The 99 Cent Store is no more

You really bought wine at a 99 cent store?

Grim news for oenophiles.

Nah. I stick to 2 buck chuck or Grocery Outlet (Northern California chain) finds. The wine section at 99 cent store is right by the produce section.

Start going to Dollar Tree then. Everything is still a dollar or less.

[quote]A flat of four or six tomatoes

What the fuck is a flat of tomatoes?

Pray, what is a "cent"?

There is a whole website devoted to reviewing Grocery Outlet (Gross Out) wines. I bought a six pack of a Zima (remember that?) at a 99 cent store once when I was on a tight budget. They had 99 cent bottles of wine too. It was not good. Not good at all.

It’s pretty amazing these Dollar Tree stores have been around for 25 years or so and still everything is $1.00. The sizes and quality of the items has to keep going down to make it work.

You've never heard of a flat of tomatoes, r5?

Wait, the 99 Cent Store sells produce?!? 🥬🥒🌽🥕🥦🥑🍆🍅🥝🍑🥭🍍🥥🍈🍓🍇🍉🍌🍏🍐🍊🍊🍋

Agree, OP, I've noticed that, too. You might as well go to Target or Kmart.

I'll be excited to go to 99 Cent Store and Grocery Outlet once I am vaccinated.

Oh no!

I love the 99 cents stores! God knows it saved my ass whenever I was too broke to hit up Trader Joe’s or Ralph’s.

It’s Donald Trump‘s fault for not bombing Syria.

What is celery?

Is that like the hard shell of a bug?

99 cents up or less

Thanks for posting that, r7. It's interesting that the blogger thinks the wines are really expensive. There's a large range of prices.

I love, love, love Grocery Outlet. I get a lot of pet items there that I've seen later at Petco down the street for twice the price.

Unfortunately, produce is its weak spot.

Is Grocery Outlet basically the food section of Big Lots, or is there more to it?

It's a full service grocery store with the same sections/departments.

The Dollar Tree has a much more limited inventory and no produce. I don't know about other cities, but the ones around here are terribly maintained and many of the aisles are a jumbled mess. They seem to be having more stocking issues with empty shelves. I usually get cat scratchers there and the whole pet section is empty.

OP is referring specifically to the 99 Cents Only chain.

The 99 Cents Only stores in California used to be incredible. They sold out to a Texas company and that was the end of their heyday.

Dollar Tree is still $1, not sure what OP is talking about. Dollar Tree is always packed and the items sellout almost immediately. The even sell eggs for $1.

Dollar Tree actually sells brand names and full sizes of those brand name items. These items are much cheaper than what they'd cost at drugs stores such as Rite Aid and Walgreens. I just bought a four pack of legit Colgate toothbrushes at Dollar Tree, they were even cheaper than what they'd cost at Costco! The Reach brand floss was also $1 fora full size package.

The 99 Cent stores in my neighborhood always sold mostly garbage Made in China items. Lots of these items had packaging which was meant to mimic US brands.

I am the OP, R20. I was answering r4's question but forgot to reference him.

That could explain it, r21. It's such a shitty business model to double prices in less than a two year period.

Who the fuck is buying PRODUCE at the fucking Dollar Tree?

I am going to sound like a grandpa, but 10-15 years ago, the 99 Cents Only store sold bags of avocados and lemons and nice organic produce for 99 cents. I got some large terracotta planters there for 99 cents. That store was so great and fun during my lean years

[quote] It's such a shitty business model to double prices in less than a two year period.

It's bad enough to be on DL on a weekend night. It's even worse that you want to troll about the dollar store business model.

There's only one 99 Cents store in my area and its neighborhood is very poor. So I'm glad to see a really excellent produce section, quality and prices and selection. That started a couple of years ago under new management and it's badly needed, since there's no other grocery store nearby. The rest of the store isn't up to the standards of the produce section, but good fresh fruit and vegetables at $1 or $2 is a real boon for the "food desert" where it's located.

This must be your stand out pot meet kettle moment then...

Jack's in NYC, which is in the Madison Square Garden area, had every item on the first floor priced at 99¢, the second floor was 99¢ and up. Jack's is huge store, it used to be Willoughby Camera. It runs along two streets, they have two entrances.

This is another store which has always carried brand name items. Every day, fresh food was delivered, for example, the same exact organic bread which sold for $5.99 a loaf at GNC, Jack's sold for 99¢! They also have a frozen food section. I also bought glassware, the same brands which were being sold at the nearby Macy's, for just 99¢ each! They also had an amazing book section.

A few years ago, Jack's started raising prices on their first floor items. I haven't been there in awhile, I don't know whats currently going on, but I assume in these Covid times, people are more than happy to get deals on food and other items they need.

Of course, we get assholes on DL commenting on people posting about dollar stores. R26, just go away!

