Community Chat

[novamc1]

https://www.ajc.com/news/local/ban-the-dollar-store-stonecrest-dekalb-halt-new-ones/pQNHyOIgAJmkCGju...

Below is only part of the story.  It's much longer and pretty interesting, I think.

At one intersection in suburban DeKalb County, it takes less than five minutes to walk from the Dollar General to a Family Dollar. Walk another few minutes across Covington Highway, and you’ll hit a Dollar Tree.

That intersection in the Stonecrest area, where three dollar stores exist in a half-mile radius, is a symbol for what some local officials view as a growing problem with the discount stores.

“You can stand in Family Dollar and look across the street and see a dollar store,” said DeKalb Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson. “We don’t need them on every corner.”

Local governments are beginning to take action. Late last month, the city of Stonecrest passed a total ban on future “small box discount stores,” outlawing businesses less than 12,000 square feet that sell most of their goods for $5 or less.

Experts and leaders said this is believed to be the first time a metro Atlanta government has taken this step against dollar stores.

Tuesday, DeKalb County passed a 45-day moratorium on new dollar stores in the unincorporated parts of the county. Commissioners want to study the issue before possibly passing long-term regulations next year.

(Click on link to see much more of the story.)

[Cats3000]

I believe that these actions are outrageious intrusions of government into the affairs of private businesses.  Governments can regulate where businesses are located (Zoning Ordinances-"Business Districts").  However, it is none of the local governments' business how many of what kind of stores are located in a business district.  That is for the the "market" to decide and for consumer traffic to sort out.

[novamc1]

@Cats3000 

I don't think  local government anywhere operates the way you might want, considering what you said in your post.

Businesses do not have the right to open anywhere at any time in any city or town that they might wish.  They need government-issued permits for that, often after public hearings are held to hear whether citizens want them or not.

The decisions being made every day by local governments about business development in their jurisdictions are legitimate zoning decisions.  

All citizens have the right to offer opinions and desires in some or all zoning decisions.  Like anything else, maybe not all citizens agree.

If you read the entire story, it's obvious that companies operating this type of retail store have plans to create many more stores across the country. 

In some places, they will be welcomed.  In others, maybe not so much.

That's what zoning is all about.

[Oznell]

This discussion is so interesting in light of what I heard on a business channel just the other day.  Apparently, Dollar General is planning on opening over 1000 new stores in 2020, and has been optimistically expanding their presence in many states.

Given that there has been a decades-long struggle of mercantile brick and mortar stores with the onslaught of massive online shopping opportunities, this is good news.  It appears Dollar General has figured out how to keep customers coming in their doors.  Apparently a key factor is the small size of the stores, and the fact that customers can quickly get in and out with the items they need without waiting in long lines, etc.

That's been my experience.  When I need something like shelf paper, or body lotion or batteries, etc. it's so easy to pop in and get--  easier even than going to the supermarket.

More power to them for being resourceful and carving out a niche for themselves in an expanding economy.

[novamc1]

Another target for local government intervention that is being seen involves vaping and cannabis-oil shops.

We have suddenly been inundated with these types of shops--usually taking advantage of vacant strip-mall space  in lower-rent areas,  and pretty soon, somebody is going to say enough is enough.

In fact, they have already said that in some areas.

[Nonametoday]

As the economic fallout was looming in our city, there was a multi-billion dollar maze mall being built for middle- and high-income retailers.  Contracts were already signed and in place.  Oooops.  The insurance company in NYC that guarantees all those businesses needed a government bail-out but the government did not help our town out.  They bankrupted the insurance company on us.  We ate the fallout and we are still paying.  Thanks to the Dollar Stores and Dollar Trees, they have absorbed some of that by their presence and the tax dollars they bring forth.  I might not want a whole mall of dollar stores or dollar trees or Below 5 or whatever they are, but being dotted about here and there has helped assuage the burden for taxpayers in our area.  I don't think it was the desired outcome in order to reach the needed income but it was better than the alternative.

[Nonametoday]

---

@novamc1 wrote:

Another target for local government intervention that is being seen involves vaping and cannabis-oil shops.

We have suddenly been inundated with these types of shops--usually taking advantage of vacant strip-mall space  in lower-rent areas,  and pretty soon, somebody is going to say enough is enough.

In fact, they have already said that in some areas.

---

@novamc1 

I think these vape and Esmoking shops are deterimental to any community and should be shut down before they are opened up.  I don't think comparing the stores with merchandise $5 and under is anywhere near comparing the ill effects of vaping that is killing people.

[ValuSkr]

It's an interesting article, thank you for posting.  Yes, I've heard about the push-back against dollar stores.  They do seem to proliferate in rural and low-income communities,  One dollar store is nice, but too many are a scourge. However, I wonder about the ability of local governments to regulate them this way.  I read recently of a midwestern town that lost its only supermarket when a dollar store opened.  The supermarket was locally-owned, employed a number of people, and supported civic organizations like a Little League team. And of course, it had departments like bakery, produce, and deli that a dollar store often doesn't.

I'm not sure, but isn't Dollar General more like a supermarket?  It has a weekly circular and it carries groceries and most things are not $1.00.  Maybe it doesn't carry perishable items like produce, bakery, and deli.

[novamc1]

@Nonametoday 

I wasn't comparing the types of businesses and was referring to the right of government to decide what happens with business development in a community.

Sometimes it's the citizens themselves to put a stop to certain businesses.

I was somewhat disappointed when public opposition shut down plans for a Lidl grocery store near us.  I don't know why Lidl would want to open right across from the large Kroger and Publix groceries, but the company announced to the permit/zoning folks that it wanted to.

Public opposition made the company back off from its plans.  People didn't want any disruption to their beloved movie theaters near or on that proposed store site.

The store is now going to open not too far away in the former space occupied by a failed Fresh Market grocery.  We have a lot of grocery stores around here, and I do like that aspect of moving here.

[Nonametoday]

---

@ValuSkr wrote:

It's an interesting article, thank you for posting.  Yes, I've heard about the push-back against dollar stores.  They do seem to proliferate in rural and low-income communities,  One dollar store is nice, but too many are a scourge. However, I wonder about the ability of local governments to regulate them this way.  I read recently of a midwestern town that lost its only supermarket when a dollar store opened.  The supermarket was locally-owned, employed a number of people, and supported civic organizations like a Little League team. And of course, it had departments like bakery, produce, and deli that a dollar store often doesn't.

I'm not sure, but isn't Dollar General more like a supermarket?  It has a weekly circular and it carries groceries and most things are not $1.00.  Maybe it doesn't carry perishable items like produce, bakery, and deli.

@ValuSkr 

Losing Mom-and-Pop businesses that are being eaten alive by bigger businesses has been going on for decades, most unfortunately.  I was reading an article lately that buying food from a dollar store was not recommended. 

A friend who bought some pickles from one, thinking what could go wrong with pickles?  A day after she opened the jar, all the liquid in the jar turned black.  Ooops.  Scary.  I don't buy food products in them and that should be somewhat regulated, but I do buy paper plates, plastic forks, napkins, etc., from them. 

Plastic and paper products are much cheaper than the Hallmark store and creates the same look and serves the same purpose.  Our little clubs would probably have to wash a lot of dishes and cloth napkins and tablecloths after our get-togethers if we did not have dollar stores for paper goods and little inexpensive decorator items for each table and the plastic table cloths to lay under our own lace table cloths.  I think it is wonderful to have them.  We even have those elegant crystal (plastic) serving dishes and wine glasses, holiday season-embossed drinking cups.  It's a magical place at party time and the prices are about 10% of that charged at party stores for the same items.