Former Mountlake Terrace restaurateur Seaun Richards opening new overstock outlet store in Lynnwood

Cheaper By The Day is a warehouse setting with particle board bins for shoppers to dig through in hope of finding a bargain. (Photo courtesy of Seaun Richards)

After nearly three decades of working in the food business, restaurateur and former Mountlake Terrace City Councilmember Seaun Richards is swapping burgers for bins full of retail items that get cheaper by the day.

Cheaper By The Day is an overstock outlet store where everything is $7 and the prices drop daily until all items are sold. It opens for business Friday, Oct. 23 at 10 a.m.

The 6,000-square-foot outlet store is located at 19800 44th Ave. W. in Lynnwood and has 20 large bins containing more than 20,000 products from stores like Amazon, Target, Costco, Walmart and Lowes’. Each week, the bins will be restocked with more products, like small appliances, electronics, small furniture, home goods, food, baby items, pet supplies, automotive equipment, office supplies, paper products and cleaning supplies.

According to Richards, major companies — like Amazon — have returns and overstock, and often need to unload some of their best items. The products are purchased by the truckload from stores with excess, so he never knows what will be in the store on Fridays.

Products will also be priced by a sliding scale that gets lower as the week progresses. Starting on Friday, everything in the store is priced at $7, Saturdays are $5, Sundays go down to $3, Mondays dip to $1 and on Tuesdays, everything is 50 cents. The store will be closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Anything left at the end of the week will be 25 cents, Richards said. Hours are from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday-Tuesday.

“My goal was to create a store where shoppers could find amazing liquidation deals on products that they really want,” Richards said. “I wanted to make your shopping experience to be like a treasure hunt. Shoppers can come across big ticket products and never pay more than $7 per item.”

Richards previously worked as restaurateur for 26 years, beginning with two restaurants in Edmonds. Eventually, he made his way to Mountlake Terrace, where his restaurant Red Onion Burger became a staple in the community. After more than 10 years, Richards decided to start selling seafood and comfort food and re-christened his restaurant Red Onion Cafe and Seafood Bar. Shortly after, Richards returned to selling (mini) burgers with 44th Street Sliders. However, like many businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, 44th Street Sliders closed its doors in August.

“I spent a year trying to hide the changes that I knew I had to deal with and the financial decisions I had to make,” Richards said. “I spent the last few months of reevaluating my life, explored new options and focused on me and what I wanted to offer. It became clear to me that I wanted to offer a new experience and an exciting new concept.”

Richards added that Cheaper By The Day is not a thrift store, because 99% of its inventory is new, nor is it a dollar store, because it doesn’t sell replaceable merchandise. He also said it’s not a discount store because everything is priced the same and prices drop daily until it’s sold.

“It’s a shopping experience like no other,” Richards said. “Everyday there are great finds until it’s all gone.”

  1. Good luck Seaun! This sounds like an idea whose time has come. I will visit for sure.

    1. Awesome business idea, I am looking forward to the shopping experience. Success will look good on you! Wishing you the best

    2. Are you moving into where Grocery Outlet is since they’re moving up to 176th/Hwy 99? Is yout store temporarily in this location since light rail is coming.? Cool concept!

      1. It’s my understanding grocery outlet complex will be torn down and a high rise mixed use village/complex will be built in conjunction with the the light rail station in 2024. 196th us also scheduled to be widened in that area .

  2. Great idea! During this time of the Virus and not much to do, this sounds like a good time to get out of the house and look for a treasure!

  3. Isn’t this the future town center location? Is this just a temporary thing until the whole lot gets developed?

      1. This sounds like Falling Prices in Sacramento, CA. It’s my favorite store to visit when I go see my parents. The BEST deals!!!! So excited to finally have one here!

  4. Thanks all for the positive feedback. Looking forward to Opening Day this Friday. Thanks to Cody and Teresa for sharing this new adventure. – Seaun

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