Dollar Tree III: The Return of the Poundcake

I was going to start this thread and call it “Dollar Tree Three: the Poundcakening”

Does the Wrigleyville Cumdump shop at the Dollar Tree? Do they sell anal bleach?

Bump!

I never have a party without these:

Hershey's Milkshakes are fattening (330 calories per 12 ounce bottle) but so tasty -- & Kosher!

Time for a visit; here's the list of supplies I'm looking to replace: paper towels (gonna be vigilant on these - I've gotten garbage ones in the past), toothbrushes, gnocchi (want to try them), magic erasers, toilet paper (I'm not picky about TP), shower caps, a spray bottle, dish soap, baking spray (Pam). I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed for pound cake - I've never found it in any of my previous visits.

I wouldn't bother with the TP, R6. The rolls are small and go fast. I haven't gotten their paper towels, but from the looks of them, there would be the same issue.

Do they have those Danish butter cookies in the blue tins? They're like crack to me.

I get my salt and vinegar pork rinds at DT...no carbs and I gave up keeping Kosher

Bump

You're slipping, DL.

Behold what I have found on the Dollar Tree website - a recipe for PATRIOTIC POUND CAKE using ingredients one can purchase at DT! That should shut up all the Marys who nag that we should just bake our own when we speak of the quest to find the elusive pound cake at DT. You can buy the jars to serve it in there too...

Go to Costco for paper towels and tp.

And remember that Dollar store items often seem to have all of the properties of an item you would pay much more for at a supermarket or target, once you actually try to use the item it fucking sucks because the quality is so low.

Best item: 10 pack of sponges for $1. They’re small but totally disposable. Sponges shouldn’t be used more than once. (Fun fact: Newer studies have shown that microwaving them does nothing to kill germs and their bacterial load is so high, it’s on par with human shit).

Also cheap picture frames. There’s easy apps to print Photos from the camera roll on your phone to local Walgreens. It’s like $.25 per picture for a 4“ x 6“ so you can print out some nice photos and put them in a frame for about $1.25. They’re nice to put around the house and rotate out. And if you wanna keep a picture on display you can always buy a nicer frame

[quote]Sponges shouldn’t be used more than once. (Fun fact: Newer studies have shown that microwaving them does nothing to kill germs and their bacterial load is so high, it’s on par with human shit).

I wash my sponges in the washing machine with hot water and bleach.

Cellulose sponges can be boiled, foam ones probably not.

I like to bake and just remembered that I picked up a bag of chocolate chips from DT. The bag said "real" chocolate, but knew I was taking a chance that they would be crap. I can say that the chips were totally serviceable. Once baked in cookies, they were no better or worse than the Hershey or Nestle morsels sold at the local supermarket. Funny though, I checked the DT website to check the brand, but the chips aren't listed. Maybe my store got a closeout deal that isn't available all over?

However, the website is advertising that Stampede 3.5oz Boneless Ribeye steaks are available for holiday weekend grilling. I've seen 1-2 Youtubers review those steaks and they're a joke - paper thin, mushy things that are dosed with some tenderizing solution. They look like gack after cooking.

[quote]I like to bake and just remembered that I picked up a bag of chocolate chips from DT. The bag said "real" chocolate, but knew I was taking a chance that they would be crap. I can say that the chips were totally serviceable. Once baked in cookies, they were no better or worse than the Hershey or Nestle morsels sold at the local supermarket. Funny though, I checked the DT website to check the brand, but the chips aren't listed. Maybe my store got a closeout deal that isn't available all over?

What's the brand? Are they made in the US?

Aldi has a twin-pack of ribeyes (USDA Choice and fairly thick) for $7.99/lb., which is damn cheap. I paid $13.99/lb. at Trader Joe's.

From the DT website: the official name is Mill City Markets Real Semi-Sweet Chocolate Premium Baking Morsels. No clue where they're made.

Panic no more brethren ...

I shrieked a little when I saw your post, R19. Thank you.

Yay! I'm so happy for the Necco Wafer queen!

organic, dairy free and vile. i used it in my coffee and had to toss the drink. im now stuck w two boxes.... this beverage will pair well with the equally noxious poundcake.

Dollar stores are great for baking supplies. Even the spices.

Also a great place to buy coffee and tea.

Cheez-It Snack Mix in the bags is the bomb too.

They need more Sassy! products for me to shop their regularly.

Love DT for gift bags. Popped in yesterday to grab a few and noticed red white & blue china dishes and mugs on display at the front. Happy Memorial Day!

R19:

On the plus side, more Necco Wafers!

On the downside, more Mary Janes!

Best thing list at DT:

Helium-filled Mylar balloons Various cleaning products Wax paper and foil Gift bags and tissue paper Party wares like paper plates, cups, plastic forks Greeting cards! They’re mostly 2 for $1, and while most are sort of junky, design-wise, I’ve gotten some acceptable cards there. Flossers and fabric bandages Epsom salts - for the same size bag, CVS charges $7

Also reading glasses. Just as good as Foster Grants but without the $22 price tag at Rite Aid.

i purchased a pair of sunglasses from dt last year, still wear em. and get compliments. only one dollar plus tax. warby parkers sunglasses are also made in china and cost 100 percent more.

[quote] ... I’ve gotten some acceptable cards there ....

Look for the corgis, R27! I've seen two of them, a "thank you" card & a birthday card -- both adorable (of course).

R30 Thanks Liz.

r27 I guess they don't sell line breaks or commas at Dollar Tree.

i found this old video on youtube. it was made at the height of the 2008 depression. the economy has improved for many but not all of us, but all of the talking points in the discussion are relevant 7 years later when you consider the struggling brands mentioned in the piece are still struggling and some no longer exist.

I knew which product R22 is referring to even without the picture. The packaging scared me off it. My local DT had almond milk for a while. I may get it next time out of curiosity.

You're welcome, R30. Even a Queen has to be frugal these days -- I've got a bunch of great-grandkids to provide for (with more coming, fingers crossed), not to mention all these darling doggies.

Not a fan of almond milk or soy milk, but I do know cow's milk. I tried the boxed whole milk that DT sells and was pleasantly surprised - it tasted pretty good. Just a rec for those who still use "regular" milk.

I was just doing the Times Crossword puzzle for today, and got a chuckle at a clue that said--0 "brand of wafers". And the answer is.... NECCO!

westsoy is a legit brand, ive purchased the brand in healthfood stores for years. but this version of soymilk tastes awful.

Necco was bought by the conpany that makes Dum-Dums. It seems like a good fit. Does anyone really love Dum-Dums? And yet I can’t imagine a world without them.

Maybe that’s overstating it, but you get my point.

R37 - Are you saying you continued to buy Westsoy despite it being an awful brand or that Westsoy produces two versions, one that goes to health food stores and the other to discount stores>

neither although this version is lowfat and ive only purchased full fat versions of westsoy.

westoy is not an off brand

Below standard batches of a product like Westsoy might be channeled to discount venders to mitigate loss, while batches that meet quality standards are channeled to higher-scale, higher-price outlets.

r41, i never considered that. thank you. i know now to skip this purchase even though its a steal. i took the remaining unused portion to my job where people will consume anything and even those scavengers wouldnt touch it. i use trader joes almond milk which costs twice as much (2usd) with no complaint.

I need a product to clean this orange and black mildew that is forming on the grout in my shower. DT has about 8 different products for this purpose, but I'm looking for recommendations. I'd like it to be effective and no strong fumes. Anyone know what works best?

Can't say my Dollar Tree has great food products, they have great sour dough pretzels from Pennsylvania, but I don't remember buying any food products. They do have good starlight mints, when they carry them, that is. The store doesn't always carry the same products.

When they were DEALS they had a pretty decent selection of frozen foods, I used to buy El Monterey burritos, the 10 burrito bag was $3.50, the same size bag was $6.99 at the local supermarket. Now their selection of frozen foods are mostly unknown brands in very small packages, you sure won't find a 10 burrito package for $1.00.

Bump.

I got some Sprouts Farmers Market organic soups that were just as good as any other organic prepared soups I've gotten. I can't find them on the web site, so maybe they're on the way out.

Visited the store near me on Saturday - could not believe what a mess it was and badly maintained. There's exactly one worker in the whole store on the cash register - no one stocking shelves or cleaning. The rest of the store looked like a tornado tore through it. So much mess on the floor, empty shelves for a lot of the most needed items like paper towels, the front area has piles of items in shopping carts that needed to be put back on the shelves. Half of the items I came in for were not available. Bread was on my list - no bread to be found anywhere. I may have to shoot off a letter to the corporate office to let them know this place is below standard of a well-run business.

There are two other stores in the general area - gonna have to check those out and hope they're better maintained.

Don't get your hopes up, r47.

R47. You arrived after the Saturday rush. Better on week days.

The quality of DT varies greatly from store to store . I have one nearby that is always a wreck, and another that is consistently well-stocked and has great workers.

The thread that started it all.....including my crowning.

Dollar Tree does have nice everyday glassware, I got some super cute Libby tumbers, they're great for beer and lemonade. Nice patterns on the tumblers, one has a retro art pattern, which was very cool.

Glad to see they carry Hydrocortisone and Benedryl cream.

Wow, that first thread had legs. Seven years of responses and then it went HELL because of silicone utensils.

There were gaps in those 7 years where it hibernated for a bit, r54.

Isn't it time to put it to rest?

^^^No!!! Not until every last product has been purchased, reviewed and reviled.

I want to thank whomever recommended the plastic storage bags with the vacuum seal. I have sealed my entire winter wardrobe and put it in a trunk. It would never have fit in there without this suggestion. They work well. I would guess they are a one time use, but for 7 dollars, which is cheaper than the cheapest alternate single bag I could find, I was able to encase everything. The moths aren't destroying my cashmere this year!

