (going out of business) process,” said Bruce, CEO of Big Lots Thorn said.

Going concern is an accounting term for a company that has the resources to meet its financial obligations.

Big Lots filed for bankruptcy protection in September in connection with the ill-fated sales agreement. The self-described “extreme bargain” retailer also warned of more store closures, in addition to a round in July that closed nearly 300 stores, including the one in Moon.

At the time, Big Lots blamed some of its problems on rising interest rates and particularly high inflation, which caused its core customers to curb their “discretionary spending on homes and seasonal product categories, which account for a large portion of the company’s sales.” ”

Big Lots generated revenue of about $4.7 billion last fiscal year, its lowest revenue in more than a decade.

Now all of the more than 20 Big Lots stores in southwestern Pennsylvania appear to be doomed.

The company has stores in Allegheny Township, Harrison, Hempfield, Monroeville, Penn Hills, Ross Township, Unity, North Versailles and West Mifflin, among others. Some are tucked away in older, often run-down shopping centers, while others exist as stand-alone buildings.

The Big Lots website advertises sales of up to 50% at all locations.