FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * COOPER JOE R   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol BIG LOTS INC [BLI] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Senior Vice President & CFO (Last) (First) (Middle) 300 PHILLIPI ROAD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 02/24/2006 (Street) COLUMBUS, OH 43228 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 02/24/2006   A   16,000 A $ 0 30,966 D   Common Stock 02/24/2006   A(1)   305 A $ 12.79 (2) 1,863 (3) I By 401(k) Plan

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Phantom Stock

(4)

02/24/2006

A

263 (5)

(6)

(7)

Common Stock

263

$ 12.79 (2)

2,121 (3)

D

Stock Purchase Option

$ 12.66

02/24/2006

A

41,000

02/24/2007(8)

02/24/2013

Common Stock

41,000

$ 0

41,000

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
COOPER JOE R 300 PHILLIPI ROAD COLUMBUS, OH 43228			Senior Vice President & CFO

Signatures

Chadwick P. Reynolds, attorney in fact for Joe R. Cooper		02/28/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The reported common stock was acquired under the Big Lots Savings Plan ("401(k) Plan") as a result of a matching contribution by the Issuer in the form of the Issuer's common stock, as contemplated by the terms of the 401(k) Plan.
(2)	Represents the market value per share of the Issuer's common stock at the matching contribution.
(3)	This information is based on a plan statement dated February 27, 2006.
(4)	One-for-one.
(5)	The reported phantom stock was acquired under the Big Lots Supplemental Savings Plan ("Supplemental Plan") as a result of the matching contribution by the Issuer in the form of the Issuer's common stock, as contemplated by the terms of the Supplemental Plan.
(6)	Immediately.
(7)	Not applicable.
(8)	The option vests in four equal annual installments beginning on February 24, 2007.

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