Nearly 500 workers at a Big Lots distribution center in Montgomery will lose their jobs next week as a result of the chain’s complete closure, according to the Alabama Department of Commerce.

In a Dec. 24 WARN notice, which is required by federal law to give employees advance notice in the event of mass layoffs, the Big Lots Distribution Center at 2855 Selma Highway in Montgomery informed workers that 491 layoffs would go into effect on Jan. 6.

Representatives for Big Lots, the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce, and the Alabama Department of Commerce did not respond to requests for comment.

The discount retailer announced last month that an anticipated merger with private equity firm Nexus Capital Management had fallen through, and as a result, it would close all locations.

The company filed for bankruptcy earlier this year and announced it was closing more than 300 of its 1,400 locations.

“We all have worked extremely hard and have taken every step to complete a going concern sale,” Bruce Thorn, Big Lots’ President and Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement.

“While we remain hopeful that we can close an alternative going concern transaction, in order to protect the value of the Big Lots estate, we have made the difficult decision to begin the (going out of business) process.”

A timeline has not been released for when stores will close and are continuing to operate in-stores and online, Big Lots told AL.com previously.

Up to half of Big Lots stores look could be saved as Variety Wholesalers has signaled it intends to acquire between 200 and 400 Big Lots stores and up to two distribution centers, Forbes reported on Friday.