The 5 and dime became the dime store at some point as well.

The 99 Cent store in my area now carries the DL fave poundcake that Dollar Tree no longer stocks -- same size, still $1.

I've noticed, almost every time I go to Dollar Tree, the food sections are always near empty. I've seen name brand ice cream, such as Haagen-Das sold there. Pints, but still a great price.

Empty food shelves in a dollar store are a sure sign people are hurting. Not everyone who shops there is poor, many are simply trying to be thrifty. When you see name brands for such ridiculously low prices, why not shop there?

Dollar Tree started carrying Hallmark cards a couple of years ago. Bad news for Hallmark but good for the Dollar Tree customers -- I check there first when I need a birthday or get well card.

Trader Joe’s always has nice cards at 99 cents and I got my partner a beautiful valentines card this year at Aldi for that price (didn’t tell him where it came from). I hate shelling out $5 or $6 for a card at the grocery store. It’s a piece of paper that going to be looked at for a few seconds and then forgotten.

[quote]Dollar Tree started carrying Hallmark cards a couple of years ago. Bad news for Hallmark but good for the Dollar Tree customers -- I check there first when I need a birthday or get well card.

I actually don't think that's how it works. The Hallmark cards. and other brand name items these dollar stores carry, are mostly overstock and in some cases, like the cards, it's brand new old stock.

This past Christmas season, my local Dollar Tree actually had Papyrus Christmas cards for $1 each. These cards can sell up to $12.95 each! The reason Dollar Tree likely had these cards, Papyrus are going out of business. Dollar Tree is very similar to liquidator type stores.

Years ago, I worked in the advertising division of a buying office. The mark-ups on most items are utterly outrageous.

A few women in the ad department wanted to buy an unusual blouse one of the Buyers brought in to be sketched for the company's fashion catalogue. The Buyer told the women, they needed to give her their exact sizes and she'd order the blouses for them. She recommended they try on the blouse at Lord & Taylor, who were carrying the specific style and brand. At L&T, the blouses were $40, the price for the women who ordered them, $5 each! Mark-ups are insane, no wonder these companies make such enormous profits.

I only shop at Family Dollar, while it’s being looted!

R35, the reason that Hallmark has overstock is that enough people aren't buying their cards at Hallmark stores or licensed carriers like CVS, where full price is charged. So few people now send greeting cards and are willing to pay $3-$5 for them that Hallmark's overstock has become so huge that they're willing to sell it to Dollar Tree for a fraction of its full retail value just to get rid of it without having to pay disposal costs. In order for Dollar Tree to make its own desired profit on a card that will be sold to the public for $1, imagine how little Hallmark must be getting paid for that card!

[quote]The reason Dollar Tree likely had these cards, Papyrus are going out of business.

Papyrus is not going out of business. They still have tons of their cards at full price at Target.

[quote] I got my partner a beautiful valentines card this year at Aldi for that price (didn’t tell him where it came from).

Why would you tell you partner where his card came from? Who does that? "Here's a Valentines Day card I bought at Aldi." No one does that.

Troll.

I love Grocery Outlet. Just discovered the one in Palm Springs and hear another one is opening.

[quote] Trader Joe’s always has nice cards at 99 cents and I got my partner a beautiful valentines card this year at Aldi for that price (didn’t tell him where it came from).

Those cards always say Trader Joe’s Inc. or Aldi on the back. Sometimes they even print 99 cents on the back so you aren’t fooling anybody.

card culture is dead. So who really cares if someone pays 99c or 5 bucks for a card. the thought counts.

[quote] When you see name brands for such ridiculously low prices, why not shop there?

Uh, because you want to leave it for the actual poor people whose lives depend on it? Do you also line up for the soup kitchen because it’s such an incredible deal?

There seems to be enough for everyone, R43. I haven't noticed a great dearth of $1 cans of Campbell's soup or American Classic Poundcake.

R44 poundcake? Im hungry! 🤤 🍑

My local Dollar Tree has Hallmark cards at 2 for a $1. When I think of my local grocery store or Rite Aid or CVS, I couldn't tell you where the greeting card sections are. I'm not even sure they have them anymore. The death of an industry I suppose.

Jesus fucking Christ you’re an asshole r39

[quote]Papyrus is not going out of business. They still have tons of their cards at full price at Target.

Actually the Papyrus stores have closed.

Google is your friend: "Papyrus, the greeting card and stationery chain, will close all its stores in the United States and Canada after its parent company filed for bankruptcy, another casualty of the long-running decline of mall-based retail. Jan 24, 2020."

The cards will still be sold, but as of January 2020, all the stores were set to be closed. Papyrus filed for bankruptcy.

[quote]Uh, because you want to leave it for the actual poor people whose lives depend on it? Do you also line up for the soup kitchen because it’s such an incredible deal?

