I'm not going to talk about Dollar General but thought I'd add it here in case anyone else has anything to say about it, since it's in the same genre. As the name implies, these stores carry cheap stuff, cheaply made, at cheap prices. I don't particularly like much of it, but you can get name brand cleaning supplies at prices that are a few dollars cheaper than at the supermarket. They can be a good deal for disposables and, come to think of it, pretty much everything there is disposable. They sell things like screwdrivers but they will strip out after a few uses. Still, a lot of people don't intend to use a screwdriver more than a few times. We have had a Family Dollar store in Millinocket for a few years. It was located in a rented space in a mini-mall until a few months ago, when they built their own building across the street. As soon as they moved out, a Dollar Store moved in to the rented space. Since Millinocket has only a few thousand people, I thought that didn't seem like a very good idea for either of them because I couldn't imagine that we could support both a Family Dollar and a Dollar Store, but I just found out that both franchises are owned by the same person, so obviously he thinks it was a good idea.
We have quite a few and there are different ones. Dollar tree, Dollar mania, 99 cent store which is the biggest and best. Of course Fresno's population is about 500,000.... I used to go ocassionally, mostly for gift bags but don't need those too much anymore so I don't bother.
I'm not a big fan of these stores, and in Houston, there seems to be one about every couple of miles in any dirrection you travel. The only time I go near one is when I take one of my great grandchildren there. I can give them $20., and let them loose to pick and choose whatever they want from the toy section. They always leave the store with their arms full, and what must seem like a load of treasures to them. At least it's cheaper than Toys-R-Us.
I make a trip to Dollar General once a month to buy Birthday, Anniversary, Valentine's, etc. cards. The cards are great and are either 2/$1, $1, and a few are even $2. I love to give cards for all occasions to my Family and Friends but at other stores they are expensive and I could not afford to do this if I had to pay those expensive prices. I can always find cards at Dollar General that express what I want to say and at prices I can afford so no one gets left out. I have also purchased crossword puzzle books, etc. for $1 that I bring on the train when I go back and forth to Texas. And occasionally I find DVD movies that I have been looking for to add to my at home Library and these are just a few dollars too. I also buy my Olay face Moisturizer there, because it is one of the few places I can find this sensitive skin moisturizer without sunscreen. I can't use sunscreen in my moisturizer because it irritates my facial skin. Growing up one of my favorite stores was the 5 & 10 where for a $1 I could buy a lot of "presents" for those I loved.
We have Dollar Tree (pretty good), Dollar General (less so), Family Dollar (seems high-priced), and 99-Cent Store (best, by a long shot). The Hydrocortisone cream I use for Arthritic Psoriasis is 3 to 4 dollars at Wal-Mart, a buck at Dollar Tree and 99-Cent, which also has great produce prices, where the others do not carry it (except Wal-Mart, of course). Frank
We go there to buy cheese graters. They are cheap, and plastic w/metal grater, but for the price. We also buy Betty Crocker spatula's also and, if they have them in January, a new calendar. Good store, but we sure wouldn't do all of our shopping there, like some do. But, then again, the costs there are all that some folks can afford.
I once bought some Christmas plates and was shocked when I washed them to see the paint come off first wash....hand wash, not dishwasher. Certainly glad I only used them to put some nuts and candy on. And the bag candy they sell while having the same name Kerr's is not the same packaging or candy as the grocery store brand. OK for paper stuff or decorations I suppose but certainly would not buy the toys they sell for a child.
I agree about many of their toys too @Missy Lee. But as far as construction paper, crayons, children's safety scissors, some children's books, and stickers, I find these kind of stores to be ok. Plus my great grandchildren don't have to ask if it cost to much.
We have loads here on every high street ...they're never in the Malls I guess because the rents would be too much, but they are everywhere...every few yards in the large towns and cities. Handy for the odd thing as everyone else has said, but also you have to watch out because, some of the stuff they sell for a £1, actually costs less in mainstream stores... Just for fun here's an American youngster making a comparison between the dollar store in the USA and the £1 store here in the UK...
sheesh....I am starting to feel totally deprived Holly. The dollar stores in Canada don't offer anywhere near the selection of the UK and US stores. Loved that UK fly swatter....too funny
I love the dollar stores because they sell the stuff that the stores of old used to give away like when I was a child and bought a new pair of shoes they would give away a shoe horn now they are hard to find except the dollar store.
A few years ago I bought some nice heavy made in USA drinking glasses there. I'm sure they are seconds of some sort but they have held up really well even in the dish washer with our hard water. I'll go there for a note pad, pens sometimes, cheap hair brush. I used to find socks there and still have and use the ones I bought. However I don't think things are as good as they used to be in those stores.
I have found that most of the prices at a dollar store are competitive with the prices at Walmart, at least most of the time. When it is just something simple that I need, it is a lot quicker to run to the dollar store and get it than to fight my way though the crowded Walmart store, and a lot closer, too. Not only that, I can actually park closer to the store at the dollar store. We have one that is called Dollar Tree, and this one is truly a dollar store, and anything you buy in the store is never over a dollar, whereas some of the dollar stores are more like a mini-Walmart and carry a variety of products that cost way over a dollar. Things like small appliances, lamps, window fans, and household items like curtains are in the Dollar General, and they may cost over $20, so definitely a lot over a dollar. Overall, I think that the dollar store is a great place as long as you are aware of what you are purchasing and not expecting high-quality products from there, and it is quick and easy to shop there.
Ours here are all actual Pound stores... nothing over a Pound..sometimes 2 or 3 items for a Pound..but we also have the 99p store too... ..I do agree you have to watch out for competitive pricing because there are some things I can buy cheaper in my supermarket..but mostly the quality of the £1 shop items stand up on their own here...
I sometimes get cleaning stuff, dish towels, certain snacks at Family Dollar, and I like to browse. Don't care much for Dollar General, haven't been there in a long time. Some areas have Dollar Tree and 99 Cent Store <-- a friend really likes those. When niece and nephew were very young they LOVED the dollar store (toys) but those days are gone.