$5 Gold Diggers opens to customers eager to uncover bargains

As Bartlesville’s newest discount store prepared to open for the first time Saturday morning, shoppers lining the sidewalk were focused. Many had arrived as early as 7 a.m. to secure a spot in line and researched for days beforehand, studying the store’s Facebook live streams to map their beeline for specific items.

When $5 Gold Diggers opened its doors at 10 a.m., people flooded in, rushing through aisles of white bins piled high with a mix of unrelated items.

A Hoover vacuum, Project 62 decorative shelves, a toddler slide, a car seat — all new, in original packaging and just $5. 

The store’s staff has spent the past week preparing the new location, 520 SE Washington Blvd. — unloading the first shipments of overstock items from retailers like Target and Amazon and hyping the opening on Facebook. 

On Saturdays, the store gives tickets to the first 60 people in line to hold their spot. Just half an hour before the store’s grand open, co-owner David Harger said only 40 of the tickets had been distributed. 

“(At the Tulsa location) usually by the time we get there, we give out 60 tickets like that,” Harger said, snapping his fingers. “It will grow once people get the gist of it. They’ll either come really early to be one of the first 60 in or they’ll come at 10.”

As 10 a.m. approached, the store’s line filled out and Harger announced anyone who likes the $5 Gold Diggers Facebook Page and checks-in on the app would receive 5% off storewide. 

The staff’s goal is to empty the store each week, making way for new inventory. A special room, “The Vault,” has high-ticket items that cost more than $5, but are marked down from original prices. 

Several families in line for the grand opening said they had their eye on baby-related items teased in the store’s Facebook photos.

Amber Evans and her daughter, who recently moved to Bartlesville from California, were looking for furniture for their new home and items for a new baby in the family. 

They arrived at 7 a.m. and were surprised to score the tickets for fourth and fifth place in line.

“In California, we couldn’t have made it in the line. Honestly, we’re super excited,” Evans said.

When the store finally opened, customers clamored to dig through the overflowing bins of home decor, makeup, diapers, fitness gear and more.

Within minutes, they were asking for additional shopping carts as the first ones filled. When there were no more carts, staff began distributing large plastic tubs for people to fill.

By 10:20 a.m., store staff brought another pallet of inventory from the back to refill bins. 

Alesa Miller left the store with two carts full of decorations for Christmas and an upcoming wedding, as well as clothes and other miscellaneous items.

Recently, she decorated her house with finds from the Tulsa location — rugs, curtains, lamps, pillows, comforters and chairs, all sourced from $5 Gold Diggers, she said.

“You kind of have to be open to maybe needing a few things, then just seeing what you can use,” Miller said. “This is the best combination of Black Friday shopping, yard-saling and gambling. … It’s the best of all worlds.”

Sally Hulse and her daughter, Robin Slack, said they attended the opening for the experience.

Hulse said they mostly found themselves buying things they do not need, but that “will come in handy” to have around.

“You have a sense of urgency because there’s so many people shopping,” Slack said. “We got a hodgepodge of stuff. Clothing, canning jars — which, that was actually on my list.”