21 News has found Grocery Outlet Bargain Market and Five Below will move into the former JCPenney property in the Austintown Plaza.

Austintown Zoning Inspector Darren Crivelli provided 21 News with copies of plans for the former building. Five Below will be 9,200 square feet and will be on the southwest side of the building.

Additionally, the plans show another tenant revealed to be Grocery Outlet Bargain Market which will be next to the Five Below and will be 18,681 square feet.

A representative from Grocery Outlet Bargain Market confirmed with 21 News that the store is slated to open in October 2025. We're told more information will be coming closer to the opening.

"No empty building, more shopping area and they're welcome to come to Austintown," said Trustee Monica Deavers to 21 News.

People living in and around the township don't have an absence of grocery stores. The grocery outlet will sit across from the township's Aldi and Walmart, next to the new Meijer breaking ground this weekend, and just a mile away from Giant Eagle.

"I think competition will be nice," Deavers said. "Everybody likes to shop at different places and it's great that this building has not been vacant for very long."

While Grocery Outlet Bargain Market's permits have yet to be issued, Trustees Monica Deavers and Bruce Shepas agree adding another grocery store gives shoppers options and benefits the township's economy.

"With the increase in grocery costs these days and inflation, it's affecting all of us," Shepas told 21 News. "So why not have more options for us, the consumers, the residents of Austintown and give everybody a chance to stretch their dollar."

"I'm just happy personally that there are businesses that want to come here," Deavers said. "We're a diverse community and growth is what I'm looking forward to."

This will be Grocery Outlet Bargain Market's second location in Mahoning County with the first being located in Boardman in the former Toys-R-Us property on Route 224. 

Some residents are surprised a grocery store will fill the space. Others 21 News spoke with were hoping for a Target or a new restaurant.

"With already having Walmart and Aldi, it feels like it might just be one of those stores that pop up, is popular right at the beginning and then just fizzles out," said Macy Kittelberger of Austintown. "And then no one goes and then it goes out of business. My first reaction and hope was that the space was going to be a Target, retail store, or restaurant. To go to any restaurants, we have to go out to Niles or Boardman."

Shepas said he hears residents wanting a steakhouse or other franchise-type restaurant but is more than happy if the grocery store follows through on moving in.

"I do believe, in time, after the development of Meijer and possibly some other things coming to our area, that you will see those," Shepas said. "Meijer broke ground today and there's been a ton of positive feedback. People are excited they won't have to drive to a neighboring community and they'll have a much larger option here in town."

The plans still show 21,655 square feet available on the property. No tenant appears to be lined up for this section yet.

Tenants are required to go through permits to lease the property, but trustees are not consulted about the interested company and they do not have a say on who moves in.

"Five Below is confirmed and that's positive. We do have permits and signage for Five Below and I'm happy to see that also. My big thing is I'm happy there are no vacancies," Deavers added.

"Development in Austintown is growing," Shepas added. "We are seeing an influx of big business and hopefully some bigger box stores and restaurants. It's an up-and-coming area and we're glad to have them."

Plans submitted for the property are pictured below, and renderings of the Five Below can be found in the slideshow above.