Home Plus Outlet deals out the discounts

Welcome to Home Plus Outlet, the Elgin business that its manager says is the Wal-Mart of the home improvement world.

"We're like a low-price leader in this market," said Scott Wunder, the store's manager.

Home Plus Outlet, an independently owned store at the corner of McLean Boulevard and Big Timber Road, opened nine weeks ago in the space that, for years, housed Eagle Foods. That 40,000-square-foot space has been empty for at least five years.

"People are still getting used to the fact that someone's here," Wunder said.

The business offers many items at prices less than people would find elsewhere.

"We want to be people's home for deals," he said.

At Home Plus Outlet, which Wunder says is owned by multiple investors, you can buy plumbing supplies, interior and exterior doors, kitchen cabinets, wall tile, rugs and mattresses.

Some furniture, such as bar stools, bookcases, tables and ottomans also is available.

Wunder says the store's flooring department is probably the largest in the area.

There are over 100 varieties of tile -- porcelain, ceramic and marble, for example -- as well as laminates and hardwood selections, he said.

"It's hard for people to find something they don't like," he said.

Business was especially buzzing in recent weeks, thanks to the rampant rains in the area.

People flocked to the store asking for generators to power their homes, businesses or village facilities, Wunder said.

Home Plus Outlet stayed opened later to accommodate their needs -- some homeowners came in as late as 1 a.m.

"We never ran out and stayed open late during that pivotal time," Wunder said.