Dollar General

[Zacha341]

^^^ They may make it... that whole market has changed in the urban setting. There's a new incarnation of furniture store setting up in the D, selling basically break-away junk fiber wood crap and all kinds of other items including in one case car TIRES TOO! This little 'furniture' store on Woodward and West Grand Blvd even sells cheap perfume, and other brick a brack along with their funiture stuffs. It's not a new concept, but a few have sprouted up lately.

[stasu1213]

^^^ They may make it... that whole market has changed in the urban setting. There's a new incarnation of furniture store setting up in the D, selling basically break-away junk fiber wood crap and all kinds of other items including in one case car TIRES TOO! This little 'furniture' store on Woodward and West Grand Blvd even sells cheap perfume, and other brick a brack along with their funiture stuffs. It's not a new concept, but a few have sprouted up lately.

I blame the DEGC and others for allowing these junk stores to pop up all over the place in Detroit

[Dan Wesson]

Y'all know that them Dollar stores were all established by some good 'ol boys south of the Mason Dixon line...

Family Dollar, Dollar General, Dollar Tree and of course the Grand Daddy of them all Walmart.

Why is that?

[animatedmartian]

^^^ They may make it... that whole market has changed in the urban setting. There's a new incarnation of furniture store setting up in the D, selling basically break-away junk fiber wood crap and all kinds of other items including in one case car TIRES TOO! This little 'furniture' store on Woodward and West Grand Blvd even sells cheap perfume, and other brick a brack along with their funiture stuffs. It's not a new concept, but a few have sprouted up lately.

I meant that area specifically. There's vacant land and buildings as far as the eye could see. And traffic was light too, especially for being evening rush hour. I would expect there to be people moving into that area for any businesses to survive.

[FormerDetroiter]

Y'all know that them Dollar stores were all established by some good 'ol boys south of the Mason Dixon line...

Family Dollar, Dollar General, Dollar Tree and of course the Grand Daddy of them all Walmart.

Why is that?

And even the Grand Daddy of them all won't put a Walmart or a Sam's Club in Detroit.

[313WX]

I still say that Jefferson Village could had a Walmart in the strip mall. I wonder if the owner of the strip mall has the same mind set that the owner of many strip malls in the inner city have. Dollar Stores, Boost or Metro Pcs, and Stores that sells Spartan goods or outdate restamped produce

I heard both Home Dept and Meijer were mulling over putting a store in that area, but obviously that didn't pan out as they're not over there.

Besides that, the fact that Kroger didn't even want to inherit that brand new Farmer Jack spoke a lot of volume as well.

So I don't expect a Walmart to open in that area any time soon either...

[DetroitPlanner]

And even the Grand Daddy of them all won't put a Walmart or a Sam's Club in Detroit.

The Grand Daddy is Dollar General. It was started in the 1930's. The first Walmart opened in 1962.

[erikd]

Good news to all of you Dollar General lovers. Dollar General is opening a new location inside Jefferson Village strip mall. Great news!!! Now the community could expect to see a Metro PC, Wig or weave supply store and the occasional party store. Why did I saw this coming?

What the fuck are you talking about?

Dollar General is a major American retail chain, with more than TEN THOUSAND STORES located across the country.

To put Dollar General in perspective, they have more than twice as many stores in America than Walmart, and almost as many American locations as McDonalds.

You are trying to use the fact that one of the largest national retail chains in America is adding new locations in Detroit as evidence that Detroit is inferior to the rest of the country, as if Dollar General isn't ubiquitous in America.

Detroit has enough actual, legitimate issues and challenges. If you want to discuss legimate issues and concerns, that's great. If you just want to shit on Detroit, and try to twist even the most common examples of ordinary American life into an attack on the city, it just makes you an idiot with nothing valid to say.

[Hermod]

Detroit has enough actual, legitimate issues and challenges. If you want to discuss legimate issues and concerns, that's great. If you just want to shit on Detroit, and try to twist even the most common examples of ordinary American life into an attack on the city, it just makes you an idiot with nothing valid to say.

