The Mystery Of Dollar Stores

For several years whenever I leave this place and take a left on to Bridgewood Drive I see the sign for a store called Family Dollar. Though this store is fairly close to my abode I have never been in it.

Then a couple months ago construction started across the street from Family Dollar, next to the Krogers parking lot. Eventually a "Dollar General Opening Soon" sign appeared on the new construction.

It did not take long for Dollar General to get constructed and opened. The Dollar General is a better looking building than Family Dollar, with nicer landscaping. The only jarring note is somehow Dollar General was permitted to sit their Dollar General sign on the ground. This looks sort of strange.

So, last week I popped into Krogers to pick up FW Weekly. I decided to check out Dollar General.

For some reason I thought these dollar stores were full of stuff that cost a buck or less. As I often am, I was wrong.

Near as I can tell the dollar part of the name means everything is priced in dollar increments, as in $1, $2, $3, you get the drift. No $1.99 prices.

I figured the draw for these stores must be low prices. I was a bit surprised to see that the stuff for sale was not at bargain pricing. And that the Dollar General was like some sort of strange department store, with food products, car care products, clothes, shoes. It was like a mini-Wal-Mart.

Since the prices are no bargains and the selection is not great, what is the attraction of these stores? Do they cater to people who are scared to death of Wal-Mart?

Can anyone explain the dollar stores to me?

I did not see a dollar store til I came to Texas. Are they all over the country now, spreading like a disease, like here in my zone of Texas?

It's very perplexing.