Posted on 10/07/2018 6:01:27 AM PDT by Vigilanteman
The village of Nice, Calif., has a name pronounced “Neece,” like the city on the French Riviera, and it sits on a strip of land wedged dramatically between steep hills and the shores of Clear Lake. This was resort country a century ago, but tourists are scarce these days and the surrounding county is now among the poorest in the state, when measured by median income.
A perfect place, in other words, for a cinderblock Dollar General store, which now straddles Highway 20, a two-minute walk from the gazebo that marks the village center. When it opened back in 2015, some locals worried it was yet another symbol of civic decline. But for Dean Schneider, it was nothing but a blessing.
The 69-year-old retired commercial fisherman with a self-described “authority problem” now had a place to go for basic household items such as dish soap, tuna fish, bread and Coors Light, and the store saved him the ten-mile drive to the nearest major grocery store, where the prices were usually a few cents higher.
“This gave us some options,” said Schneider, who lives on a fixed income. “I don’t want to pay top dollar for toilet paper.”
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
I heard this when we went from just two in a 15 mile radius a decade or so ago to six of them now.
While we don't fit the definition of low income, I love how you can get in and out so quickly for pricing not all that different than Wal-Mart.
I also love telling all the snooty libtard whiners that their policies create poor people and DG is just giving them options to stretch their dollar.
Huzzah for Tennessee, where they are based just outside of Nashville.
The guy probably didn't go to public school....
Things change.
Retail changes!
I always thought it was disingenuous when locally owned grocery chains would bitch and moan about Wal-Mart putting them out of business. Yet when those same local chains were putting all the corner “mom and pop” stores out of business they didn’t seem to have any mercy or pity. Things change.
“straddles Highway 20”
That must be a big store.
In a free country, Walmart type stores or large grocery chains are free to open up smaller stores that compete with Dollar General type stores in rural small towns
and many commercial fishermen are not only college graduates but have Masters and PhDs.
Family Dollar and Dollar General have moved aggressively into urban neighborhoods over the past decade. They have brought WalMart level pricing to these areas. Losses due to theft and staffing woes are major problems but the expansion continues. This development has been a God send for the urban poor.
“Dollar General throws a lifeline to hard-pressed communities. But at what cost?”
I am guessing ...a dollar?
If DG is doing well and people shop there because they want to, I am all for it.
DG is merely exercising capitalism and filling a need of some consumers.
All this What cost? Why? nuttism is leftist hogwash.
I much prefer Dollar Tree.
More useful stuff, better food, and the stores are always brightly-lit and clean.
And everything is actually a dollar!
“I always thought it was disingenuous when locally owned grocery chains would bitch and moan about Wal-Mart putting them out of business. Yet when those same local chains were putting all the corner “mom and pop” stores out of business they didn’t seem to have any mercy or pity. Things change.”
25+ years after Walmart came to this small, rural town we have more privately owned retail and restaurant businesses than we did prior to Walmart being here, but the Walmart also generates a huge amount of our local tax revenue. Once again, unfounded liberal fear-mongering was crazy wrong.
Besides, just because a business is a one-off doesn’t somehow make it magically awesome and that we should stop all commercial progress to support it, solely.
When Walmart moved in, all the local stores bitched and moaned about how they were going to hurt the local economy. In reality, Walmart brought in hundreds of new jobs, and the local pirates could no longer sell their bread for five bucks a loaf, or milk for five bucks a gallon.
Now, another store chain has figured out how to compete with Walmart. It’s all about competition, and competition is good for the consumer.
and many commercial fishermen are not only college graduates but have Masters and PhDs.
= = = = = = = = = = =
How true... I knew a guy that went to Alaska and in five years was a skipper of a fishing boat, then went on to be the skipper of a ‘fleet’ of fishing boats.
He started as a Junior Baiter and at the end of his first month was a Master Baiter and it was all ‘go’ from there.
Also remember way back when the Dollar Stores & Dollar General stores (THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE) was opening a new one and a local lady said she was glad D store was there because she didn’t have to get all dressed up to go shopping like she did when going to Walmart....
Dollar General happens were there is a demand. They are interested in making money. The left is about keeping the unwashed at arms length. After all they are only good to vote and do chores that might interfere with your children’s video games. DG in the neighborhood is a sign that the unwashed aren’t staying in the barrio. The shame of it all.
You caught that too! It does not give one a favorable opinon of the intelligence of the writer!
I live in a very rural Township of 300 or so people. The nearest ‘big’ town, 10 miles away, has about 2K people. There is a Super Walmart there, a Walgreen’s, a chain Gas Station, McDonald’s, Culver’s and a Dollar General.
Parking lots, during normal business hours are always bustling.
Plenty of competition, yet no store is failing. Go figure! ;)
“a cinderblock Dollar General store, which now straddles Highway 20”
No, it doesn’t.
I shop unashamedly at Family Dollar. When we downsized and left our historic stonehouse several years ago we moved to a fairly upscale apartment complex adjacent (across the Hudson river) from a decaying upstate NY city. (thanks ‘rats).
There are three Family Dollar stores in neighboring vicinities. They have everything, have low prices, and the people who shop and work there are diverse in an organic way. Meaning, the diversity found is not contrived.
Everyone over the past two years, employees and fellow shoppers, so far have been neighborly and friendly. I have have not encountered any animosity towards my white skin.
My experience is that people of all colors are interested in getting along fine when left alone.
I realize that there are pockets of the country where the hostility is dangerous and real, but I think the default tendency is decency from all.
Family Dollar is a blessing for many who depend on walking and public transportation.
(sorry for the long post)
Dollar General around here has shown some hypocrisy. Their store coupons can only be used with a smart phone. Meanwhile, the grocery store on the other side of the street has on most items prices as good or better on at least one choice than DG offers. The stores are on a very convenient bus line that serves Cleveland’s near west side, just past city limits. My thought... Perhaps we’re all paying for their inner city locations.
Walmart STARTED in small towns in emulation of the "Piggly Wiggly" chain.
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