Dig in at ‘It’s Bin Fun,’ Pocatello’s newest discount store

POCATELLO — Bargain shopping just got a modern twist in the Gate City. It’s Bin Fun, Pocatello’s newest discount shopping adventure, is a full-blown treasure hunt unlike anything in town.

Locally owned and operated by Aaron and Tallie Russell of Pocatello, both of whom are engineers by trade, the couple studied the growing “bin store” business model before deciding to take the plunge and start their own business. They opened It’s Bin Fun on Sept. 5 on Yellowstone Avenue next to Mandarin House.

Aaron explained that bin stores operate a bit like mystery boxes on a grand scale. When shipments arrive, owners often have no idea exactly what’s inside — just that the pallets come from major retailers’ returns, overstocks or liquidations.

That means every week’s inventory is a surprise, filled with anything from high-end electronics to quirky gadgets and everyday essentials.

“A bin store is like a giant grab bag. We buy overstock, returned, or liquidated merchandise from major companies such as Amazon, Target, and Walmart,” he said. “The goods — often brand new or unopened — are tossed into large bins for shoppers to dig through. There’s no need to merchandise, so our overhead stays low, big savings go to the customer, and perfectly good items are put to use.”

The savings can be phenomenal. Here’s how it works: Every Thursday, the Russells restock the bins with thousands of new items.

Then the real fun begins.

• Friday: Every item in the store is $9. Shoppers line up early to find the best deals.
• Saturday: Everything drops to $7.
• Monday: $5 day.
• Tuesday: $3 day.
• Wednesday: $1 day—when the store sometimes sees lines of 100 to 200 people waiting for doors to open.
• Thursday: Closed for restocking, then the cycle starts again.

Each week’s inventory is different, and the surprises are half the fun. Shoppers have scored deals like a $700 iPad and a $300 Aura Ring for just $9. “While those kinds of finds aren’t guaranteed, they do happen,” said Aaron.

Other times, shoppers will find eccentric items like egg rollers, rockstar boots with marijuana leaves, offbeat coffee flavors and even auto parts.

“I’m not exactly sure what an egg roller is or why someone would want one, but we have them,” said Aaron.

Aaron reminds shoppers that everything is sold as-is, with no returns, exchanges, refunds or products guarantees. The store accepts cash and cards.

While many items are sealed in boxes or bags tempting shoppers to open them to see what’s inside, Aaron asks that people don’t open them.

“Most things have a label on them that can be scanned using the Amazon app to see what’s insider, or ask an employee to help,” he said.

It’s Bin Fun is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The store is closed Thursdays for restocking and Sundays for a well-earned day off.

To stay up to date on restocks, surprise finds, and special sale days go to the website https://bin-fun.com/ or follow It’s Bin Fun on Facebook.

The Russells came up with the store’s name hoping shoppers will leave with some great bargains, saying, “It’s Bin Fun!”