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A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

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Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#31

Post by agumonkey »

pascalxus wrote: post #3

You really have to differentiate between the food that's offered at a dollar store and everything else. I shop at the dollar store for things like shampoo, deodrant, toothpaste and it's superb deal, not in any way making me poorer. on the contrary it saves me money. for groceries, you should shop somewhere else, unless your looking for dog food. the reason there aren't more grocery stores selling good food is because…

> "consumers prefer processed foods, sodas, chips, things placed in boxes and plastic"

like toddlers prefer candies

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#32

Post by perardi »

Yhippa wrote: post #2

Every year for Christmas my wife continues a small family tradition: every year we go there and buy stocking stuffers for our small family. It's definitely a different experience than going to a grocery store for sure. It's almost like you have a department store or modern pharmacies like CVS with the food capabilities of a gas station or 7-Eleven. I can see why it would appeal to lower-income families. If you assume…

Aldi's can be a bit drab, but the actual quality is fantastic. (I don't understand how Aldi's has the best fresh pineapples.)

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#33

Post by cameldrv »

The reason that there are places where the only grocery stores are dollar stores is because the people who live in those places are overwhelmingly poor. If you want these people to buy fresh produce and live like middle class people, you need to figure out a way to bring them out of poverty.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#34

Post by jstewartmobile »

This is a sloppy hitpiece by someone who probably doesn't cook, is too uppity to be seen in a DG, or both.

DG has saved my bacon on numerous occasions--when I've found myself an ingredient or two short mid-recipe.

They have plenty of dairy, eggs, canned vegetables, dry goods, spices, etc--more than adequate for a nutritious and affordable meal.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#35

Post by pascalxus »

scythe wrote: post #28
pascalxus wrote: post #3

You really have to differentiate between the food that's offered at a dollar store and everything else. I shop at the dollar store for things like shampoo, deodrant, toothpaste and it's superb deal, not in any way making me poorer. on the contrary it saves me money. for groceries, you should shop somewhere else, unless your looking for dog food. the reason there aren't more grocery stores selling good food is because…

I love oatmeal and eat loads of it, but we really need to avoid telling poorly-informed people that the path to cheap nutrition is to eat bland goo. You might think about it as a rhetorical example, but you need to remember that people won't remember what you say, only how you make them feel. The salient imagery in your post is living on unflavored oatmeal, and that's not appealing to anyone.

that's a good point. I didn't realize people thought of oatmeal like that. I really enjoy oatmeal. I put some bananas on it or some pumpkin seeds, or strawberries or a little bit of honey and the whole thing tastes absolutely delicious.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#36

Post by kijin »

DocFeind wrote: post #16
vraylle wrote: post #9

I don't know about other areas, but here in the middle of Oklahoma the Dollar Generals have been a real positive. There's a lot of rural areas where a Walmart came in, then folded later. It left a 1-2 hour drive to get buy any kind of "real" food. The DG stores here have been expanding to include an actual grocery section, including fresh produce and (limited) fresh meat. More is available frozen. They have excellent…

I spent a few years in Texas and often travel by road cross country. I do have to say, finding a dollar store chain of local is a blessing in the big empty in-between.

Dollar stores are like fast food franchises. They're cheap and probably unhealthy, but their inventory is highly predictable.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#37

Post by linkmotif »

pascalxus wrote: post #3

You really have to differentiate between the food that's offered at a dollar store and everything else. I shop at the dollar store for things like shampoo, deodrant, toothpaste and it's superb deal, not in any way making me poorer. on the contrary it saves me money. for groceries, you should shop somewhere else, unless your looking for dog food. the reason there aren't more grocery stores selling good food is because…

Very refreshing to see people posting this plain simple reality. Not only is there plenty of cheap healthy food, if people wanted more of it—BAM—capitalism would be there in two shakes of a lamb’s tail to sell them whatever they want.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#38

Post by harlanji »

war1025 wrote: post #18
vraylle wrote: post #9

I don't know about other areas, but here in the middle of Oklahoma the Dollar Generals have been a real positive. There's a lot of rural areas where a Walmart came in, then folded later. It left a 1-2 hour drive to get buy any kind of "real" food. The DG stores here have been expanding to include an actual grocery section, including fresh produce and (limited) fresh meat. More is available frozen. They have excellent…

Here in rural Iowa, Dollar General also has claimed the niche of "less stuff, but also nearby". You can either drive 5 minutes into town and go to the Dollar General for most of your basic needs, or you can drive a half hour to the nearest city with a Walmart / Target / etc. I really quite like stopping by to grab a quick thing or two. Around here, there tends to be a local grocery chain in the same vicinity, so gene…

This is why I prefer being homeless in the Bay Area to going anywhere else to live for cheap, as people invite me. I spent like 4 days in a nice place in GA, in a downtown without baguettes, and came right back. I can shop at organic markets and coops everywhere. The high rent is a better cost than gas when housed.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#39

Post by thaumasiotes »

war1025 wrote: post #18
vraylle wrote: post #9

I don't know about other areas, but here in the middle of Oklahoma the Dollar Generals have been a real positive. There's a lot of rural areas where a Walmart came in, then folded later. It left a 1-2 hour drive to get buy any kind of "real" food. The DG stores here have been expanding to include an actual grocery section, including fresh produce and (limited) fresh meat. More is available frozen. They have excellent…

Here in rural Iowa, Dollar General also has claimed the niche of "less stuff, but also nearby". You can either drive 5 minutes into town and go to the Dollar General for most of your basic needs, or you can drive a half hour to the nearest city with a Walmart / Target / etc. I really quite like stopping by to grab a quick thing or two. Around here, there tends to be a local grocery chain in the same vicinity, so gene…

> You can either drive 5 minutes into town and go to the Dollar General for most of your basic needs, or you can drive a half hour to the nearest city with a Walmart / Target / etc.

I'm intrigued by these time estimates. Living in a suburb of Santa Cruz (just south of the Bay Area), the choices are similar. Completely inadequate corner store (much worse than DG) locally, or drive to a location with real stores. That drive is a minimum of 15 minutes depending on the store you want.

But I feel like people in beach communities around the Bay Area would struggle with the idea that they're just as remote as hicks in rural Iowa.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#40

Post by i_am_nomad »

brad0 wrote: post #22
war1025 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here in rural Iowa, Dollar General also has claimed the niche of "less stuff, but also nearby". You can either drive 5 minutes into town and go to the Dollar General for most of your basic needs, or you can drive a half hour to the nearest city with a Walmart / Target / etc. I really quite like stopping by to grab a quick thing or two. Around here, there tends to be a local grocery chain in the same vicinity, so gene…

I’m curious, what do you do for work in Iowa?

I’m curious too, and a bit jealous.
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