“I wanted to leave really positive feedback about a recent experience I had at the Dollar General location in Garnett, KS a few weeks ago. I was shopping with my youngest son when I unexpectedly had a serious diabetic episode and almost passed out in the store. I’m a type 1 diabetic and sometimes get critically low blood sugars suddenly like I did that Saturday. One of the employees, Tommy, was incredibly kind, respectful, patient, and genuinely caring during the situation. He checked on me multiple times after I stepped outside to sit down for a moment, and his kindness honestly meant so much to me during a really scary moment. There was also a manager or assistant manager on duty that day whose name I unfortunately can’t remember, but they were equally wonderful and helpful. They even took the time to help fix a pricing issue on a clearance mirror that was not ringing up correctly. Both employees went above and beyond with their compassion, professionalism, and customer service. Experiences like that stick with people, and because of how well I was treated, I will absolutely continue making the 40-minute drive to shop at that location more often. Please make sure Tommy and the other manager on duty receive recognition for how kind and helpful they were. They truly made a lasting impression on me, and I’m very grateful for how they treated both me and my son that day.”
Burlington Stores is giving its locations a major makeover. The off-price retailer has already transformed about half of its 1,115 stores and plans to complete the redesign across its entire fleet by the end of 2026. The company calls this makeover "Store Experience 2.0." Gone are the cramped aisles and confusing layouts that once defined discount shopping. Instead, Burlington is creating wider walkways, organized sections, and clearer signs to help shoppers find what they need.
Dollar General is adding more of its private label food offerings to stores, following similar moves by big retailers like Walmart and Amazon as store brands keep growing in popularity. The store is launching new items under its own labels, including ice cream, cinnamon rolls, coffee syrups, and salad dressings. The move comes as store brand sales reached $271 billion in 2024, up nearly 4% from 2023.
Daiso, the beloved Japanese retailer known for its variety of affordable household goods, is expanding further in the U.S. market. This week, the company is celebrating the grand openings of three new stores in Texas and California. On Saturday, Aug. 10, Daiso debuted an 8,000-sq.-ft. location in Beaumont, Texas, at Dowlen Towne Center, as well as two Southern California stores - a 6,319-sq.-ft. space in Van Nuys at Mid Valley Marketplace and a 5,200-sq.-ft. store in Westminster at Westminster Center.
Dollar Tree is moving into 170 former 99 Cents Only stores, marking a big shift in the discount retail landscape. The company announced Wednesday it's taking over leases in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas, with plans to reopen the stores under its own brand as early as fall 2024.
Ollie's Bargain Outlet just landed a great deal of its own, winning a $14.6 million bankruptcy auction for 11 former 99 Cents Only store locations across Texas. The discount retail chain pounced after 99 Cents Only abruptly went out of business in March, shuttering all 371 of its stores in California, Arizona, Texas, and Nevada. Ollie's quickly made an opening "stalking horse bid" to grab over a dozen of the empty properties.