Love you, Poundcake Queen. I think you are in the running for the 2019 crown! you've got my vote, and I think I saw the perfect crown for you in the toy aisle. A whole tiara wardrobe for a DOLLAR!

Unlike Miss America, though, we will require a swimsuit competition.

2018 DL Dollar Tree Pound Cake Queen:

Vant to be queen for life? Call me, dahlink!

[quote]You arrived after the Saturday rush. Better on week days.

It wasn't merely the regular Saturday rush, it was the weekend after the first government checks of the month came out. When you shop at stores that have a sizable clientele among lower-income people, this is something you always have to keep in mind. Not trying to be snobby or mean, it's just a fact.

And of course as R50 points out, DTs vary widely. The largest one in my city is also among the crappiest - untidy and disorganized, with indifferent staff. I stick to a smaller one that is cleaner and has an overall better atmosphere.

One word Vlad:

Nyet, ya bloody stool

O.K., four words

I made a good mini first aid kit for my car with items from DT. Bandaids, gauze, alcohol wipes, antibiotic and antihistamine ointments and a couple of other items, plus a little container to stow it all. Total was under $10.

Unrelated — my DT has Zapp’s Voodoo chips, which are awesome.

Funny. Despite contributing to these threads, I didn't notice the original one is eight years old. Just goes to show how timeless DT is.

That show "Undercover Boss" needs to send a CEO or someone from corporate to one of the poorly maintained DT stores and see what the hell is happening in some of them. Of course that won't happen. They'd send a guy to a nice suburban store that has a disabled vet working there, who they'll gift with a new car.

These stores aren't franchises, so it's not like each one has some absentee owner letting the workers run his business into the ground. Then again, these are most likely minimum wage workers who aren't going to sweat to keep some other persons business top notch.

I drove 7 miles to the DT the other night and the store was locked down 30 minutes before closing time. I fantasized for a moment about driving my truck through the front doors.

[quote] Do they have those Danish butter cookies in the blue tins? They're like crack to me.

I remember finding those blue tins in my Grandma's closet and being so disappointed when they were filled with buttons.

Just got in. Bagel chips!!!

My DT employees have serious pride in their work, but then, they are mostly goths and dyed hair/facial piercing people, and I think they are grateful to have regular employment with their festive looks.

r69 So THAT'S where they ended up after Tower Records went under.

I contemplated picking up a bag of Necco wafers when I visited last time. I had them years ago, and wasn't a fan. The Necco queen here has made me curious if time has changed my opinion.

One question - how do you get the most out of the Necco experience... suck them till they disintegrate or chew them outright?

The latest flyer is advertising gifts for Dad for Father's Day. You gotta really hate your dad/be flat broke to even consider the "gifts" they highlight. The flyer shows: a USB charging cable, an adapter for the cigarette lighter in his car, a pair of socks, a bottle of Striker(?) cologne or a hot beverage travel mug. Maybe if the kid is 7 years old, would a dad appreciate any of those.

Come hell or high water I'm going to Dollar Tree today.

I'm always concerned about liquidators stock being old, especially the cleaning and personal products. Experts here, please weigh in on this.

Years ago, when I worked on the same block as the late great Odd Job in Manhattan, their stock was amazing. I got small Ralph Lauren hand towels for $2.50, CDs for $1 (top name artists, not unknown musicians) and a Faberware pot set for just $20! Odd Job even carried Chanel No 5, imported from France! I saved tons of money buying Christmas gifts there. For whatever reason, Odd Job went out of business, which made little sense, as they were packed everyday. Same with Jack's on 33rd Street, you could barely move in these stores, they were always crowded.

These days, at most liquidator stores, I don't see the sort of quality products I used to be able to find..

Regarding how to eat Neccos, it’s a delicate question. I like to chew them, but they are so hard that they could damage teeth. You can suck on them until they’re more fragile, but you have to be careful. They are so rough that they will scratch your tongue and the roof of your mouth, though you may not feel is to the next morning.

So the answer to your question is, LIGHTLY suck them/let them dissolve on your tongue a little, as Catholics do the body of Christ, then chew.

R60, I think the dollartree employees are the Tower records clerks' kids.

I was at Big Lots this weekend, and saw a large display of Necco wafers close to the entrance - thought of my fellow thread denizens. It's going to be one of those real-world DL evocations now, just like when I'm at the drugstore and pass the rack with the canes...

Would you buy sunscreen at DL and trust that it'll protect you? I see they sell a brand called Max Block - It's distributed by a company based in Virginia, but the packaged doesn't say where it's made. Out of curiousity, I checked Amazon and they sell this same product for $6.00 and up; that fact made me feel more confident about trying it.

R78 I would not, but you might also do a google search.

Check ingredients lists with other products r78. There’s not a limited amount of things that will be present (including zinc) so if the lists are the same the cheaper one will work just as well. I can’t reme where I recently read an article about it but basically the gist was that expensive isn’t always best and Aldi & dollar store were OK.

Update on the dirt cheap 5-HTP and GABA from Trader Joe's in the DTPC thread 1 or 2- I sleep better and my house is cleaner. I think I must be feeling better. I take both before bed. I think if I took either during the day, they would slow me down.

But I can't find these at Trader Joe's anymore. Now I pay 5x as much for it at Sprouts.

Bump.

Just did a DL run yesterday - still no pound cake. I checked the frozen food shelves and saw containers of Cool Whip, which is either a new item or I just never noticed before. I buy CW occasionally - I like it on my homemade chocolate pudding and it goes for about $2.50-3.00 in my local Stop & Shop. Cha-ching.

I'm pissed, though, because I've been to 3 different DL stores looking for this glass bowl with lid they show on their website - I want to store my butter in it. Call me fussy, but I don't want to use Tupperware, etc. I think the butter will absorb fridge odors. I don't like butter dishes either. None of the stores ever have this goddamn bowl and now it's like I have a mission to find it. One of these days.... or just go the Amazon route.

Their potstickers and mini spring rolls are fucking awesome, when they have them in stock.

I picked up one of the legendary pound cakes. It was meh, pretty dry, lemony, dense, slightly less sweet than I expected, and had a slight chemical aftertaste.

It was OK with frozen strawberries and a squirt of Redi-Whip, though.

Aldi has all-butter pound cakes for $2.99 this week. Gonna eat some with strawberries and whipped cream tonight.

[quote]like I have a mission to find it.

Search for it on their website. They can have it sent to the store nearest you.

YAY! The Dollar Tree ad has come back to DL!

I have found Elmer's craft glue and Rachel Ray plates at one !

Thanks for the heads up R87 - I checked the website and see that I could get this bowl shipped, having to purchase a minimum of 4. Nice to know that some things can be bought in lesser amounts than by the case (which I just took as their policy). Four bowls will run me only $4.00, plus 60 cents tax to get them shipped to my nearest store. Still a bargain - it cost more for the bus fare to get there and back. I'm sure I can find a use for the other three bowls.

I'm sure they'd make lovely hostess gifts, r90, as they aren't furniture, useless bric-a-brac. or cheap pictures.

There’s only one Dollar Tree near me in Manhattan. It’s sort of East Harlem-ish. Many times the store is half empty an d there are loads of boxes waiting to be unpacked. For a while there seemed to be a new no-nonsense manager and the place was 100% better. (I made sure to tell her I appreciated how organized and tidy the store was!). The employees are always super nice, too.

I don’t understand why people are so snobbish about it. Why pay three or more times the price for a box of bandaids or plastic baggies? Okay, throw your money away.

I wish we had a Dollar Tree around here, all we have is a Dollar Store and it's a really shitty excuse for one at that.

R93 I went to Dollar General last night and it was really depressing with ugly shelving, fluorescent lights and very shabby looking. And the prices for most things were higher than at other stores in the area. They were trying to sell flip flops for $8, which you can get at Walmart for $1. Or Adidas slides at Ross for $12.

Today I got two boxes of Monet Original entertainer crackers. I'm sitting here eating them and pretending I'm an entertainer........

She uses Tiki torches.

The Pound Cake Queen at r91 always gives the best advice.

I hope she writes her memoirs someday. I smell a best-seller!

a pound of butter

a pound of sugar

a pound of flour

a pound of eggs

A pound cake.

My best-sellers are fragrance-free but thank you, r97.

Yeah, R97, but her book will probably wind up being remaindered.

On the plus side, that means it'll probably be available someday at Dollar Tree!

Pound Cake Queen told me the title of her autobio.

Selling It For a Buck: Life Lessons and Sex Tips From a Lifetime at the Dollar Tree

I heard her autobiography is gonna be called "Are you there God? It's me, Pound Cake Queen."

When is the next Pound Cake Queen pageant? I'm thinking of being a contestant. I have the most beautiful fuchsia caftan picked out.

My year's reign as Pound Cake Queen will be merely a chapter in my memoirs. It's only one year and one title in a life that, so far, has encompassed dizzy heights, tawdry lows and everything in between. Stack me up with all three Gabors....I'll reduce them to cut-rate stores.

I guess "Pound Cake Queen" is a title that former "Miss Hostess Twinkies" can aspire to as they get older.

Unfortunately my Miss Little Debbie Boston Creme Rolls title prevented me from competing for Miss Hostess Twinkies, r105. The various Miss Snack Food pageants all have stringent rules and regulations. At the time I felt Miss Little Debbie Boston Creme Rolls had more prestige and perks. Also, I felt my then ongoing feud with Miss Ann Blythe would have an effect on the judges' scoring. I've never regretted my decision.

The only way you won your titles is by letting the judges taste your snack cake, and you know it.

A lot of those items shown by Mrs. Tiki Torch are available at my local Dollar Tree, but I've never seen brand name toys.

When the store was DEALS, they did carry Teenage Ninja Turtle items and some Disney figurines, but I haven't seen many brand name toys. I usually like to add a few toys items with my nieces and nephews Christmas gifts, they collect Nightmare Before Christmas stuff, which I've never seen at any Dollar Tree. I have seen some NBC items at my local National Wholesale Liquidators store.