Are you serious or just looking to argue? Lots of different types of people shop in liquidator type stores. My millionaire boss shops at Jack's! You sound like a bloody moron.

These types of stores seem to have an endless supply of low priced items, that's why they are thriving. Most of these stores are always well stocked.

The more people shop, these types of stores can stay in business and keep people employed. If these stores were only dependent on the poor to shop there, they wouldn't have many customers. A food stamp card only has so much on them each month. The poor also don't have the extra disposable income to shop frivolously like a lot of people who frequent these stores seem to have. I have a work colleague who literally shops every day.

Everyone loves a bargain, even wealthy people. Please STFU!

r48 None of which indicates they are "going out of business."

Yesterday, I happened to be in the area where one of the Jack's is located. I went to the original Jack's.

My how the mighty have fallen! They had lots of made in China garbage, not the brand names or level of the great items they used to carry. There was brand name food and other brand name items, but most of the prices were raised.

Shoppers could get the same exact items at Dollar Tree, such as the Betty Crocker cooking utensils. They were $2.99 at Jack's! I got a few things and four cloth Jack's shopping bags, they were reasonable, as 25¢ and 50¢ for the large bag.

When I first moved to NYC forty years ago, there was actually an 88 cents store!

Really!

I'm sure some of you remember the real five and dime

[quote]When I first moved to NYC forty years ago, there was actually an 88 cents store! Really!

I remember a 69¢ Store on Eight Street, it then become the 88¢ Store. lol

[quote]I'm sure some of you remember the real five and dime

I gather you mean Woolworth? They weren't exactly selling 5¢ & 10¢ items, they cannot be compared with today's 99¢ stores.

Woolworth was basically a much smaller version of a department store. They even sold fish, birds and turtles. They didn't close all that long ago. I think the huge two floor Woolworth on 8th Street in the Village closed sometime in the late 1990s.

I miss all the defunct liquidator stores in NYC, such as Odd Job, Odd Lot, National Wholesale Liquidators, Bag Man and Weber's. I purchased some amazing items in each of these stores. A bath size Ralph Lauren towel for just $2.50 was one great purchase. Great hardware and painting supplies at Odd Job and so much more.

I guess a combo of ridiculous real estate rents and not being able to get the same types of brand name items were the reasons so many of these places went out of business?

The big fraud started when penny candy went to a nickel!

Why are you guys dissing dollar tree. You all are a fool for that one. 😂😂😂😂.

Somebody should SUE them for false advertising

There are dope ass cards at rite aid for mothers day. Those cards are mostly sold between 4.99- 9.99.

R58, who is dissing Dollar Tree?

People have to be savvy shoppers, they have to compare the brand names and the sizes sold at Dollar Tree with the same brands and sizes sold at CVS, Rite Aid, Duane Reade and Walgreens.

For example, Dollar Tree sells brand names such as Tylenol and many name brand deodorants, but the sizes of these products at DT, are basically sample sizes. You aren't going to get a full size bottle of Tylenol for $1.00, same with the deodorant, they are basically sample sizes. IIRC, the Tylenol package sold at DT is for 10 tablets.

R61. You don't understand scarcsm.

I loathe when lower end places try to be higher end. They don't realize that their cheapness IS their charm.

R61 I live alone, so I appreciate smaller size products.

[quote][R61]. You don't understand scarcsm.

You don't know how to SPELL 'sarcasm'. 😂 🤣

[quote][R61] I live alone, so I appreciate smaller size products.

My point was about comparison shopping, to see if the dollar items are really a bargain.

A few weeks ago, Dollar Tree had a 4 pack of Colgate toothbrushes. Now that's a bargain! The last time I was there, those particular toothbrushes were sold out. The Colgate toothbrushes were the same type of Colgate brushes sold at Costco.

Resurrecting this year-old thread after a visit today.

I hadn't been to a 99 Cent Only store in years, but decided I'd check it out and see if it was as good a place as it used to be, though I knew better. I knew they had bumped up to a dollar per item, but didn't know they had turned into a junkier Dollar General. They're selling $13 crap, now.

I checked their website and they mention the bump up to 99.9 Cents a few years ago, then briefly mention adding items that were over a dollar.

From 2013-2015, they and Neiman's were owned by the same publicly-traded holding company, Ares Management. The original family, the Golds, is long gone. That's usually when things go down the shitter.

I did a quick walk around the store and then went to Aldi's.

This guy does a better critique than I did. This was exactly my experience, down to the cursing.

The Dollar Tree store in our area (NorCal) now carries things for 1.25 or a bit more, so now I refer to it as the $1.25 Store.

Never heard of a "dollar store" selling produce.

r69 here. We also have the 99 cent store here in NorCal, and it, indeed, sold produce and other fresh food items when I lived near it. You could get some really good deals. That was about 4 years ago though...the closest one is about 8 miles away and not worth the drive.