How Scott Feinstein’s Appointment Signals The Bazaar’s Next Chapter After Six Decades

In the world of closeout wholesale, reputation travels faster than inventory. Scott Feinstein has spent decades building his, not through headlines, but through disciplined merchandising and long-standing relationships. Now, as President of The Bazaar, Inc., he steps into leadership at a 66-year-old family-run company whose values closely mirror his own.

Based in Illinois, The Bazaar operates as a wholesale distributor specializing in closeout and excess inventory from major U.S. manufacturers. The company purchases merchandise directly, brings it into its own warehouse, and distributes it to independent retailers, many of them family-run stores seeking competitively priced inventory in order to keep the playing field level with the largest conglomerates. In an industry shaped by evolving technology and digital platforms, the company remains focused on what Bradley Nardick, third-generation CEO, explains as doing business the right way.

“Scott was a blue-chip recruit in our industry,” Nardick says. “He’s someone with a reputation for integrity, merchandising discipline, and long-term relationship building. That matters to us.”

Feinstein joined The Bazaar two years ago as Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandise Officer. Before that, Feinstein spent 26 years as Vice President of Merchandising at Ollies. He was an integral part of the small leadership team that helped grow the company from twelve stores to five hundred stores, as well as a very successful IPO. “Everybody loves a bargain. I have spent my whole career seeking out great value to offer to customers. The Bazaar honours that, and we will continue to search for the best bargains for every customer, whoever they may be.”

According to Nardick, Feinstein’s background in sourcing large volumes of closeout inventory and mentoring buying teams positioned him as a natural leader.

Feinstein explains that merchandising, at its core, is about trust. “In closeout retail, the deal is important, but the relationship behind the deal is what sustains you,” he says. “You have to understand the supplier, understand the retailer, and make sure both sides feel respected.”

That philosophy aligns closely with The Bazaar’s origins. Founded in 1959, the company was built around the concept of a traditional trading marketplace, a nod to the historic “bazaar,” where merchants gathered to exchange goods in person. According to Nardick, the name reflects the idea of commerce grounded in familiarity and accountability.

The Bazaar purchases excess or closeout inventory across all retail categories from major manufacturers and resells it to independent retailers across the country and internationally. Every product is shipped to its half-million-square-foot warehouse in Chicago, Illinois, checked in, and distributed. The company’s leadership frames the model as hands-on and deliberate.

“We buy what we sell. It all comes into our warehouse,” Feinstein says. “That level of involvement creates confidence, both for the manufacturers who trust us with their inventory and for the retailers who depend on us for quality and consistency.”

While the fundamentals remain relationship-driven, the company has modernized its customer experience. “Over the past 18 months, The Bazaar rebuilt its website to provide real-time access to more than 1,500 live inventory items,” Nardick says. “Retailers can now review product details and transact digitally, supported by video content that presents deals in an engaging format.”

According to Feinstein, modernization is intended to enhance, not replace, the company’s foundational values. “Technology should support the merchant’s judgment, not substitute for it,” he says. “The fundamentals still matter. Knowing what to buy, knowing who you are buying from, and honoring your commitments, those principles don’t go out of style.”

For Nardick, appointing Feinstein as president signals confidence in those principles. Having worked in the family business since childhood, he emphasizes that leadership transitions in privately held companies require trust beyond credentials.

“When you are a third-generation business, leadership is not just operational,” Nardick explains. “It’s cultural. You want someone who treats the company like it’s their own.”

Feinstein’s appointment, he adds, does not represent a departure from the company’s identity. Instead, it reinforces a direction that blends disciplined sourcing, long-standing supplier relationships, and selective innovation. “After 66 years, you don’t survive by chasing every trend,” Feinstein says. “You survive by staying consistent in how you treat people and how you evaluate opportunities.”

As The Bazaar. Inc enters its next chapter, Nardick frames the transition as an affirmation of continuity. For the independent retailers and manufacturing partners who rely on the company, the message appears straightforward. Modern tools may shape how business is conducted, but the foundation remains rooted in trust.