If The Orange-utan can be "President For Life," surely 2018 DL Dollar Tree Pound Cake Queen can be "Pound Cake Queen For Life."

I prefer angel food cake.

Uhhhh...r109.....thank you, but......no.

R83-you make the effort to produce homemade chocolate pudding, then you put Cool Oil on it?

That's criminal. It takes minutes to whip a cup of cream, less to grab a can of Reddi-Wip, which at least is made from cream. My mom faced a similar task when she served my mid-western paternal grandparents nothing but Best Foods/Hellmans mayonnaise to break them of their Miracle Whip habit.

The Mass has ended, go in peace (g)

I've posted before that I buy Dollar Tree's 10 ounce bag of frozen blueberries to make smoothies for breakfast -- that's 10 cents/oz, which works out to $1.60/lb, approximately half the price charged anywhere else. Each bag makes 6 smoothies (1 cup each), with oranges, bananas, honey, & yogurt -- easy, healthy breakfast that can be made ahead of time & frozen, so I don't have to think about it when I'm not yet awake.

Now, I want to point out that the bag of frozen blueberries is an ideal icepack for a sore muscle -- just the right size, & flexible enough to wrap around the knee, wrist, shoulder, etc.

Frozen DT blueberries make good dog treats as well, but only if your dog has discerning taste

I've been wanting pound cake for so long every time I read these DT threads. Today I was in a supermarket and my end of the line left me facing right into an Entenmann's display and sure enough I was eye to eye with an all butter pound cake. I could not resist.

I kept it to one slice even though I expected it to be heavier. This was delicious, but light, almost angel food like. I could taste and smell the butter. I wanted more but kept it to one slice. Besides, it was too expensive to eat a lot at one time. I bought some nice blackberry's and some heavy cream. I think I'll turn it into a "fancy" dessert tomorrow.

[quote] less to grab a can of Reddi-Wip, which at least is made from cream.

And you probably have a can under your bed already!

Do they still make Sara Lee frozen all-butter pound cake? I used to use that to make a great English trifle recipe.

R117, they still sell it. I got one at Target awhile back, but I found it very dry for my taste. You could buy a fresh one from the bakery department for about the same price.

Sooooo, with the China tariff war.....will it now be the C-Note Tree?

I wonder if the US will stop getting all its garlic and garlic powder from China?

Our California and Arizona domestic garlic is amazing, R120. But prices are bound to skyrocket for the good stuff.

Picked up their version of Excedrine, which is even cheaper than the Kroger version. Ditto their hydrocortisone cream, which is half the Kroger price. Sadly they don't have a Unisom knockoff, just the Benedryl stuff. Noticed they had cream puffs in the fridge, which I'm not gonna try, due to my Keto regimen, but I wondered if they were good.

i grabbed another pair of sunglasses as a spare, i still have the pair i purchased last year. the lenses are polarized and i was grateful to have them to wear in the bright summer sun.

i picked up hand towels which are transparent but the perfect weight and size for the gym.

Have a long list of supplies I'll be getting on my trip in the next few days:

Parchment paper, blue recycling bags, talcum powder, a cutting board, toothpicks, toilet paper, permanent markers, bleach, white vinegar, facial tissues, a back scrubber brush for the shower, chocolate chips, salt, 100% grape juice, a bath sponge. I will be looking to see if they have more Cool Whip and I'm still on the hunt for that glass bowl w/a lid.

dl always has cool whip in the fridge. toxic stuff! but it tastes great.

So frustrating! The store I visited today was a horror show - hundreds of unopened boxes of merchandise piled in the front of the store blocking about 4 checkout aisles. Then one full aisle was roped off because they had about 10 shopping carts that were filled to about 5 feet tall with piles of more unopened merchandise. It was the pet food/hardware/stationary aisle so I was pissed because I had permanent markers on my list and it was totally inaccessible. This story obviously needs more staff to get their incoming shipments out of the boxes and onto the shelves. What shelves DO have stock are either half empty or a jumbled mess. There's so much stuff to unpack that I don't see that this understaffed store can ever catch up unless they close down for 1-2 days.

Avoid this store on Flatbush Avenue near Ditmas!

R123 transparent towels?

There are a lot of DT stores in my area & the few very neat ones really stand out. The messy ones range from "impossible" (like R126's) to "difficult to navigate" -- sometimes it's because the space is just too small, sometimes it's insufficient staff, sometimes it's poor quality of staff &/or management. I've learned which ones to avoid if possible, especially at Xmas & Easter, when they're most crowded -- not worth the hassle, & you're not actually saving money if you can't find or reach anything to buy. Fortunately, there are so many local DT stores that I have choices about where to go.

r127

yeah, the towels are so thin you can see through 'em.

the towels work great as sweat rags for the gym.

My Dollar type store had large hand towels made of microfibre. One hot wash and they were thick and fluffy like cotton towels. They stocked them for a few years and I bought a pile of them. The chinese stopped making such unnoticed unsung luxury. I still use these towels today for all big cleanings. They look like knew. I wash them in the boiling cycle of the machine - never with any other material, only microfibre. Can clean anything with a bit of hand soap and a cap of bleach.

You can very occasionally find these fluffy thick microfibre clothes in automotive sections.

That's funny you should say that, R131, because in the past I have found that, even in other stores, the automotive section frequently has some pretty decent "rag" offerings. I guess they think that car polishers are the only ones who care about such things.

[quote]Below standard batches of a product like Westsoy might be channeled to discount venders to mitigate loss, while batches that meet quality standards are channeled to higher-scale, higher-price outlets.

I think there's something to that theory. Westsoy used to be carried by a local based health food chain, and I remember using it on cereal and for drinking. I still buy it at $Tree but their's tastes very strongly of soy. It's still excellent as a base for puddings, soups and sauces...as long as it can be well disguised by other ingredients. And it's less than half the price I used to pay.

I stopped at a DT a few miles from my regular one because it's nearly twice the size. Was surprised to see they had 12 oz jars of Morello cherries from Hungary. I haven't tried them yet but will make a crisp with them soon. Aldi's had great ones at Xmas but ran out.

Took my mother there today. We each bought some cards for 50 cents each (yes I still send cards) and she bought a lovely scarf.

I don't understand how these stores stay in business - it's a company-wide problem that the majority of the businesses are very badly run. I went on Yelp and checked reviews at random DT stores around the country and there are so many 1-2 reviews from customers who complain about dirty stores, rude cranky cashiers, poorly stocked shelves, boxes piled everywhere, etc. It's a mystery that the parent company doesn't fold.

I Googled to see what the current status of DT is as a money earner and found this interesting article. There are a bunch of photos of a random store in VA. It's a mess, of course, but its a paradise compared to the dump I wrote about in R126.

I like to wear Dollar Tree pantyhose, run a marathon, then return them and demand a refund.

Lately, I've found that most of the DT stores in my area have begun preventing you from taking the carts out of the store. They either install a tall pole in a front corner of each cart that doesn't fit under the top of the doorway, or they set the cart's locking wheels to be engaged by a big mat just inside the door so the cart can't reach the doorway. One of the stores has the carts locked in an indoor corral & you have to deposit a quarter in a lock to open it -- then you get a quarter back when you return the cart & lock it up (or you can rack up way more than 25 cents' worth of good karma by giving your cart to someone in the parking lot who's about to enter the store, & urging him to do the same when he leaves, etc., etc.).

I understand why the stores do it, because cart theft is rampant here & they couldn't afford to keep prices at $1 while constantly having to buy new carts. But it's a hassle to deal with & I wish it weren't necessary.

My DT is in a small, fairly impoverished city, and it is clean and gorgeous. The cashiers are lovely, too.

One of the stores in my area has carts with wheels that lock if they get within 8 feet of the stores doors. I never thought it was to prevent cart theft, just that they didn't have the staff to keep running out to the parking lot to bring the carts back inside, but I see what you're saying.

R140, if all (or even most) of the customers were honest, they'd just grab a cart that's in the parking lot when they arrive, take it into the store to use there, & leave it in the parking lot (NOT in the middle of a parking space!) when they leave -- & so on, all day. Then the staff would only have to bring all of the carts into the store from the parking lot at night when the store closes. Obviously, that's not the case because there are few carts in the parking lot even at the stores where customers are permitted to take carts outside, & you see them all over the poor parts of town in front of apartment buildings & being used by homeless people to transport their stuff. DT & some other stores (CVS, Ross, Whole Foods) have tiny carts that you'd think would be much less useful to those inclined to steal them, but even those are scattered around town far away from their stores. People are the problem, as usual.

r138 Some cities now have abandoned carts laws that charge stores for carts that have been left at random throughout the area. And there are services that charge for the roundup and return of such carts. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone went to the Aldi model in the future.

Okay, cheap bitches—I’m hopping aboard this thread after lurking to say that I snagged a pound cake yesterday to join in on the experiment.

The verdict? Good for a dollar.

Actually, I was surprised it was fairly moist and didn’t taste like chemicals. A little salty, but I like salt.

I found it next to the crackers in my store. I almost missed it. I bought the plain one, but they also had lemon.

This is all so mundane!

There is NOTHING mundane about Dollar Tree or our DL Pound Cake Queen, heathen at R143!

i love to binge eat the vanilla sandwich cookies they have.i would do it more but theyre usually sold out. 1500 cals gone in one sitting but so worth it

Aldi's frozen fajita chicken strips are easily the best precooked chicken breast strips I have ever bought. They were around $5.49 for about 1.5lbs. I tried them a few days ago.

I hesitated to buy them because eating ready to eat (or close-enough) chicken breast strips, for me, always ends in tears (too much chemical "flame grilled" flavor --tastes like toxic waste).

These make good 'bowls' with sautéed peppers and onions black beans and good salad protein.