Erik, the common thread on DetroitYes is to bemoan lack of retail or lack of construction. Then when some retail opens, the usual candidates begin to piss and moan that it is a Dollar General instead of the "high end cufflink shoppe" that Detroit "needs". If someone builds or renovates a building, there is more pissing and moaning about the architecture.

[erikd]

Erik, the common thread on DetroitYes is to bemoan lack of retail or lack of construction. Then when some retail opens, the usual candidates begin to piss and moan that it is a Dollar General instead of the "high end cufflink shoppe" that Detroit "needs". If someone builds or renovates a building, there is more pissing and moaning about the architecture.

Don't get me wrong here. I am not a fan of strip malls, and I am a strong advocate for preserving historic buildings instead of tearing them down for strip malls and parking lots.

I am not advocating strip malls or chain retailers, but simply saying that if we do have strip malls which feature major national retail chains, it shouldn't be held up as an example of inferiority to every other place in America that has a similar strip mall with the same store in it.

[Honky Tonk]

What the fuck are you talking about?

Dollar General is a major American retail chain, with more than TEN THOUSAND STORES located across the country.

To put Dollar General in perspective, they have more than twice as many stores in America than Walmart, and almost as many American locations as McDonalds.

Just as good and Walmarts and McDonalds, that DOES put things in perspective.

[erikd]

Just as good and Walmarts and McDonalds, that DOES put things in perspective.

You are missing my point. I'm not saying that Dollar General is high-end shopping, just like I'm not saying that McDonalds is fine dining. I'm saying that Dollar General stores are almost everywhere in America, just like McDonalds.

There are a shitload of Dollar General stores in Troy, Clinton Twp, Sterling Heights, and many other Detroit suburbs, just like McDonalds and Walmart.

Do you sneer at Troy, Sterling Heights, or Clinton Twp because they have strip malls with Dollar General stores, or do you reserve your distain specifically for Detroit?

[stasu1213]

What the fuck are you talking about?

Dollar General is a major American retail chain, with more than TEN THOUSAND STORES located across the country.

To put Dollar General in perspective, they have more than twice as many stores in America than Walmart, and almost as many American locations as McDonalds.

You are trying to use the fact that one of the largest national retail chains in America is adding new locations in Detroit as evidence that Detroit is inferior to the rest of the country, as if Dollar General isn't ubiquitous in America.

Detroit has enough actual, legitimate issues and challenges. If you want to discuss legimate issues and concerns, that's great. If you just want to shit on Detroit, and try to twist even the most common examples of ordinary American life into an attack on the city, it just makes you an idiot with nothing valid to say.

Target is an American store as well but you don't see one within the city limits. Lack of good retail that do employ detroiters is a legitimate issue. Dollar General serves it's purpose. Detroit just doesn't need a dollar store, boost mobile, and some type of turbo tax doesn't need to be in every retail or business district in the city while I constantly find myself going to the suburbs with my money just to purchase an iron or good bed sheets. But those type of stores are a threat to those who control the economics and runs things in Detroit. When I was in New York a few years back I was totally surprise to see a Lane Bryant in Harlem of all places. Are you telling me that Harlem, which is more African American than Detroit, have stores that suits a variety of needs while the best that Detroit could do is multiple dollar stores, furniture stores that sells car rims, and rows upon rows of barber shops, African braids and weaves, liquor stores, so called delis where the pan handlers are allowed to hang around? I am not looking for expensive cufflinks but am looking for a place where I could shop for the most basic of needs and keeping my money in the city to spin it's economy. Go figure

[stasu1213]

You are missing my point. I'm not saying that Dollar General is high-end shopping, just like I'm not saying that McDonalds is fine dining. I'm saying that Dollar General stores are almost everywhere in America, just like McDonalds.

There are a shitload of Dollar General stores in Troy, Clinton Twp, Sterling Heights, and many other Detroit suburbs, just like McDonalds and Walmart.

Do you sneer at Troy, Sterling Heights, or Clinton Twp because they have strip malls with Dollar General stores, or do you reserve your distain specifically for Detroit?

