Dollar Stores

[mrsalvo]

What's everyone's opinion of dollar stores, ie. Dollar General, Family Dollar, etc. ? 

 

 

Recently read an article in the news that some of the food items, and other items as well, contained very bad, toxic, ingredients, esp their house brands.  A couple of years ago a friend of mine went to buy some Grapefruit juice and the clerk behind the counter mentioned there was some formaldehyde mixed in the juice, as a preservative I would imagine, and suggested purchasing elsewhere.  I can't say I've ever ran across anything like that to purchase, but I do read their labels and check expiration dates when buying food items.

 

There is one not-so-well-known grocery store in our area that's been busted for tampering with expiration dates on bread, dairy, and meats. So now I'm wondering about the dollar stores, it definitely crosses my mind when I walk into their stores. 

 

Depending on the store and location, some Dollar General stores come across as unkept, messy, and out-and-out dirty.  Family Dollar and Dollar Tree seems a lot cleaner and kept. It concerned me enough now that Dollar General, in some stores, is selling produce.

I've bought a lot of paper, soap, detergents, etc, there for a lot less than what I would pay at HEB, our regular grocer here in Texas, and even WalMart. And I've found items there I could not find anywhere else, esp when Covid hit.

Dollar General is the closest store to our house.

 

What's your opinion? Just wondering.

 

Thanks,

Barry

 

[Ultramatic]

 

 

The only dollar store I go to, and rarely, is Dollar Tree. I go for the odd stuff you usually don't see in regular stores, like real samosas from India. Some items are truly cheap, others far more expensive than what you'd get at a regular store if you take into account the net weight of the product. Some of the stuff sold makes me wonder who lets this garbage into the American market. Nevertheless, I agree with Barry, ALWAYS check the date, ingredients and country of origin.

 

[ea56]

I shop at the Dollar Tree once in a while for odds and ends.  I’ve purchased small kitchen utensils, potholders, candy, and they used to have a really good sweet pickle relish that was from India of all places.  I was leery, but checked the ingredient list and found nothing questionable, so for 99 cents it was  a great deal.

 

 But I agree with you Barry, there are lots of things there I wouldn’t buy.  But if they are items that I recognize the brand and the exp. date isn’t expired I’ll  buy things like canned Campbells Tomato soup, beans, beets and sometimes spices.  Since the pandemic I haven’t been into this store.

 

Eddie

 

[sfh074]

LOL ....

We go to Dollar Tree every once in awhile for their cards (b-day, etc) selection, which actually is pretty good and inexpensive.

 

 

"There is a 98 cent store in these parts, but we don't like it cause they sell cheap stuff! .... so we go to the Dollar General" - Larry the Cable Guy

 

[mrboilwash]

When visiting the US as a tourist I always go to a Dollar Tree first because they have many things in small convenient sizes.
I leaned that cheap over the counter medicine among other things which I like to stock up in the States is even cheaper at Walmart.

My very first encounter with a dollar store was a Jack`s World in Manhattan over 20 years ago. We didn`t have anything comparable back then. I was so excited, found tons of "treasures" to bring with me to Germany.
A few years ago I was in Manhattan again and what a disappointment it was.
Nothing was priced a Dollar anymore and all the merchandise they had was rubbish. Had to go to a Taget in Brooklyn to satisfy my daily needs without paying an arm and a leg for it and it was still a very expensive experience compared to what I`m used to in Florida.

 

[DADoES]

 
Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Family Dollar are here, all around the same intersection.  I've been in the Dollar General once.  Dollar Tree moved to a larger building within the last couple years, remodeling a grocery that had been shut down for years.

 

[rp2813]

As others have stated, certain food items should be avoided. I like the selection at the 99c Only Store but they tend to be pretty trashy. They own the Rinso brand so I buy some of those products. Certain frozen foods are a safe bet.

Dollar Tree is the only other option in my greater metro area and they tend to be more presentable but I find their merchandise to be much more cheesy than that of the 99c Only Store.

 

[imperial70]

I feel very upset and sad

When I go into a dollar tree and see kids and families purchasing food items there. I know they are shopping for food at that store because it is all they can afford. Look at what a box of cereal costs in the grocery store, or cookies and snacks. Everything is $2, $3 or even $4 compared to the $1 at dollar tree.
Of course the quantity is different, no comparison.

We should consider ourselves very fortunate that we can shop at Albertsons, Hannaford, Food Lion or whatever the store may be.

 

[circlew]

There are Family Dollar and Dollar General stores in the town I live in, and a Dollar Tree 15-20 minutes down the road.

I rarely go to any of them, but used to get bottled water at Family Dollar. It was fine, as it was bottled by Niagara, same as the Kroger and Target store brands. I occasionally will get snacks there, as they come directly from the vendor.

 

[volvoman]

Interesting topic!

Mrs. Volvoman and I have shopped at Dollar Tree for years now. In fact, if we need something in a pinch, and don't want to fight the crowds in a supermarket, we'll grab it there.

As far as food products go? Here again, we've purchased both perishable and non-perishable items from Dollar Tree. And we're still alive...haha! It's all a matter of "try before you buy". Some products, such as their frozen sandwiches or egg rolls, aren't bad at all. Others, you might want to stay away from (their ice cream, as an example, was godawful).

 

[launderess]

Mr. BoilWash

No, we don't have great "dollar stores" in Manhattan any longer. Rent and other costs are just too high I suppose. But that being said there are some decent enough spots.