ALERT for Necco wafer queen: My local TV station just had a story that the Necco plant has shut down, which may make it hard to find your beloved sweetie. Better start hoarding them.

Has anyone had their DT remodel to allow for a big “Snack Zone” section? There’s an array of unusual offerings such as irregular jelly bellies, and movie size candies and nut mixes, including my favorite, a bar mix.

That sounds cool R148 - that'd be a nice addition but since most of the stores near me are hopeless dumps, I can't see that these Snack Zones would be maintained/kept filled up. I mean, the staff can barely keep the shelves stocked and the aisles clear.

Noooo, I heard they found a buyer.

This is not happening!

Yes, my local DL rearranged a lot of stuff and created a snack area that's separate from the candy area. It's funny because I noticed this first at the local CVS. The CVS version is in a large alcove right by the front door. Wonder if this is an industry trend.

I bought a couple of these jelly jar glasses this week and am very pleased.

[quote]Has anyone had their DT remodel to allow for a big “Snack Zone” section? There’s an array of unusual offerings such as irregular jelly bellies, and movie size candies and nut mixes, including my favorite, a bar mix.

I wonder if that's what they were doing in that aisle that was blocked off that day I was shopping; getting ready to set up a Snack Zone. Not like I'm going to be running back to that dump any time soon to find out.

R58 if those bags are suction, it isn't good to compress and seal from air certain fibers and materials, such as wool, feathers, etc.

Because moths can't survive in environments with oxygen, R154?

My neighborhood has a few liquidator type stores, Dollar Tree (formerly DEALS), National Wholesaler Liquidators (used to be amazing, the Manhattan Greenwich Village branch, long closed, carried DKNY clothes, which I picked up for my nieces, they also carried name brand jeans, LEE/Levis and other name brand items, I got a complete 7 piece Farberware pot and frying pan set there for only $25!), Family Dollar (sucks and is over priced) and tons of cheap 99¢ stores which some do carry name brands.

Basically, with any of these types of stores, you have to be a savvy shopper. Be aware of the prices in 'regular' stores, such as supermarkets and department stores, that, way you will know if the reduced price is a good one. Otherwise, you are just wasting money on subpar crap. I realize some times are only a dollar, but those wasted dollars add up.

A Tale of Two Dollar Trees:

Yesterday morning I went to the nicer of our two local DTs, and found that the Big Snack Zone makeover was in progress. Shelves had been rearranged and there were about a dozen workers busy finishing the restocking with the expanded product line. The store was clean and neat in spite of the activity, but then that location is always clean, neat, well-stocked and adequately (not well) staffed.

Yesterday afternoon I was next to the other local DT on other business and decided to see if the BSZ makeover had reached that one. I went in to find that it was the same dirty, cluttered, understaffed place it's always been. But I forgot to buy hangers at my morning stop, and so headed down that aisle only to step in a pile of shit someone had just left behind.

I still don't have those hangers.

I wonder why these Snack Zones warrant redesigns of DL stores - it seems like a waste of store resources to dedicate so much space to candy of all things. Plus, they already have a candy/snack aisle so to extend it seems excessive. I like candy but I wouldn't make a special trip for it. Is candy such a big money maker for DL that they're cramming more of it onto the shelves?

The Snack Zone at my local DT is right in front so you have to walk past or through it once you enter and you have to stand in front of it waiting at checkout, so it seems like a prime trigger for impulse buying. I don't think DT would spend money on consumer testing, but I'm sure there's something in the consumer research literature about setting up circumstances for impulse buying. I mentioned up thread that the local CVS also installed a snack area in a similar location. You can't avoid walking past it or standing by it at check out.

I forgot to add that they didn't redesign; they just shifted product and added some new items to front shelves.

I bought several of the large cream colored fluffy microfiber clothes in the auto aisle at DT. They are great for dust/cleaning rags. They look brand new after they’re laundered.

Did you step in actual shit, such as human/animal waste, or shit as in miscellaneous items left on the floor? I know many DT's are dumps but it's hard to believe you found a dump in a dump.

I saw some "designer impostor" fragrances in a DT a while back. I have no idea if they're any good or not, but the dupe for Madonna Truth or Dare, called "LaDonna," made me chuckle.

[quote] They are great for dust/cleaning rags. They look brand new after they’re laundered.

Thank goodness, R161 -- rags that look brand new after laundering!

I stepped in actual fresh, apparently human shit, R162. It might have been dog shit since dogs are everywhere in stores now, but it looked human to me in the brief moment that I wasn't getting the hell out of there.

[quote]They are great for dust/cleaning rags. They look brand new after they’re laundered.

#DLPriorities

End of Debate.....

I'm bumping this thread because Dollar Tree is advertising on DL again.

You're welcome, Miss Muriel.

R163, here's what I think is supposed to be a dupe of Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb.

The Fabuloso Stain remover worked great cleaning my greasy stove and vent hood. Wonder if it would work on the pancake girl’s pans?

I think DT’s Fireside marshmallows are the best-tasting of any out there. They smell so fresh and have a nice hint of vanilla.

I’m guessing the Snack Zone is both a checkout lure and to entice movie goers to stop in before the show for supplies.

DLers, please tell me about good DT kitchen items.

I'm heading down to DT today for more storage containers, but I'd be interested to learn what other DT kitchen supplies are essential.

A word to the wise: You may want to think about the timing of your next visit to your local DT. School will be starting soon here in NYC so I imagine the stores will be getting more and more busy the closer to opening day. I can only imagine what the stationary aisle will look like. You can probably expect the snack/food aisles decimated due to needing stuff for school lunches, the sandwich bags and such all gone. Post your experiences here.

[quote] I can only imagine what the stationary aisle will look like.

I certainly hope all of the aisles are stationary. (Unless there's an earthquake, of course.)

Cut me some slack, Miss English Major! Not everyone remembers the difference. But thanks, because I'll remember this the next time I use the word.

Anybody tried their microwave plate covers? Either they work really, really well (since I can never find them in my local DT) or they work really, really badly (since I can never find them in my local DT.)

My mom has several, R176, and she loves them. Before she found them at DT, she had been using some that she had ordered somewhere for a lot more than a dollar, and she says there's no difference between the two. However, not all the DTs in our area carry them - she's only ever found them at one in particular, the largest, which has the most kitchen stuff of our local stores.

Looks like they are available on the DT website - the minimum order is for six, but that's still cheap and would be less frustrating than fruitlessly searching for them locally.

Can't you just use a paper plate to cover food you're microwaving? That's what I always do to avoid splatters.

A Pyrex pie plate turned upside down also makes an excellent warming cover.

People think that they are getting a better deal when they pay $1.00 for a bag of icing sugar even though the bag for 1.25$ at the grocery store has three times the quantity.

Would you believe a lot of us DT shoppers know basic arithmetic, R180? And no, it doesn't go for everything they sell -- only a smattering of items.

Most of the items, actually. The first person who will tell you to never shop at a dollar store is one of the employees.

Go and ask one.

r180 We call it "powdered sugar" or "confectioners sugar," dear.

Do most of your acquaintances work at dollar stores, R182?

Thanks, R177.

Did a DT run today and was pleasantly surprised to visit a store that was NOT a disaster, had adequately stocked shelves and did not have most of the aisles blocked by unopened boxes. The lines were short and the cashier even said 'hello'. Wow. The only downside is that this store didn't have a Snack Zone set up.

i did see the glass jars at my local dt

Today at Dollar Tree, I saw Hallmark cards! All were $1 or 2/$1 -- all were nice Hallmark cards, big selection of Halloween & Thanksgiving plus the usual categories of birthday, sympathy, get well, wedding, new baby, etc. Hallmark must be suffering pretty badly if they're off-loading to Dollar Tree -- they started displaying their cards at the Post Office a few years ago, no doubt thinking that the few people who still mail stuff might be interested in buying cards to mail, but those are sold at their regular prices of $3-$5, not discounted. So this is good news for Dollar Tree shoppers who are in the market for greeting cards, but sad to think that Hallmark's Chapter 11 filing may not be far off.

One of the local DTs has done the Big Snack Zone conversion, and I noticed they had packaged slices of the pound cake in the snack-racks. For a buck, you could buy about an inch and a half slice of the same pound cake that was a buck a loaf. I looked to see if the store still had the loaves, but couldn't find any. Hmmm.

99 Cent Only store has the most adorable tinsel Halloween cats. I bought one for my room.

Every time I think I've seen the worst DT, a new contender rises. I went to one that was so disorganized, messy, empty shelves left and right, aisles blocked with boxes of unopened merchandise. I went in with a list of 10-12 things and came out without half of the items. The only good thing was no line at the register.

You can get really nice flat wear there very cheap.

Sorry R193, but I gotta "oh, dear" you. It's FLATWARE.

Does DollarTree have Xmas stuff out yet? I gotta remember to get there sooner than later because I know how trashed those places get and it's just going to get worse the closer to the 25th.

I wonder how awful the ingredients are in any food they sell, including poundcake. I'll bet everything comes from China. Then again 365 brand organic spices from WF come from China, so WTF do I know.

the xmas stuff is out, but the stores looked trashed and the shelves half empty.

Lots of Xmas stuff, probably more to come. Their Xmas paper cupcake cups (mini & full size) are good, a few different patterns to choose from, all cheery. The pack of mini cups has 100, don't remember how many in the pack of full size cups.

Shoppers tend to go wild at this time of year, so the stores can get messy -- early morning is usually less crowded & chaotic.

i stopped in again today, i was looking for cleaning supplies and peppermint lifesavers.

the shelves were bare, lines out the door and very messy.

R198, you stopped in at the time of the month when those on assistance or who receive some sort of government check get their money. That's a prime demographic of this chain. It's also December. Of course it was busy and messy. You have to time these things correctly.

r199 the stores have xmas wrapping paper, greeting cards, ribbons and gift bags but basics like handsoap were sold out

[quote]I wonder how awful the ingredients are in any food they sell, including poundcake. I'll bet everything comes from China. Then again 365 brand organic spices from WF come from China, so WTF do I know.

