COLUMBUS, Ohio — Big Lots Inc. is getting a makeover. The discount and closeout retailer said it has teamed up with two local marketing firms to come out with a new look. Working with Big Red Rooster out of Columbus and Alloy out of Westerville, Ohio, Big Lots is seeking to provide a new shopping experience for its ­customers.

“The two of them are now going to come together and start talking about what that new store of the future looks like,” said Big Lots president and chief executive officer David Campisi. “Then our plans are in 2017 … to take two or three markets and, once we’re all in agreement on what this looks like … to re-lay those stores and see what kind of payback we get.”

According to Big Lots, the concept is to create a new look that will make the chain stand out in the crowded retail environment. “You have to do something different,” Campisi said. “We think there’s an opportunity to create more of a whimsical, fun shopping experience.”

Though detailed blueprints for the new designs have not been released, officials at Big Lots said the new store will feature two categories: furniture and seasonal items. These offerings will be on display at the front of the store, though that won’t automatically translate to the stores being larger. The smaller store layout, according to Campisi, gives Big Lots a competitive edge, mostly by making the store more convenient for shoppers.

As far as what the new stores will look like, shoppers will have to wait and see.