what happened to family dollar?
'I Shopped At Family Dollar And Saw Why The Chain Is Struggling And Shuttering Stores'
Dollar stores have popped up almost everywhere in the US over the last decade or so. But Family Dollar is about to shrink.
The chain will close about 1,000 stores in the coming years, parent company Dollar Tree said last week. That's about 13% of all Family Dollar stores in the US.
It's been a rocky decade for Family Dollar. Rival Dollar Tree acquired the company in 2015, but it has struggled to run the retailer.
To find out what Family Dollar is like for shoppers, Business Insider's Alex Bitter headed to a store in Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC, a few days after Dollar Tree made the store closing announcement.
[This Family Dollar is located near a high-traffic intersection. Alex Bitter/Business Insider]
Just a few minutes' drive from DC proper, this store is located in a strip mall between a check-cashing shop and a beauty supply store.
[The sign promised discounts of up to 60% off. Alex Bitter/Business Insider]
Some dollar stores have had trouble selling all the inventory that their distribution centers send, especially seasonal items. Bitter wondered if this store would be similarly overrun with stuff.
[Bitter had to leave his blue reusable shopping bag behind the register while he shopped. Alex Bitter/Business Insider]
As Bitter walked in, the cashier told him to put his bag behind the counter.
She was nice about it, but it was a sign that management at this Family Dollar store was worried about patrons stealing. Theft is particularly bad at some Family Dollar stores, executives said on the latest Dollar Tree earnings call.
[There was tons of packaged, shelf-stable food at this Family Dollar. Alex Bitter/Business Insider]
The bag policy was just the first sign that theft was a concern for this Family Dollar. As Bitter headed toward the candy selection, he spied a security camera suspended on a pole above the aisle.
[Many of the laundry detergent options at this Family Dollar had anti-theft tags. Alex Bitter/Business Insider]
There were also anti-theft tags on many items, including household basics.
At least these bottles of laundry detergent weren't locked up like many items are at other retailers.
[Family Dollar stocks multiple store brands. Alex Bitter/Business Insider]
There were lots of products that imitated name-brands at cheaper prices, such as these Girl Scout cookie look-alikes.
Bitter was reminded immediately of the Caramel deLites or Samoas sold by Girl Scouts when he saw this box. "Eatz" is a Family Dollar store brand. At $2.35 a box, they were also cheaper than the real thing, which costs $6.
[Family Dollar's boxed macaroni and cheese is blue, just like Kraft's. Alex Bitter/Business Insider]
But not of Family Dollar's store-brand versions were a good deal. One example: Mac and cheese.
A box of mac from Chestnut Hill, another Family Dollar store brand, was 90 cents. That seemed like a good deal at first, given that the store was selling the name-brand Kraft version for $1.40 a box.
To read more about Bitter's shopping experience at Family Dollar, head to Business Insider.