THE OWNERS OF M@C DISCOUNT ARE OPENING AN IN-PERSON DISCOUNT STORE, YINZ BINZ, NEAR THEIR BUTLER PICKUP CENTER LOCATION IN THE FORMER FRIEDMAN’S FRESHMARKET BUILDING. | PHOTOS COURTESY OF M@C DISCOUNT

When Kellen Campbell and Shawn Allen started M@c Discount in 2017, they never dreamed the liquidation auction site would branch into 18 pickup locations, with more on the way, in less than six years.

“It’s been a wild ride!” says Campbell. “It’s been fun to come in and face the challenges that are presented every day.”

The co-founders and owners are welcoming their next venture later this month with the addition of their first in-person shopping experience, Yinz Binz, which will offer discounted items each week. Two locations are set to open by Aug. 21 — one in the former Burlington Coat Factory at Uniontown Mall, 1368 Mall Run Road, and one in the former Friedman’s Freshmarket at 210 Greater Butler Mart in Butler. 

“Conceptually it will be like a dollar store,” Campbell explains. “Everything in the store will be the same price on any given day. They will all start out at $5 in the beginning of the week, then be discounted by a dollar a day until they are marked at 50 cents. All new products will be added the following week, and so on.”

Campbell says Yinz Binz is a great solution to selling single items versus items by the pallet, as well as the lower-priced items that don’t typically do well at auction. 

The new store is not connected to Binz Pittsburgh on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill.

CO-FOUNDERS AND OWNERS OF M@C DISCOUNT KELLEN CAMPBELL, LEFT, AND SHAWN ALLEN, ARE PICTURED IN THEIR PITTSBURGH MILLS PICKUP CENTER. THEY WILL OPEN AN IN-PERSON SHOPPING EXPERIENCE IN BUTLER CALLED YINZ BINZ BY THE END OF AUGUST.

M@c Discount receives liquidated items from a variety of retailers like Amazon, Lowe’s, Target, The Home Depot and Walmart. Products are added to the auction site for bidding and the winners pick up their items at their designated pickup center.

“Yinz Binz will carry items such as candles, small electronics, soaps, apparel; just a mix of everything,” Campbell says.

The store’s name pays homage to their Pittsburgh roots, and Campbell hopes it will start conversations about the ’Burgh in other markets.

“It’s endearing to where we come from, and it tells the story of us,” he adds.

Campbell and Allen worked at Genco Distribution Services in Blawnox for a number of years before it was bought by FedEx.

“We would process goods and unload trucks, and it morphed into a pretty significant business,” Campbell notes. “Shawn had experience in auctions, heavy machinery and plant shutdowns, and I did wholesale business development. We were selling products around the world and we realized there really wasn’t anyone in this area that was doing this. So, we kicked the idea around and decided when FedEx bought Genco it was the right time to make a move.”

M@c Discount has pickup centers in Beaver Falls, Butler, McKees Rocks, Monroeville, Pittsburgh Mills, Robinson, Uniontown and Washington in Pennsylvania, as well as sites in Ohio, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Campbell says the company will also be adding more pickup locations in Ohio and are considering options further west.

Not only does M@c Discount save bidders money on items such as refrigerators, mattresses and electronics (I saved $100 on my weed whacker), the company holds charity auctions each month where 100% of the proceeds benefit the designated nonprofit.

“We started our charitable auctions shortly after inception and have donated funds in the six figures overall to everything from animal shelters to Big Brothers, Big Sisters and local fire departments. We try to stay as local as possible because we view it as an opportunity to stay connected to the community around us,” Campbell says.

Learn more about the online auctions on the website or through the app.