The Ames Department Stores discount chain, founded in Massachusetts in 1958, ran over 700 stores in 20 states at its peak but after a couple of bankruptcy filings went out of business in 2002. Recently, however, a notice appeared on amesstores.com announcing that new Ames stores will open in 2023. The first stores will reportedly appear in Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania with others to come to Rhode Island in 2024.