Source: Reason
by Jarrett Skorup
“Aside from their millions of customers, it seems everyone loves to hate dollar stores. Critics claim they are akin to a ‘disease’ that reveals the worst of capitalism. Others say dollar stores hurt communities, are a blight to nature, peddle cheap products, and mislead customers into believing their prices are lower than other stores. Of course, if these accusations were true, it would make one wonder why dollar stores existed in the first place. Do they serve a legitimate purpose, or are they a giant scam? The answer is straightforward when considered from an economic perspective. Dollar stores exist because they provide customers, especially those in small towns and rural areas, with convenient access to relatively inexpensive household goods at a value that is better than the alternatives. If dollar stores didn’t do that, they would go away.” (02/20/25)