dollar general

[Kay/NC]

Spoiler

Sam's is where I have normally gotten most of our cleaning products, and manu of the toilietires needed for washing up after dealing with hay and the pigs. Unfortunately, they quit carrying my Dove shampoo and conditioner, so I am trying some Melaleuca shampoo my daughter orders and recommended.  I have to say, I always thought shampoo didn't matter, but this one does make my hair much shinier and glossier. 

HAD to shampoo every day with Dove, but can skip a day, unless I've done some really dirty work or trained in TKD (soaked with sweat when done), with this new one.  May cost more each use, but if used less often, maybe  it evens out.  I like their cleansers okay, but more below. 

On dish soap, I was a dedicated Ivory fan for almost 40 years, but have learned that Dawn does  a much better job, and is not really worse on my hands.  (Remember Madge, the Manicurist in the old Dawn commercials?  She must have been right!)  Was taught in first aid that Dawn is okay to wash a wound out, too. 

I keep a big hamper of old towels, and the family is instructed to use them for anything except bathing or the pool. They are in my stained glass work area, since I use a lot of towels in that.   Dedicated pool towels are kept in a big trug in the porch.  I keep one good set and only one spare set for each of the bathrooms, including the office one, and the RV one.  Towels can take on a life of their own. 

I am HOOKED on a new set of household cleansers now.  Got my first spray bottle out of a Gold Canyon Candle party. 

It is all-purpose cleanser, scented with rosemary and mint.  Liked it so much, I have ordered and just received their floor cleaner, which has sweet orange, lavendar and eucalyptus; and, the glass cleaner, which has peppermint and eucalyptus.  They all come in small concentrate bottles for refills, too. 

I think I can use the floor concentrate in the Rubbermaid Reveal mop sprayer.  I cannot say how much better I enjoy these scents than the usual strong cleanser smells.  I'll still use the Melaleuca products for cleaning the showers and disinfectants for the bathroom.  And, I think Simple Green is just so fresh, I will never stop using it, no matter what it costs. 

We have just started getting these Dollar General stores locally in hte past few years.  I think I have only been in one once, to get fuel for the antique oil lamps.  Family Dollar is here, too.  Often, the two are situated side-by-side. 

[merryyon]

OF COURSE he is on the way to OState/Ansi.....I did tell him that I was mature enough and would not write him out of the will if he chose not to attend there....I love OSU no doubt, but if he decides to go the petro engineering route he'll have to go to ou....that would be hard on me...

[Nebrfarmr]

I know the AST MGR of a DG store, and they say that is part of the DG 'niche'.  Put the 'man groceries' close to the doors, and close to the cashiers.  A man on the way home from work, or on his way to a BBQ, will stop at DG to get the jug of milk, the soda, or the chips, simply because it is a 'quick stop' that you just can't make in another store.  They put the 'browse' stuff in the middle of the store, or towards the back, because those shoppers don't mind if the stop takes them a few extra minutes.

I have to say, I'm guilty of that myself.  If I need a jug of milk, or soda, chips & dip for a football party, I go to DG,  because the prices are about the same, and I know I can get in and out quickly, without having to walk through the whole store to the cooler behind the adult diapers, and cat food.  You would be surprised how many men you see going in and out on 'game day'.

[dairy mom]

shades of the old 7/11 stores.  Don't see many of them anymore.

I read that the dollar store franchices are doing very well in this slowed down economy.  We have 2 Dollar Generals in this small town and one is in a brand new building they built just this past year.

We also have a Pamida, which is the poor version of K-mart if you can believe that.  They are supposedly doing very well also.  Just merged with some other outfit similar to them that I was not familiar with and will be expanding in the new year.

[Kay/NC]

I think the main advantage the DG/FD/ "Everything for a Dollar" stores have is sort of twofold ion this economy. 

One, they are not trying to carry everything.  I have read somehwere that the average supermarket carries as many as 20,000 different items.  Huge inventories can be a dead drag in bad times. 

Second, the stores are far less cost-intensive in several ways.  They locate in smaller towns, where real estate isn't sky-high.  Their footprint is way smaller than a supermarket, so less expensive to build, operate and maintain. 

Throw in the lack of fancy fixtures and overall bargain mentality, which leads customers not to expect as much in the way fo service, and you have a good prescription for selling at teh same price, but with a bigger margin for profit. 

I would say that I have never heard resistance to the location of a new dollar style store, either.  Walmarts have become vey unwelcome in many areas.  Tath translates to less legal and permitting expense, leadtimes, etc. 

t doesn't surprise me at all that the guys like htis type of store.  It is straightforward, convenient, and geared to the male shopping behavior.  None of these things happen by accident.  We have been studied, as a species, pretty thoroughly. 

[linda/IL]

I really like DG & their prices.  Hate Walmart.  They change things around in there too much & then I buy too much extra.  Their strategy works on me, unfortunately.  My only gripe on DG is there is usually only 1 checkout going.  Sometimes I will prance around in line until I get the extra clerk's attention to come open the other register.  They never call for help-why have 2 checkouts during busy hours if you don't use it.

[merryyon]

The dg in our little 1000 people metropolis has helped with tax revenue.  They come in to buy stuff, spend their money and then they spend more b/c the Cyril cop most regularly catches them speeding...two revenue increases for our little town!!