Dollar Tree customers have criticized the company for closing a store that has been open for 35 years.
Local shoppers in Northwest Boise, Idaho, were devastated to learn that their neighborhood Dollar Tree has permanently shut its doors.
Dollar Tree Store Closes After Decades
A Dollar Tree at the Collister Shopping Center in Boise, Idaho, shut its doors for good in late April.
Customers expressed their disappointment over the closure. "That was such a perfect location," one shopper shared on Facebook. Another local mentioned the store's role in the community, especially for the younger residents. "It was a nice spot for the kids in the Collister Neighborhood to walk to for treats and supplies for school projects," they said.
The shopping center, once home to a bowling alley, has seen recent changes in lease rates. As reported by Boise Dev, Eric Palmer, the store's assistant manager, cited rent increases as the main reason for the closure.
He emphasized the significant impact this would have, particularly on those with limited transportation options. "Especially the elderly, they walk or ride their scooters here because it's the only store nearby," Palmer explained.
"This closure will impact many people," he added, highlighting the community's reliance on the accessible location.
Dollar Tree has announced plans to close 600 stores in 2024 and will also shut down 370 Family Dollar locations as leases expire over the next few years. The company has faced challenges from inflation, which has led customers to be more price-conscious, increased lifting, and further strain and increased profits.
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Family Dollar Closure Impacts Ohio Community
The Family Dollar store at 16160 Township Road 287 in Conesville, Ohio, has announced it will close, leaving the community without a valued retail option.
This store, known for its role in supporting residents, opened in 2021 with plans to hire between seven and ten sales associates. However, following the closure announcement, almost all employees were laid off, according to a layoff notice reported by the Coshocton Tribune.
The news of the closure has been hard on the local shoppers. Donna Woodie, a resident of Ohio, expressed her disappointment on the Coshocton Tribune's Facebook page, stating that the store is "definitely going to be missed by [herself] and others." Another local shopper lamented the store's convenience, saying, "I live a minute from there. It was so convenient, just not for me but for many others."
This closure is part of a more significant trend as Dollar Tree, Family Dollar's parent company, plans to close about 1,000 stores in the coming years. The decision follows substantial financial challenges, including a drop in the value of Family Dollar nearly a decade after its acquisition.
Approximately 600 Family Dollar stores are slated to close in the first half of this year, and another 370 Family Dollar and 30 Dollar Tree stores are scheduled to close in the next several years.
The closures are influenced by various economic pressures, including inflation and a cost-of-living crisis that has hit consumers hard.
Additionally, USA Today reported that reduced government benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program have left many families with significantly less to spend each month, exacerbating the financial difficulties for discount retailers like Dollar Tree and Family Dollar.
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