"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> On 6/29/2013 9:00 PM, wrote:
>> Food, spices, gadgets, cookware, disposables?
>>
>> Cheri mentioned the Dollar Tree in the off-topic thread, which made me
>> wonder if I could put dollar stores on topic.
>>
>> There is also a Big Lots store near my house that I have been tempted to
>> check out.
>>
> Not all dollar stores are the same. I buy milk and eggs at Family Dollar
> on a regular basis. It's less expensive and I don't have to drive 20
> miles to the grocery store for basic stuff. Toilet paper, paper plates,
> paper towels. Also laundry and dishwasher detergent.
>
> That's where I buy canned butter beans (laughing) - call them limas, I
> don't care. 
I buy dried pasta, dried beans, lentils... They also sell
> sour cream, cream cheese, small blocks of cheese (cheddar, monterey
> jack/colby blends) and bags of shredded cheeses. Okay, we're not talking
> "gourmet" cheeses but if you want to make simple mac & cheese or a dip,
> they've got the cheese. 
>
> One of my brothers scoffed, "dollar stores?". As if shopping there was
> somehow belittling. Since when is saving money something to scoff about?
>
> A person who used to post here once complained it was all store brands.
> That has not been my experience. Sure, they have their own brands. Yet
> you can certainly find (e.g.) Tide detergent, etc. You're not stuck with
> buying the store brand simply because it's a dollar store.
>
> I'm just happy I don't have to drive 20 miles to buy toilet paper. LOL
>
> Jill
I think dollar stores get a bad rap because a lot of them are/were really
bad. When I did a lot of baking, I'd go there and buy pretty glass plates
to put the cookies and things on. I sold them at auctions for charity.
People would try to give me the plates back, thinking they were expensive!
I also would buy cheap plastic bowls and those little plastic baskets. But
most of the rest of the stuff that the dollar stores in those days was total
junk! Weak and strange smelling cologne, poor quality cosmetics, bad
electrical stuff, pet toys and kid's toys that fell apart and were often
unsafe. Not much in the way of food. Maybe some tiny packages of off brand
cookies or candy. Those sorts of places don't seem to be around any more.
At least not in this area. But they did leave an impression in a lot of
people's minds.
The Family Dollar that we had on Staten Island did not sell any refrigerated
foods. They might now but they didn't then. My all time favorite thing to
buy there was socks. They had multi packs of girls and women's socks.
White with pink toes and heels and they were quite loose fitting, yet not
loose enough to fall off. They were the only socks that really fit well for
my daughter and my MIL. And they said they were very comfortable. They
were cheap too so I didn't get too upset if they got lost. Angela still has
a few pairs of the women's size. She liked them so well that I bought some
for her in a larger size before we moved. They are really good quality!