Troy, Sterling Heights, and Warren may have a Dollar General inside their strip malls but not far from it is a Dunhams, Bed Bath and Beyond, Casual Male XLR etc. There are balances in these working class suburban areas. Detroit doesn't have that. I don't know if the "shop Michigan" is jutting many good stores out of the game saving the Dollar Generals or is it a plot to keep the better national retail s in the suburbs to keep their economy going. Local homegrown businesses have to have the same mindset as national retailers; cater to the basic needs and not just to one specific group

[stasu1213]

I heard both Home Dept and Meijer were mulling over putting a store in that area, but obviously that didn't pan out as they're not over there.

Besides that, the fact that Kroger didn't even want to inherit that brand new Farmer Jack spoke a lot of volume as well.

So I don't expect a Walmart to open in that area any time soon either...

I had always said that at times the owner of the strip mall determine what stores goes into the strip mall. Many owners of strip malls in Detroit may have the same mindset. That is probably why you see the same type stores in every strip mall in the city. A Walmart, Kmart, or Sam's Club being allowed to open in Jefferson Village or the strip mall next to it would put all of these Spartan products markets lining Jefferson Avenue and also Lafayette out of business overnight. This is why I have a theory that the is a group or element that make sure that other threatening businesses don't open in many areas of Detroit unless they or it could capitalize from them.

[erikd]

Target is an American store as well but you don't see one within the city limits. Lack of good retail that do employ detroiters is a legitimate issue. Dollar General serves it's purpose. Detroit just doesn't need a dollar store, boost mobile, and some type of turbo tax doesn't need to be in every retail or business district in the city while I constantly find myself going to the suburbs with my money just to purchase an iron or good bed sheets. But those type of stores are a threat to those who control the economics and runs things in Detroit. When I was in New York a few years back I was totally surprise to see a Lane Bryant in Harlem of all places. Are you telling me that Harlem, which is more African American than Detroit, have stores that suits a variety of needs while the best that Detroit could do is multiple dollar stores, furniture stores that sells car rims, and rows upon rows of barber shops, African braids and weaves, liquor stores, so called delis where the pan handlers are allowed to hang around? I am not looking for expensive cufflinks but am looking for a place where I could shop for the most basic of needs and keeping my money in the city to spin it's economy. Go figure

Lots of stuff to respond to here...

As a fellow Detroiter, I understand where you are coming from, but I don't think that it has anything to do with some kind of nefarious scheme to control the economics of the city. It's really not that devious. Big box stores require a ton of contiguous land, which tends to be harder to find, and is generally more expensive, in the inner city than in the suburbs. While there are a few examples of big box stores in American cities, it is the exception, not the norm.

Having said that, I will also say that I am glad that there is a lack of big-box stores in the city, or at least in the city center. The main reason that I live in Detroit is because I don't have to drive everywhere. I can walk, bus, bike, or cab to everything that I need on a regular basis.

I can even buy an iron or bed sheets if I really need to in a pinch, but i don't really buy irons or bed sheets that often, so it's not a big issue for me. I have only purchased one iron in my life, and it is still working after 17 years. I do buy towels and sheets more frequently, but even that is only about once every 3-5 years.

I will admit that I don't have a good linen store in the city, so I have to drive ten minutes to the nearest Target or Bed Bath and Beyond about once every two years.

I don't understand why that is a big deal. Who gives a fuck about easy access to irons and bedsheets? I walk 4 blocks to work, while my suburban co-workers spend hours driving 40-60 miles every single day! But once a year I have to drive 12 minutes, instead of 5, to go to Target or Bed Bath and Beyond for towels, sheets, and underwear.

[DetroitPlanner]

There are a shitload of Dollar General stores in Troy, Clinton Twp, Sterling Heights, and many other Detroit suburbs, just like McDonalds and Walmart.

Do you sneer at Troy, Sterling Heights, or Clinton Twp because they have strip malls with Dollar General stores, or do you reserve your distain specifically for Detroit?

