Ranger – Christopher Hogan has been collecting and selling a variety of items for as long as he can remember, so when the chance to turn his passion into a business presented itself early this summer, Hogan couldn’t help but jump at the opportunity.
As a result, Murphy’s Discount Outlet was born.
Located at 7285 U.S. 64 W. between Peddler’s Village and Bear Creek Mini Golf, the discount outlet carries a wide variety of discounted items ranging from Starbucks coffee cups to construction equipment.
“I’ve always been into buying and selling, I grew up with it,” Hogan said of the inspiration for opening Murphy’s Discount Outlet. “My dad was an antique dealer, and I helped another outlet store in Blairsville (Ga.) opened up a few years ago. I had all this time off from the casino and decided that Murphy needed an outlet store.”
While most outlet stores stock their shelves heavily with new, unused items, Hogan wanted to do things a little bit differently than the normal outlet store. So he decided he would also sell pre-owned items to increase the variety of products on his shelves.
“I wanted to do it differently than all of the other outlet stores. That’s why I do pre-owned as well as new and try to carry a wide variety of products for everybody,” Hogan said.
Over the years, through the eBay store he runs on the side, Hogan was able to make connections with people who contact him throughout the week, letting him know what products they have available.
“Slowly I have made connections with people, but right now I’m mostly dealing with middlemen and brokers,” Hogan said of how the process of finding typically products works.
“I’m always going to Atlanta, Gainesville, all over Asheville doing what I have to do to get the product.
“I try to get everyday items that people need. I’ve got snacks, I’ve got sheets, I normally have laundry detergent and cleaning supplies. And with the used stuff I have a little bit of everything and anything.”
While having time off from his job at the casino pushed him into taking the leap and opening up Murphy’s Discount Outlet, Hogan knows times are financially tough for many people right now. He hopes that his store can help them save some money.
“Especially right now with everything that’s going on, people are penny-pinching,” Hogan said of why he felt that Murphy needed a discount outlet. “I wanted to offer a better alternative for people to be able to get whatever they need at a cheaper price. I just wanted to do something that I enjoy while offering something to the community.”
Hogan said he’s been grateful for the community’s reaction to the outlet so far. He has been trying to take as many requests from customers as he can.
“People are super excited because they don’t have to drive to Blairsville or Hiawassee and I take suggestions from them, what they’re looking for, what they’d like to see,” Hogan said. “I had the opportunity, so I figured I would follow my dream and see how it works out. It’s exceeded my expectations.
For details, see Murphy’s Discount Outlet’s page on Facebook.