Guess you don't know much about liquidator stores in general. Sure, lots of the items are from China, but most liquidator stores carry overstocked items and items whose brands are changing the packing or other products which are fine, but a few months away from expiring.

My sister got some expensive face products at her local Dollar Tree, they were about 8-10 months away from expiration, which explains how they ended up at liquidator stores.

Some liquidator stores sell European versions of the US products such as Pantene and Aussie hair products. I find that most products, especially toiletries and cleaning products sold at Dollar Tree and other liquidator stores, are manufactured in the US. If you don't want to buy products from China, read the labels before putting them in your cart. It's that simple.

Beware of food products which say: "Manufactured FOR" then they list a US address, they are usually made in China for a US company.

Do a little research on how items end up at these types of stores. As Sy Syms used to say" "An educated consumer is our best customer."

the stores have these candies in stock, im trying to figure out where the candies are made. genuine godiva? its a single piece of candy i think and i hate caramel anything but would make a good stocking stuffer for the cost

R202, I think I had one of those candies and it was more of a liquid caramel center. Pretty good. Can't say whether DT would be selling a knock-off, though.

I buy my rye bread there it is cheap and delicious.

i havent seen rye bread in stock.

ive purchased the wheat 'gourmet' bread and it is vile, has a spongy texture and a chemical aftertaste.

What do you think of the bagels?

never tried the bagels but ive tried the english muffins which are also disgusting

The one I shop at is now selling partially cooked 12" baguettes (2 per vacuum pack). 6 to 8 minutes in the oven and they're done, and I must say they're great.

Side bread hint. Take one packet of dry onion soup and mix it into one of the small tubs of whipped butter or margarine. Cut the baguettes in half horizontally before baking, slather each side with the butter mixture, put the halves back together and bake. You'll thank me when they're done.

The bagels are great too. I bought some cinnamon raisin bagels recently and toasted them. Yum!

I like the bagels they're good.

[quote]I buy my rye bread there it is cheap and delicious.

My local Dollar Tree doesn't carry any bakery items. No bread, cake or bagels. They do carry cookies and snacks, such as pretzels. The sourdough pretzels are really good.

[quote]The bagels are great too. I bought some cinnamon raisin bagels recently and toasted them. Yum!

What's the brand? I buy delicious sesame Everything and Cinnamon Raisin bagels from my local supermarket, they're only $1.99 for six large bagels, the store also carries mini bagels by the same brand. They're better than Costco's bagels.

Are the gays getting poorer like the rest of the straights? between this thread and the getting by with $25 thread I am noticing a pattern.

It seems like the DL population is into Low Income territory. The 2008 recession really did a number in this country.

I remember when we used to laugh at the "losers" that would buy with coupons or how we would rather starve than to fall into such humiliating practices...

Well, karma....

R208 bitch I'm thanking you just from reading that.

Thanks you clever bitch :3 .

$2 million net worth here. I shop at Aldi, Dollar Tree, 99 Cents Only Store.

Dollar Tree canned salmon with smoke flavoring. What could go wrong?

I can't find poundcake in local DT any longer. But yesterday I saw them at 99¢ Everything Stores, for $1.99.

Another vote for the bagels. They're not exactly those dense, chewy NY Jewish-type bagels, but they're not those puffy-airy fakes sold in a lot of bodegas either; they're perfectly in between. I've had the plain ones and they are great toasted.

ive seen the pouncake at ritraid, same cost more or less

Our Dollar Trees don't have the whole pound cakes anymore, since the conversion to the big Snack Zone version. Instead of the whole cake for a dollar, they now have an individually wrapped one inch slice of poundcake for a dollar.

Anyone who thinks only poor people shop at Dollar Tree is very wrong.

I shop there to keep more of my money, not because I don’t have money.

I get my Cool Whip there.

R224, I've never been able to find Cool Whip (or any brand of "frozen whipped topping") at Dollar Tree. My dad prefers it to "real" whipped cream & doesn't care about the brand, so I buy it for him -- since I know that some brand is available for $1 at Food Maxx or Grocery Outlet, I refuse to pay more than that. But none of the several Dollar Tree stores in my area ever seem to carry it -- I thought I'd lucked out once at the 99 Cents Store, but it was peppermint flavored (which didn't sound compatible with banana pudding).

I love jams made from different types of fruit, so I was happy to see the dollar store in my subway concourse selling pear and apricot jams. But they tasted odd...one was made in Poland, the other, Turkey. Now I bite the bullet and go to an upscale store...you get what you pay for...

i always see cool whip in the frozen food section at dt. its a synthetic food but surprisingly tasty!

the office supplies, kitchen utensils, glassware, and gift wrapping are good deals. but i nearly need a gas mask to go to DT. there's always someone that is either in the process of or has just recently been spraying up a cloud of filth, testing colognes and deodorants on their bodies and placing the items back used

Love their school supplies section.

I've heard many teachers sing the praises of Dollar Tree's school supplies section, so it does seem to be a real help for them.

R227, what part of the country are you in? I can state with assurance that Cool Whip (or other brands of similar "whipped topping" products) has not been carried by Dollar Tree stores in Silicon Valley (Santa Clara County, CA, which is south of San Francisco & north of Monterey) for at least the past 3 years.

Dollar Tree has soy candles.

Two and one half more weeks. Please let me know who I'm to pass off the sash to. After all I've gone through in the past year, I'm keeping the damn tiara. As far as my last walk goes, forget it. My dogs are killing me!

My Dollar Tree doesn't have a refrigerated/frozen section (although the nearby 99 Cents Only and Big Lots stores both do.) So no Frozen Whipped Topping for me.

The canned goods can be lethal. Some are rusted at the lining. Some of the rice has beetles in the boxes. The frozen food is safest unless someone's left it out to thaw then slung back in the freezer. That's a danger at any store.

r230, northeast, tri-state area. i see cool whip and the off brand of rediwhip in the stores here.

r234 i checked the cans of the chicken of the seas tunafish and its a 'made in china' product!!

I like that DT usually has a different selection sometimes as soon as within a few days you can find vastly different products.

Some of the toiletries and cleaning supplies are expired if they're name brands. The generic batteries are no good. The candles have lead wicks.

Love their Harvest Home Pancake Mix—just add water! Just don’t tell my bosses.

DT Snack Zones are a rip-off. You'll probably find the full-sized version of the snack back in the store, also for $1.

The Italian ices are really good.

The Jennifers Garden egg rolls (10 in a pack!) are surprisingly good for that kind of thing.

I'm in NYC and one of the local DT's started carrying Cool Whip around 6 months ago. I was shopping there one day, passed the freezer section and saw the familiar red-white-and-blue container. I was happy to see it because the same size container was $3fuckingdollars last week at Stop&Shop.

Great Christmas decorations too. 🍃🎅💂👮👳💎

Of you aren't going for anything fancy the party supplies are conveniently cheap.

The Christmas decorations are both chintzy AND adorbz.

If there's a holiday that calls for quantity over quality, it's Christmas!

I need to get to the DT. I buy my yearly calendar book there and I need some Comet. You can also buy little lights (red and green at Christmas) and put them in clear bottles or mason jars and you have a delightful Christmas decoration. All shiny and bright!

I like the lights too and use them outside sometimes year round, the clear and plain red ones.

Is Comet not cheaper at places like Walmart? 88 cts

For 12 cents I'll stay out of Sam Walton's stores. He notoriously gave employees hours that were just under what they needed to get health insurance so they were on Medicaid at the taxpayer's expense while Sam had more money then he knew what to do with. But I digress and I don't want to divert the DT thread. My apologies.

didn't see the xmas lites, just what i need. dt still has xmas cards,wrapping paper and gift bags

The Shugar 6 oz soap bar is great, and made in USA of simple ingredients. I like the coconut oatmeal. People buy them up and sell them on eBay. Maybe they're not in all stores?

ive seen the soaps but the packaging states 'made in china'?

I went to DT this morning. Lights are sold out.

A lot of the name brand foods that would cost several times more in other stores are new flavors that either haven't hit the mass market yet or only in small test markets, so those are good deals and products to scoop up. Sometimes theyre flavors that are being discontinued but usually are new ones that don't stay in stock long

I wish they had something that you could use to remove blackheads with...

first boil water in a pan and lean over, placing a towel over your head and over the steam but not close enough to burn. Opens up the pores, then get Queen Helene mint Julep mask for the face which helps and is amazing for pores. let dry completely then rinse with cold water to close pores. if theyre out of stock you can get it at other dollar stores or amazon for a couple dollars, can use twice a week especially around nose and cheek and forehead (even American psycho used it hah)

I freaking love you for posting that R256. I will try your remedy as soon as I can.

no problem plus if you have particularly stubborn blackheads and larger pores you can also add a weekly Biore nose or face strip (or generic brand) from dollar store to the routine before doing the mint mask and follow all of this above then final step dab a liquid toner on the affected areas to help close the pores even more. Good luck, R257

I checked a box of Shugar soap in my cabinet and it says it's made in USA.

Great tips R258! Thanks again. I am headed over there right now.

[quote]I wish they had something that you could use to remove blackheads with...

They don't sell duct tape?

^ You can use clear packaging tape for a quick, cheap exfoliation peel on occasion. But it also has the downside of trapping more product (the tape residue) into the pores and making the issue worse if used frequently.

And yet they don't sell Clearasil . . .

DT sell some generic version of Pop-Tarts. Cherry ones have an icing on them that I dream about. You get six to a box and sometimes 8.

Any suggestions for DT presents I can give to extended family (adults) at our Xmas gathering, looking for items that don't look like they're from the dollar store, seem they could have cost around 8-10 dollars ??? Or even something I could buy 2 or 3 of for a dollar each and give as a "set" ?