These folks who are ripping on stores like Dollar General come from rich suburbs and are ingorant of these stores because they are not found in places like Troy [[which is in the tony Bloomingham Hills fertile cresent) or Plynorvi.

[Honky Tonk]

You are missing my point. I'm not saying that Dollar General is high-end shopping, just like I'm not saying that McDonalds is fine dining. I'm saying that Dollar General stores are almost everywhere in America, just like McDonalds.

There are a shitload of Dollar General stores in Troy, Clinton Twp, Sterling Heights, and many other Detroit suburbs, just like McDonalds and Walmart.

Do you sneer at Troy, Sterling Heights, or Clinton Twp because they have strip malls with Dollar General stores, or do you reserve your distain specifically for Detroit?

I reserve my disdain for Walmarts and McDonalds, and not for people that misconstrue every sentence you post.

[stasu1213]

Lots of stuff to respond to here...

As a fellow Detroiter, I understand where you are coming from, but I don't think that it has anything to do with some kind of nefarious scheme to control the economics of the city. It's really not that devious. Big box stores require a ton of contiguous land, which tends to be harder to find, and is generally more expensive, in the inner city than in the suburbs. While there are a few examples of big box stores in American cities, it is the exception, not the norm.

Having said that, I will also say that I am glad that there is a lack of big-box stores in the city, or at least in the city center. The main reason that I live in Detroit is because I don't have to drive everywhere. I can walk, bus, bike, or cab to everything that I need on a regular basis.

I can even buy an iron or bed sheets if I really need to in a pinch, but i don't really buy irons or bed sheets that often, so it's not a big issue for me. I have only purchased one iron in my life, and it is still working after 17 years. I do buy towels and sheets more frequently, but even that is only about once every 3-5 years.

I will admit that I don't have a good linen store in the city, so I have to drive ten minutes to the nearest Target or Bed Bath and Beyond about once every two years.

I don't understand why that is a big deal. Who gives a fuck about easy access to irons and bedsheets? I walk 4 blocks to work, while my suburban co-workers spend hours driving 40-60 miles every single day! But once a year I have to drive 12 minutes, instead of 5, to go to Target or Bed Bath and Beyond for towels, sheets, and underwear.

The point is that Detroit should have these stores or stores that sell household products in the city itself instead of us having to go to another community to shop supporting the economic base of that community. Of course you don't care for you are probably of the much younger group. You will begin to see the importance of these things once you mature with age or if older, travel outside of your perimeter. Your Co workers may have to travel a long distance to get to work but they return home to more self sufficient communities than the one that you are probably living in. Suburbanites know the importance of these things for that is why these stores are in their communities. You don't know

[Zacha341]

My first exposure to Dollar General was the one in Ferndale on nine mile. I was happy to see them come to Detroit as I was aware of the savings on many products including laundry detergent. CVS does not cut it -- too expensive for everyday non-speciality! I only use CVS for sales, cash back offers and other discounts per my rewards card. Otherwise CVS is 10 - 20% higher target to what they see as a 'captive' audience.

I go where I choose for things needed including Meijers, Odd Lots, Target on occasion or specialty such as Holiday Market in RO, but I am in general glad DG has come to Detroit, we need the option withstanding the things one would not shop there for.

[softailrider]

I can't believe someone would even bother defending Dollar General. Though it always has a few good loss leaders, it's often overpriced for what you get, most of which is the absolute bottom of the barrel in terms of quality. Want plastic cooking spoons that melt in boiling water? The worst vegetables of the harvest, canned and soaking in obscene amounts of salt?



Yes, Dollar General is great for that!

Nobody going in there expects fresh produce.

[Dan Wesson]

Aren't there any Sav-a-Lots in The D???

Out State they seem to be above and beyond the dollar stores in food stuffs.

[313WX]

Aren't there any Sav-a-Lots in The D???

Yes, and there are also Aldi stores in the city...

[Honky Tonk]

Yes, and there are also Aldi stores in the city...

Aldi's are great! Trader Joe's on a budget.