On Wednesday, he was in Mill Hall for Ollie’s Bargain Outlet’s grand opening in the Millbrook Plaza, signing autographs and meeting fans for an event that attracted at least 300 local residents.

The line was so long leading up to the door that one local resident, Jacob Snook, joked that guests would soon have to start lining up in the entrance of the nearby Harbor Freight building.

The local public poured out to meet NASCAR superstar and their hero, Kasey Kahne.

“Life has changed a lot over the past 14 years… life has been crazy. The racing has been good and I have had a lot of good experiences. I have had a great relationship with Ollie’s as a sponsor, working with the store openings and on other charitable things, and they are now on the Sprint car this year,” Kasey Kahne told the crowd.

SARAH SMELTZ/THE EXPRESS One of the first devoted fans of Kasey Kahne smiles with him at the autograph stand at Ollie’s grand opening.

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, Inc., was founded in 1982, and is one of America’s largest retailers of close-out merchandise and excess inventory, offering real brands at real bargain prices.

Famous for its signature catchphrase “Good Stuff Cheap,” Ollie’s has a huge variety of famous brand name merchandise in every department at up to 70 percent off retail stores prices.

“The best part about our partnership is that I get to come out and meet new people and interact with my fans. It’s neat to me that people are like that… people are excited. I get to be a part of that. Seeing how the various new stores are laid out differently, in regards to size and that sort of thing, it’s nice to be a part of it,” Kahne said.

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is now open at 10 Millbrook Plaza in the former K-Mart building.

As soon as the ribbon was cut, customers were already inside, finding deals and bargains galore.

SARAH SMELTZ/THE EXPRESS At left, Kasey Kahne stands with one of his many fans.

Food pantry items, home decor, furnishings, carpeting, rugs, flooring, toys, books, tools, cleaning supplies, dishware, stationery supplies — famous names like Black & Decker, Mattel, Sunbeam, Pergo and more.

The Mill Hall location is the 41st Ollie’s Store in the state of Pennsylvania, and brings 60 new jobs to the area.

Customers never know exactly what they may find going into Ollie’s, but they will always find real brands at real bargain prices.

With the recent bankruptcy of the world’s biggest toy store, Toys ‘R’ Us, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet stepped up and purchased nearly $200 million worth of closeout inventory and Ollie’s will be selling “by far their largest and best toy selection ever” at less than half of the original retail price.

Their stores will have a spectacular selection of name brand toys from now through Dec. 25, and Ollie’s store representatives urge customers to shop early and often as the selection will be changing weekly.

Ollie’s mostly deals in overruns, buy-backs, liquidations, factory seconds, close-outs, bankruptcies and excess inventory.

At Ollie’s, their business is simple. They buy cheap and they sell cheap.

All merchandise at Ollie’s is covered by their 30-day “No Hard Time” guarantee. If customers are not completely satisfied with their purchase for any reason, they can return it within 30 days with sales receipt for a full refund.

People are excited about the partnership with Kasey Kahne and were impressed by the local turnout.

“I’ve driven through Mill Hall and the surrounding areas once before. It is a nice little town. I expect the store will do well here. It is the perfect spot for it,” Kahne said, as he was wrapping up the autograph session.

He wore a shirt embroidered with the Ollie’s logo, meeting each fan with respect and a genuine smile, signing anything from posters to t-shirts, toys, and die-cast cars.

Some fans wore t-shirts declaring Kahne as “their favorite driver,” while others were just excited about the opportunity to meet a NASCAR superstar in person. Kahne stood by and had his picture taken with the nearly 200 fans who waited patiently, standing in line back by the rug and carpet section, elderly and children alike.

Kahne, 38, out of Enumclaw, Wash., competes full time in the Monster Energy NASCAR cup series.

Starting in 2018, Kasey Kahne will pilot the No. 95 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Leavine Family Racing. He comes to LFR after spending the last six seasons driving the No. 5 for Hendrick Motorsports. Kahne is nationally recognized in the Top 10 in fan popularity and has a reputation as an excellent brand ambassador. His career statistics include 18 wins in the Cup Series, including three Coca-Cola 600s in 2006, 2008 and 2012, and the Brickyard 400 in 2017. Kahne and Crew Chief, Travis Mack, will attempt to improve upon his 18 Cup wins, 92 top-5 finishes, 175 top-10 finishes and 27 pole positions. Kahne is also the owner of Kasey Kahne Racing, formed in 2005 and employing more than 15 people dedicated to fielding sprint car entries in the World of Outlaws series for drivers Daryn Pittman and Brad Sweet. In 2013, KKR’s No. 9 team driven by Pittman won the WOO championship, making Kahne a first-time champion team owner.”

Off the track, Kahne is active in charitable work, and is a member of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.

Kahne is a two-time Skagit Speedway winner of the annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup, in 2002 and 2003, and currently holds the fastest lap record there.

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet invites everyone to come check out the store for themselves and find “Good Stuff Cheap.”