By the way I love how refreshingly civilized and helpful this thread is as opposed to the usual snark on DL. People really focused on helping each other out and giving good advice. Thanks!

R265, take a look at the glassware - I've found multiple clear glass vases in bright colors there that look just like the sorts of things you see at places like Pier 1. I've seen similarly attractive drinking glasses as well. Also look around the store for the 'special purchases' - the name brand stuff DT has acquired via closeouts like Rachael Ray products, etc. They are often displayed away from the areas where you might expect to locate them, on endcaps or at the front of the store. You never know what you might find.

There are tons of ideas online about different types of baskets you can put together at DT to give as gifts - like one full of office supplies, for example. One of the most fun holiday gift exchanges I ever had was with a guy who went into DT with $20 and put together a box full of whimsical stuff he found there - a pack of huge oversized playing cards, a colorful tin of old-fashioned peppermint candy, Sharpies, a frisbee, even a few decent books (Armistead Maupin, celeb bios).

Thanks so much r266, gonna head over there today and look out for those type of things!

i second the book section as possible gifts. in the last two years, i have purchased memoirs by angelica houston, sissy spacek, diane keaton and robert wagner at the dt, all hardcover books excluding wagners.

the stores have giant boxes of pumpkin spice flavored cheerios.i was tempted to grab a box (only one dollar!) but i detest pumpkin spice flavored anything!

Ugh, all the Cheerios rejects that the stores couldn't sell.

Did someone say "pumpkin spice?"

SQUEEEEEEEEEE!

R256 I used to use queen Helene mint masque, is it safe to use?

[QUOTE] Anyone who thinks only poor people shop at Dollar Tree is very wrong.

Indeed, my mother saw another patron driving off in her Mercedes. The top 1% may not patronize it, but those just below that do.

Hi from San Jose R230. Meet you at the DT on Almaden expressway! I'll buy you a slice of pound cake.

Hi, R274! I go to the DT on Almaden Ave (frontage road for the Expwy) at Koch all the time (it used to be a Walgreen's). When that one opened a few years ago, I wondered why DT was competing with itself, since there was already a DT just down the Expwy in the shopping center at Cherry Ave (where the Scramblz restaurant is). I've never been sure whether that DT was still there -- is that the one you mean? The store was fine but the parking lot was hell, hard to get back onto the Expwy -- the Koch store is big & much easier to park at, so I never use the one near Cherry anymore. You can meet me at "my" DT anytime -- not sure whether they carry the poundcake, & definitely no Cool Whip there, but I'd treat you to a bottle of Hershey's Milk Shake (chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry), which I buy a lot of for old folks trying to gain weight.

Just a small tip - I went to DT tonight to grab some gift boxes and saw a big display of Godiva chocolate, those little bags, but a few different kinds. Could be useful for gift-giving purposes for someone...

R273 it is like this with Aldi as well. I know very wealthy retired people who go to Aldi.

I bought a plain black coffee mug there a couple days ago.

I also bought the sugar free vanilla wafers (they taste like cardboard, but they fill me up. I am diabetic and the sugar ones are a no no.

The individual frozen packages of flounder and tilapia are lovely. One can miacrowave them. I jazz them up with butter, lemon juice, and dill weed.

ha!!

The DT I went to last night was totally slammed, R279. No baskets of any kind to be had. I'm not surprised by the NY Post article.

Blackhead queens: get a bottle of charcoal gel caps. open 3 in a ramikin (they have them at DollarTree), and add a couple of drops of water to make a paste. Do this is private, or you will look racist. Put paste on T-zone/where the blackheads are. Let dry. Wash off with warm water, rinse with cold. No black heads.

You can steam your face like the Queen Helene Mask Queen said before hand.

I can't find Solutions Dishwasher Rinse Aid in any of the stores and can't order it online. This product is just as good as the rinse aids they sell at the grocery stores for 4 or 5 dollars. They work really well. And I'm down to my last half bottle. Wished I'd known they were going to be out of stock.

^I meant "devastated"

[quote]I know very wealthy retired people who go to Aldi.

True. I'm one of them.

i purchased the same black mug , the matching soup bowl and a grey version the mug. i cant tell the difference between what i purchased and more expensive dishware

People who have nice Dollar Tree stores in their area are lucky. The ones around me are trash. There are never very many shoppers in there, always the same merchandise, never the new or seasonal stuff that I see people haul online.

I got some cream colored plates that are indistinguishable from my Alessi La Bella Tavola porcelain. I liked the Alessi for its simplicity and classic lines but it doesn’t perform better in the dishwasher than the dollar store stuff.

R281, thank you!

Things that disappear there may well come back. I was dismayed that I couldn't find their excellent nasal spray, but this winter it has returned.

Last night at the Dollar Tree which was surprisingly empty I bought holiday greeting cards, assorted gift bags, tissue paper. Three cans of a knock-off version of Lysol. Fig bars. Sugar free vanilla wafers. Scented oil diffusers.. Etc. Etc. I stomped in the store in my cowboy boots so hard the floors shook. Did the same on the bus.

I'm heading to Dollar Tree in Washington later today. I go to the one out on Benning Road and then swing by Aldi afterwards. But every time I go there, someone gets shot within 24 hours in the immediate vicinity. It makes me think twice about going. But got to have that pound cake.

Here ya go!

My DT is always stocked with good stuff. The manager or owner seems to really care even if he always has an exasperated look on his face. Why shouldn't people with money shop at DT? DT is not a charity. It doesn't care whose money it is.

Don't tell others about Dollar Tree if you want to find your favorites next time.

I'm still seeing some leftover pumpkin spice cereal, oatmeal, and cookies at the DTs. I'm not a fan of the flavor or I'd grab them.

pumpkin spice belongs in the garbage

As predicted oh, I went to Dollar Tree yesterday and got shelf-stable milk for when my nieces come over. I also got some shoe liners.

I ran into a woman there who wanted to talk. we wound up chatting for about 10 minutes. We talked about pasta dishes and Christmas. I realized at the end of our conversation that she didn't have any teeth except for a few crack teeth on the bottom. She talked about her daughter who has hydrocephalus . And it made me wonder how difficult some people's lives are. I spend most of my time with people who are lucky or spoiled. Including me.

I like pound cake. Because you can put anything on it or with it. Fruit. Chocolate sauce. Cream. Any drizzle. Anything to make it special or unique.

[quote]I like pound cake. Because you can put anything on it or with it. Fruit. Chocolate sauce. Cream. Any drizzle. Anything to make it special or unique.

Soak in some Bacardi® dark rum, then top with lots of whipped cream. It's like an angel came in your mouth.

Dollar stores are feeding more Americans than Whole Foods, and it's leading some communities into crisis

I'm not surprised, R300. The only people to whom it would come as a revelation are the sort of bubble-dwelling people who shop at Whole Foods, and write for sites like Business Insider.

i shop at wf too, the prices were increased and the selection diminished after amazon took over

R300, it's odd that the story uses an image of some bags from the 99¢ Everything Stores, which is never mentioned in the story.

Just got back from 99¢ Everything Stores, fully stocked and extra cashiers to handle the last-minute Christmas shoppers (open until 10 pm, sad for the employees). All sorts of fruits and vegetables available at low prices. It is possible to do your weekly grocery shopping at 99c store. Here are some of the things they had in the produce dept today:

Iceberg, romaine and leaf lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes, persian and regular cucumbers, zucchini, jicama, bell and chili peppers, apples, pears, asian pears, persimmons, blackberries, guavas, mangoes, bananas.

Most of these things are not available cheaper anywhere else in town, at least not until Aldi gets around to opening a store here sometime in 2019. 99¢ Everything Stores are different in that they do sell lots of fresh food and staple groceries for less than you can get them elsewhere. But 99c E stores are only in a few places around the country.

we dont have those dollar stores here on the east coast which sell fresh produce as california does

A coworker has actually given me a Pound Cake for the holidays! Other than soaking it in Bourbon, what is it good for?

pound cake , whipped cream and strawberries

r303 It's 99 Cents ONLY, not Everything.

There used to be a local small theater group that would put on an original musical every year using ONLY materials from the 99 Cents Only stores for sets, props, costumes, etc.

And they don't charge 99 cents only for everything -- some things are $1.99 or more. The one in my city is in a very poor neighborhood that has no grocery market in walking distance, so people urged the store to carry gallon jugs of milk even though those would cost more than 99 cents. Now, most items are still 99 cents but the store does carry several things that cost more.

i picked up those soaps today, yes it is made in the usa. my favored soap from trader joes is discontinued, two for 1.79

the shops have valentine's day crap , easter jelly beans and peeps in stock!

Dollar Tree now caries Hallmark Cards. They’re a less expensive line but still Hallmark. Yay!

Yay! indeed, R311 -- but only for us, not for Hallmark. Countdown to bankruptcy: 10, 9, 8, ...

The after holiday sales are good super super cheap to squirrel away gift wrap and supplies for the next year. But my DT goes on clearance the next day and within hours everything's gone. At the drugstores too.

Not a fan of the Valentine's day stuff but I'm seeing it out in some DT stores already. I do dislike how stores rush every holiday out months in advance

Big Lots is always sending me coupons for $5 off of $15 (I'm a member of their loyalty club). I often have a hard time finding $15 worth of stuff I want. I usually end up buying paper products (tissues, TP, or paper towels.)

Recently, I was in a Big Lots store for the first time in years -- they should change the name to Big Mess! It was like the pictures shown on TV after a store has been hit by an earthquake, with merchandise strewn all over the floor & blocking aisles. It was a month or so before Xmas, mid-morning on a weekday, not particularly crowded, staff members hanging around poking at stuff but not really doing anything to organize things. It made me feel so uncomfortable that I left after about 10 minutes, no point in trying to find whatever I was looking for.

