The announcement this week of the closure of Big Lots stores nationwide will have a serious effect on over 500 people who are employed at the company’s distribution center in Tremont, Schuylkill County.

According to a WARN notice posted by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, 505 employees will be affected by layoffs the company plans to initiate on Jan. 6. The company has said its closure will be complete by March 31.

Big Lots said in a statement the company does not expect to finalize its previously announced asset purchase agreement with Nexus Capital Management and that going-out-of-business sales will be held in its stores in an effort to protect as much of the company’s assets as possible through liquidation.

The distribution center’s closure leaves the over 500 employees to face the prospect of unemployment. Big Lots has not yet provided specific details about severance packages or support for affected workers.