Rainbow Ace Hardware on UES (First Avenue and East 75th) is pretty good. Housewares, hardware, stationary, health and beauty aids, etc...

https://www.yelp.com/biz/rainbow-ace-hardware-new-york-2

If you don't mind a trip out to Brooklyn, NY there is National Wholesale Liquidators.

https://www.facebook.com/NationalwholesaleBK/

As for Target stores, we have them all over Manhattan now as well. Not bad IMHO, but prices aren't dirt cheap.

There is also K-Mart on Astor Place in Manhattan

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michae...ghts-on-at-a-manhattan-landmark-for-25-years/

https://www.yelp.com/biz/k-mart-new-york

 

[fan-of-fans]

I go to Dollar Tree for disposable items and some kitchen and bathroom type items. Some good prices to be had but the one here just doesn't have the selection that I see in other stores. Recently a second store opened in my area but have yet to visit, the parking there is very tight and usually crowded.

Dollar General has really been on a building spree the last 5 years or so. They have moved out of most of their strip mall type stores and built new ones it seems almost every few miles. Many unincorporated "middle of nowhere" areas and neighborhoods now have a Dollar General built in them.

There are two near my house, one opened about 5 years ago, the other opened last summer. I buy some items there but I find Walmart to have better prices on many grocery items. The stores are well kept whenever I've been, but generally only seem to have one or two people on staff at any given time. They aren't bad looking stores but it feels like you're shopping in a metal building with concrete floors as that's what they basically are.

Family Dollar I haven't been to in quite some time. They have very few stores here compared to Dollar General and the one I used to go to was very crowded with stock, and at one time was always a disaster with boxes all over the place, and extremely dirty floors. And the back room was completely wrecked. It seemed like they would bring in a crew to get it cleaned up and then next thing it was back to being a mess.

I think it's been put back on the straight and narrow these days but Dollar General is more convenient for me.

That said I don't have any problem with shopping at the dollar stores and sometimes go in just to browse around. It's surprising what you can find in them.

 

[robbinsandmyers]

I go to Dollar General for one thing and one thing only. LA's Awesome cleaner because they have it cheap and its great stuff. Everything else there is garbage other than name brand cleaners, detergents, candy etc

 

[dustin92]

We have all of them.. Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, and Dollar General. We don't do a lot of shopping at any of them, but there is a Dollar General about 3 blocks from our house, so it's the convenience factor sometimes. Dollar General seems to be taking over around here, there is at least 5 of them within a 10 minute drive.. We always say there's a DG on every corner. And, as a Facebook post a couple months back said- If you see a mound of dirt in a field.. Don't disturb it.. Wait for the Dollar General to hatch!

 

[vacerator]

Re; cheap food

Some edibles are lower priced than other food stores, but not always.
It is a sad fact that our impoverished can not afford to eat very well. Processed foods cost less. In that respect alone, they tend to be less healthy than others.
Higher sodium, preservatives, fats and sugar.
Some do have a community garden to grow fresh produce though. If I were poor, I'd try avoiding as much junk food as possible. I'd buy as much fresh as possible and cook at home, proving I had one. I don't know if soup kitchens use a lot of fresh high quality ingredients. Foods sourced from Sysco, etc. are less healthy. Many restaurants use those types of products too. Even the lowest cost IQF or skinless chicken breast is injected with salt broth. That increases weight, but it all comes out upon cooking. Much of the sodium remains.

 

[iheartmaytag]

I shop at the Dollar stores often

One reason is the convenience. The neighborhood Dillon's closed a few years ago and move five miles away to a Mega-pavilion store. A quick place to pick up bread, milk and a can of soup is just easier to stop at one of the dollar stores.

Family Dollar, who by the way owns DollarTree. is a tad more expensive but stocks many name brand items. Food items I usually go for the canned Libbys or Campbells. Hit ad miss on some items for cost. The name brand cleaning items are ususally more expensive. Dollar General, a block away on the other side of the street is about the same. Then the Dollar tree is where I buy storage bags and storage containers. I also buy some paper goods, plates etc. Candy that I smuggle into the theater. OH and sweet pickles. It is so hard to find sweet pickles in the store, the little jars are about the only store brand items I buy. Never found a frog or anything in them so far.

 

[mrboilwash]

Thanks Launderess for the tips, I`m glad we`re good again!
Last time I was in Manhattan I remembered you`ve mentioned K-Mart on Astor Place here on AW.org so of course I had to check it out.
Have also been to a Manhattan Target, but my impression was that the one in Brooklyn I`ve been to was cheaper and much better sorted. Thought it was absolutely worth sitting in the subway for an hour or so and seeing many different neighborhoods of NY I which I might have missed if I wouldn`t be the cheapskate I am.

 

[louvac]

It's not just the ingredients you have to look at...

You need to know and understand that food processing guidelines in many other countries is not at all the same as it is in the USA. They are less stringent which means the grade of the resources, the way it's canned/packaged may not be up to snuff! I will not buy Libby products because I once saw that they came from CHINA. I will not ever buy any food that comes from CHINA!

It's funny--I thought that all packaged food had to state the country of origin but I don't see it clearly written on the label these days. Also, when a product says, "natural flavors" or "other natural flavors" it could be that there is MSG, monosodium glutamate in it. Usually it does!