R316, each of the 3 times I’ve stopped at Big Lots it’s been like that.

Last week at the 99 Cents store, I saw poundcakes! The brand was American Classic, they were full-size (not sliced), one chocolate & one vanilla. I go there much less often than Dollar Tree but I don't recall ever seeing poundcake of any kind at that store before.

I hate chocolate in my pound cake!

I went to Big Lots today -- in addition to Valentine's Day stuff, they already have EASTER merchandise.

R316 haha Same. It's an absolute wreck at Big lots, so much so it's not worth going anymore into that maze. Lately they have given up and placed unopened giant boxes all around and if you ask where something is, they point to boxes and expect you to rip open yourself.

Come midnight, I am OUT of here, kids. Just a reminder......

I hope your successor is as good a monarch as you were, PCQof2108.

Thank you, r323. Now I will bid a fond adieu to....yeu....and yeu....

and yeu

Eh, go pound cake.

PCQ, your reign is not temporal in my heart. You are, in perpetuity, my pound cake queen.

I got a 4 pack of movies today and some charcoal blackhead strips and some Energy pills and some fake crystal bracelets and some sinus medication and whatnot.

Good deals, R327. Did the energy pills work, if so are they the DT generic?

A child vomited at the Dollar Tree yesterday afternoon.

[quote]A child vomited at the Dollar Tree yesterday afternoon.

Picture or it never happened.

Go to the Facebook page of Frau Tiffany Haffnerhousen.

My local DT here in the Midwest carries a 15 0z. container of laundry fragrance boost. It's great and certainly much less expensive than the NAME brands. It also keeps my washer fresh! The stainless steel appliance cleaner wipes are also very good.

I have found several nice books there for myself and others. Sometimes they have some CDs or DVD/BluRays.....got the first season of Friday Night Lights there last week.

I also like the Reynolds Wrap foil sheets and the Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice.

File folders, gift bags & cards, candles, and corn chips.....a regular stop on my Monday morning rounds.

Do any of you San Jose people go to Grocery Outlet? I hit it every so often but I don't have to depend on it.

Whenever I go up to Santa Rosa and beyond I visit the one in Petaluma.

[quote]Do any of you San Jose people go to Grocery Outlet?

We have a fairly new Grocery Outlet in Santa Barbara and I went once and will never go back. Their PA system is super loud, and every minute or so, some over-enthusiastic dink will scream something like, "a shopper on checkstand four just saved $47!!!!!!!!" It's a worse clusterfuck than the goddamned [italic]Price is Right.[/italic]

The store itself is a weird melange of things from beach umbrellas to frozen peas. From what I could gather, people apparently go there to buy cheap wine, just like people flock to Costco for cheap tires and toilet paper. I don't consider myself an elitist, but I did feel quite out of place at Grocery Outlet—yet I love the dollar/99¢ stores and Big Lots.

Grocery Outlet does have quite a wine selection, same with cheese in some locations. I learned to watch the expiration dates carefully on crackers and anything else that can go bad.

Everyone on this thread when they get home from shopping

[quote]Do any of you San Jose people go to Grocery Outlet? I hit it every so often but I don't have to depend on it.

I go to the Grocery Outlet in the Philly suburbs, they don't sell wine or any type of alcohol but they often have great facial cleansers, shampoo, etc that you would normally find in Whole Foods or a natural grocery store.

Thanks for that GIF R336. It's hilarious; that girl must be possessed or something. Her dad... it looks like his mouth is full of pointy teeth.

R333, there are several Grocery Outlet stores in San Jose & nearby. Each is individually owned & therefore a little different from the rest. For example, the wines at the Campbell/West SJ store are mainly white (or were, I seldom go there, for that reason) & the downtown store near SJSU has a poorly maintained & labelled wine section (the beer section there looks larger than elsewhere). The stores I like best are at Meridian/Foxworthy (across the street from a big fairly neat Dollar Tree) & on Monterey Rd -- the one in Santa Clara is pretty good too.

Forgot to say that the Grocery Outlet store on Monterey Rd in San Jose used to be my favorite simply because of the excellent music -- R&B, old R&R, rockabilly/old C&W -- Jackie Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Chuck Berry, Smoky Robinson, Roy Orbison, Robert Gordon, Hank Williams. I'd go in there to get a loaf of 99 cent sandwich bread & end up staying half an hour to hear the next song. Then the owners must have gotten religion, & not the gospel music kind -- now it's all white folks with no soul droning on about Jesus loving them. Still a good grocery story with nice staff, but nothing to hum along with anymore.

I know lots of high-net-worth individuals who shop at the dollar store. Myself included. Why not? Not all of us like to light our cigars with fifties.

I can afford to shop about any store, but I still prefer DT for some things. I used to Aldi as well but not for perishables. Much of the produce is wilting, and refrigerated items questionable.

[quote]- R&B, old R&R, rockabilly/old C&W -- Jackie Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Chuck Berry, Smoky Robinson, Roy Orbison, Robert Gordon, Hank Williams.

YES! Both the Grocery Outlets in the Philly suburbs have fantastic, unusual music, a lot like you describe. I stay to listen to the music:-)

The dollar tree Energy pills do work. I am just about to pop one in. They are very mild and give you just the amount of buzz you need without the jitters.

Conversely, their melatonin pills work great to relax you into a restful sleep.

The store is so exclusive I don’t know how to properly act once inside!

I'm going to try those energy pills. I think my insomnia is beyond being helped by melatonin, but won't hurt to try. I've found even their generic Ibuprofen works as well for me as the name brands.

Speaking of Grocery Outlet, this week's flyer includes an ad for a 99 cent snack, "Protein Cak".

Do they also have graxy?

I wonder if they also have cans of frosting for the cak?

Right next to the pasta drainers.

I remember when when they had muzak.

Shit store!

I was there a couple days ago. I noticed a Joan Rivers - Piece of Work DVD at the checkout so I got it as well.

Their Butter Rings are good. There's no butter in them, or at least not the first ten ingredients, but the same can be said for Lorna Doone "shortbread" cookies, which are five goddamned dollars a package.

I need to make some very plain, short white curtains. I'm hitting up Dollar Tree to see if they have any sheets or pillowcases I can cut up.

Any mildly phallus-shaped, sturdy items I could use to pound my boipussy?

They usually have Gatorade, r356.

the place is a mess, shelves are bare and the lines a mile long.

R355. If not, any thrift store will have white pillowcases you can bleach. Or, maybe even curtains? My thrift store always has things from Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel. I found two Company Dtore new flannel pillowcases that I took home, disinfected and washed twice ... theyre great.

R351 Their company policy is not to play music!

There were poundcakes at 99¢ Only store yesterday. They said "Limited Time." Vanilla, chocolate, and what I'm sure is the most artificial blueberry.

What I feared most has come to pass—my supply of Neccos is turning into dust. Even in vacuum seal they’re getting soft and crumbly and taste off.

Don't blame yourself, cheap-Victorian-candy hoarder R362. Nobody could have known that Necco Wafers would succumb to entropy.

Nothing gold can stay.

I'm down in Palm Springs for six weeks. One of the Dollar Stores has great kids books (the pop up kind). I'm going to buy a bunch to give to the real little kids on Halloween. I can see why teachers would like some of the Dollar Stores, this one has a couple of aisles of school type stuff.

In October I will buy non-chocolate movie size candy at the Dollar Store near me, then hit up Costco for chocolate bars. Costco always puts full size candy bars on sale in October.

[quote]What I feared most has come to pass—my supply of Neccos is turning into dust. Even in vacuum seal they’re getting soft and crumbly and taste off.

Yes, but…aren't they [italic]supposed[/italic] to do that? I always thought Necco wafers probably taste like soap would if it were chalk.

I got a 128-oz jug of LA’s Amazing Awesome (or whatever it’s called) bleach.

R60, her friends and family don’t know jack shit. Sorry. Police don’t tell families what they’re doing. And they certainly don’t tell people like her “friends”.

For a moment, I considered that Nicole Marie Baptiste was telling the truth, that Sheriff Salazar has a few connections to Nichol. Maybe it’s the people who called his sister?

^^ It seems the Amazing Awesome Bleach has gone to R368's head. ^^

Or maybe it was the expired Necco Wafers.

Expired Necco Wafers make me giddy.

I think it's a parasite to the brain, courtesy of some expired Chinese "beef" jerky.

Oh god damn. The murder ghoul fraus post in this thread.

I hope they get another shipment of CD's in this year.......

[quote]I hope they get another shipment of CD's in this year.......

I hear they've got 8-track tapes on back order.

my local store looks more organized and the shelves are fuller, still out of a few things

Eight Tracks? That sounds marvelous.

I was checking out in my local DT last December and a man came in and asked the clerk: "Where are your sleds?"

The clerk just looked at him...then said: "We don't carry sleds."

Does R365 drive a van?

Oh happy day! Some may remember me from the last DT thread, where I whined about not being able to ever locate this glass bowl with a lid. Every visit would end in despair as the dump stores near me never had this in stock. I visited an out of the way store today and there it was... my glass bowl. I wanted this item to store my butter in - I don't like standard butter dishes. Yes!

After grabbing my glass bowl, I noticed that they've got a really expanded selection of kitchen storage containers - from tiny ones to hold that half can of tomato paste and some really large ones with lids. The biggest one looks like they'd hold about 10lbs of flour/sugar or pet food. I got a nice container that will hold a 5lb bag of sugar, to replace the glass one with no lid I've been using.

I buy DT storage containers frequently. One of the best deals in the store.

Thanks to this thread, I am now the proud owner of a cover for my dishes in the microwave. It works great, thank you to her posted about it!

Between R378 and R380, today is a day of triumph for DL's Dollar Tree aficionados!

How do you know plastic storage containers from there aren't some kind of toxic plastic from China? I'd ask the same about Walmart.

dy sells their version of fiestaware

Still in search of the Robert Wagner book.

