Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

citylab.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

161–170 of 224 posts

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#161

Post by rjdagost »

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…

You are absolutely correct. I do long distance bicycle rides through rural areas. When you've been riding for hours without signs of civilization (other than the road itself), a Dollar General that pops up in the middle of nowhere is a godsend. You CAN get fresh food and healthy groceries there at good prices. Whole Foods it ain't, but I wouldn't expect that due to the different income levels of the shoppers of the respective stores. I give Dollar General and related stores a lot of credit- they have found a way to thrive in underserved markets.

The author has apparently never shopped at a Dollar General or a Family Dollar, because she thinks that these are dollar stores, and she doesn't seem to know that these stores sell many types of products other than food. It gives her article the tone of uninformed snobbery- "I don't even know what these stores sell or for how much, but I know what is best for poor communities".

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#162

Post by UncleEntity »

hakfoo wrote: post #87
dclowd9901 wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“Cost of doing business in those neighborhoods is very high. Vandalism and robbery jack up insurance rates.“ Oof. I was with you til this. For a large grocery store chain, the occasional vandalism/shoplifting incident is nothing. Built into the price, as they say. The real reason they don’t operate in these areas is because a poor community spends less money than a rich community. If you have to stretch your floor sp…

But that doesn't mean that a company with the resources of Kroger couldn't also manage a brand that aimed significantly lower. In Arizona, there's a local grocery chain (Bashas') that's been around since before WWII. They have three very distinct brands-- the mainstream brand, a decidedly lower-class brand with a string Hispanic focus, and a deluxe brand which seems to target a more foodie, but similarly affluent aud…

Bashas is now part of Albertsons which is one of the big grocery conglomerates in the US.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#163

Post by tomohawk »

There were riots in Baltimore a few years ago. The street gangs used it as an excuse to knock over every pharmacy, shoe store, and liquor store.

This destroyed years of work trying to get stores to build there. Among many others, Target decided it was no longer worth the risk and moved out. They also ended up cancelling projects in other cities, such as DC.

When a city is not competent at providing for basic things like safety and security, it becomes a high risk area, and many businesses will limit their exposure. Small dollar stores are a form of that. Vacant store fronts are another.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#164

Post by your-nanny »

epistasis wrote: post #58
thaumasiotes wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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…

This is a funny, I totally agree that getting just out of Santa Cruz's densest part you'll run into people as redneck as anywhere in Iowa. I'm not so sure about anywhere in Santa Cruz County being like a food desert though... But inside of Santa Cruz, there's an abundance of corner and grocery stores. Anywhere you live you'll have 1-3 amazing grocery stores within 1-2 miles. My favorite being Shopper's Corner, which…

the op didn't say redneck.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#166

Post by your-nanny »

kijin wrote: post #36
DocFeind wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Dollar General is not a dollar store.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#168

Post by ja27 »

I hadn't noticed until this year but many dollar stores in the suburbs near me carry less groceries than other stores in the - uhm - rougher parts of town. I found out that their lease often limits them to selling "snacks only" if there is another grocery store in the same plaza, which in one case includes just a Target. Go visit one that's more stand-alone and you'll see more grocery selection.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#169

Post by marcosdumay »

learc83 wrote: post #82
Izkata wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to mention the seal means you know it hasn't been handled by other customers. Who knows how dirty the unpackaged "fresh" food has gotten.

Probably not any dirtier than it was when it was growing in the dirt. That's why you wash fruits and vegetables before eating them. Even packaged foods like bagged lettuce can be very dirty (contaminated with E. coli) as well.

One would expect the dirt they grew into wasn't rich in human-specific pathogens.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#170

Post by bunderbunder »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #39
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…

> 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…

Chicago is that way, too. The only difference is it's a 30 minute bus ride instead of a 30 minute drive.

That may be an economic equilibrium point.

(Edit: For infrequent stuff like clothes. Obvs, regardless of the free market's default behavior, we need better for food.)

Post reply on HN