Dollar Tree is great. Office supplies and cleaning supplies are the best.

I'm gonna be making more frequent visits because they now carry one of my favorite candies - TOFFIFAY. No other place seems to have these any more, and I got so desperate that I ordered some from Amazon that was shipped from the UK (I'm in NYC).

[quote]r362 What I feared most has come to pass—my supply of Neccos is turning into dust. Even in vacuum seal they’re getting soft and crumbly and taste off.

Get your dollar back!!

Always love me some Windex Wipes.

Did anyone call out R29's math skills?

If you go to the Toffifay website, they have a store locator which will point out the nearest place that sells the candy. Good luck.

Flower seeds and bulbs are out!!! Also cheese sliders 2 in a pack - and all kinds of body wash!

Generic Swiffer refills, no name Clorox and low end paper towels, when I feel like playing house.

r389

what is 100% more of a dollar?

I can't recommend the DT Scrub Buddies wet mop cloths for floors. The ones I got were tissue thin - you could see through them, like a dryer sheet. They were too flimsy to clean anything.

Pause for moment of sadness, just found out, National Wholesale Liquidators have closed most of their stores, at least where I live in NYC. Sad. The one in Greenwich Village, on Broadway, closed many years ago.

NWL were actually much better than Dollar Tree. A few years ago they started to carry frozen food items, all their food were brand name items. The stores were huge, always clean and items were always easy to find. The one in the Village had three floors.

Scotties Tissues are just fine, thank you very much!

Yeah, Kimberly Clarke, except the boxes of Scotties USED TO contain 160 tissues, and now they've shaved that down to 144 or 146, thinking no one will notice.

Anyone here who remembers NYC in the good old days when the great grandfather of all these kind of stores, Job Lot, existed in NYC near the Wall Street area? I remember my father bringing home the most beautiful Christmas tree decoration from there and my mother getting top brand makeup for next to nothing. I think they had food too like cookies and candy and maybe canned goods. for sure I think they had office and school supplies. Maybe cleaning products too. I'm not sure.

I think I remember that Job Lot R398 - wasn't it near the Century 21?

No one hitting up DT for their spring planting supplies?

My sink in the bathroom was running slow so I bought the DT version of Mr Plumber drain cleaner.......poured it down the drain....waited 45 minutes.....flushed it......now it's like new!

Also tried the DT Dishwasher liquid.....works like the name brand.

Also bought a box of wildflower seeds......threw them on the ground and put some potting soil over them.....three weeks later - I have some nice sprouts there.....looking forward to some color in the yard.

I buy the huge 2-gallon jug of bleach. Clorox goes on sale here for $2.49 for a measly gallon. Also get their Epsom salts and fabric bandages.

I get all my cardiac transplant supplies at the Dollar Tree and nobody can tell the difference!

Of course, they're dead, but, hey, gotta cut costs!

LOL Dr. Riviera - you deal with Medicaid patients, don't you?

[quote]Anyone here who remembers NYC in the good old days when the great grandfather of all these kind of stores, Job Lot, existed in NYC near the Wall Street area? I remember my father bringing home the most beautiful Christmas tree decoration from there and my mother getting top brand makeup for next to nothing. I think they had food too like cookies and candy and maybe canned goods. for sure I think they had office and school supplies. Maybe cleaning products too. I'm not sure.

There were tons of Odd Lots and Odd Jobs all over Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. I got some amazing items there. ALL brand name items sold for much less than the drugstores. I even got some Ralph Lauren towels there, CDs for 99¢ and all around great items. These sold basically sold everything and not the cheap crap from China now sold in 99¢ types of stores. The cleaning products were much less than supermarkets, they sold all top brands of laundry detergents.

I do wonder why, when we need these types of stores, they're going out of business. National Wholesale Liquidators is the latest to be closed. Did you ever shop there? They were also great. The one on Broadway in the Village was kind of raggedy, but I always got great items there. They had three floors. I bought a three pot set of Farberware there for only $25! Much less than department store prices. One Farberware pot at Macy's was probably over $25-$30 at the time.

I bought many weird things at the Job Lot downtown - early 90's. In fact there were two, I don't remember the other store's name. My favorite purchases included two pink plaster siamese cats, different positions, and probably toxic base metal ornate victorian picture frames.

the stores nearest to me are a chaotic,sizzling hot mess

It's part of the fun R407. My DT was getting new food freezers this week. The new ones were setting outside on the sidewalk.

I asked my cashier what they were getting and she said: "Burial vaults......you need one?"

My DT doesn't even have refrigerated or frozen food. The 99 Cents Only store does, as does Big Lots, but not DT.

R405 seems that in 2008 NWL filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed down many locations, then more recently and ironically, liquidated the rest of their assets. Apparently former employees bought the name/branding and are opening two stores in Brooklyn and Philly.

I wonder how badly the trade war with China will affect Dollar Tree. So far, so good -- but there's bound to be some impact eventually. Meanwhile, I'm stocking up on as many beautiful tissue boxes as I can.

I was on the website checking out the latest flyer and clicked on the heading titled 'new arrivals". There were pages and pages of new items available. No wonder the stores are full of unopened boxes - they are getting new merch all the time and probably have no room to put all of this crap from China.

I was there over the weekend (Spic n Span, those little magnetic notepads for the fridge, Handi Wipes, Jot brand post-it notes) and they were overflowing with colorful summer stuff, like picnic and outdoor items. It's probably a good time to go for anyone who hasn't been in a while.

That tissue box might be pretty but the Scott tissues inside are like sandpaper.

R414, since my defective sinuses cause a chronic runny nose and I can't afford to maintain a constant supply of freshly laundered linen handkerchiefs, I'm lucky that I've never been able to discern a difference among the many brands of tissue. All tissues feel the same to me and I use them once before discarding them -- but the box sits on the shelf for awhile and either looks lovely or offends my eye, so I'm pleased to find beautiful boxes on sale for $1.

Big sign in my DT today - Flip Flop Fiesta!!!!

r416 What? They're having a sale on my favorite kind of porn?

Si

I know R417 - it's very exciting. I'm going back to check it out.

I just found out that the one halfway clean and organized store near me has closed. Now I'll have to suffer in the absolutely disgusting ones left in my area. Are they having financial problems or something?

R420, the trade war with China can't possibly help places like DT, which depend greatly on cheap Chinese imports to keep their prices down. There may also be local issues for the stores in your area (labor, rents, etc.), but Trump's tariffs are bound to have an impact on this kind of retailer.

And since retailers like DT and the 99 Cent Only stores serve the very poor (in addition to those of us at DL who like to save on poundcakes and boxes of tissue), Trump's tariffs affect people who really can't afford to pay more than $1 for a loaf of bread, can of soup, tube of toothpaste, etc.

As if motherfucking Trump and the GOP cares. I just read on Kos that his low life supporters love that he's doing tariffs.

There is only one word that should be on our minds from not until the day after the General Election in 2010, VOTE!

Not = now, sorry

r423 I don't think there was a presidential election in 2010, but since time travel hasn't been invented, I guess it's a moot point.

Trump's low-life supporters don't even know what tariffs are.

^^^ Sure we do! Them's the guys what poe-lice our shitty little cow towns. You know, like Andy Taylor does in Mayberry!

I visited the one decent store in my area and it was starting to look just like the rest of the badly maintained stores that I avoided. Boxes everywhere, shelves half empty, floors covered with merchandise that slobs have tossed back and fallen down, one whole aisle blocked off while one staffer unpacks boxes. Very disheartening. However, I ended up spending over $34 on stuff: dish soap, napkins, paper plates, body wash, toothbrushes, etc.

Another negative - on a Sunday afternoon and just one cashier working. You figure anyone online sees this and either decides to leave or resigns themselves for a bit of a wait. Anyway, this stupid cow on line behind me had to say loud enough for the cashier to hear "she is SO slow". I know she did it on purpose and it got me pissed. Stupid ass.

IKs this that damn poundcake that DL rants and raves about. I might order it from the dollar tree website. You have to order a minimum of 16.

r429 I think the one that they usually (used to?) have was a full sized cake, not a slice.

Apparently, some DT's are starting to add higher priced items -- they're adding a section that they're calling Dollar Tree Plus. I follow a Youtuber who reviews products from places like Wish, As Seen on TV, Amazon, Dollar Tree, etc. and her last video she showed a few products she'd just picked up. She was as surprised as most people were, that the store has "upgraded" from everything being $1.00. The items that the Youtuber reviewed were little beauty appliances - she showed a facial shaver, an eyebrow shaper, a lighted mirror which all were priced at $5. If this continues, DT will become just like Dollar General where you have to guess which items are still a buck.

I haven't been to any DT's in at least 4-5 months. Has anyone noticed this new area with more expensive items?

Here's Vivian, the Youtuber who exposed the DT upgrade. She's hilarious.

I haven't been to Dollar Tree for awhile because their merchandise mix is so dull. 99¢ Only stores are much better, even though they also sell things that cost more than $1.

Dollar Tree owns Family Dollar, so perhaps they will eventually become the same store.

The 99 Cents Only chain has higher-priced items, too.

Damn that woman in r432 is tiresome. I wanted that hair removal thing to draw blood.

Cheap china shit for the masses.

DT is also in the news recently because they're shipping in banned products from China, things that the government has not approved for use in the US because of the ingredients. Just today, I saw a story about DT's in-house brand of products (called "Assured") has not been following the guidelines for the ingredients they're using. I think they make a lot of health and beauty products like toothbrushes, cotton swabs, tissues, but also products that you ingest, like pain reliever and toothpaste. Uh oh.

Cheap bastards!

On Yahoo News, it says that the chain Five Below is going to start selling products that cost more than $5, but they're not going to change their name. You know retailers are suffering if these stores are raising their prices from their branded names.