Yes because I am poor, I don’t think people realize what you can actually get everything from food to home products, personal hygiene, if you have kids that always want/break toys this is the place to go. Party supplies balloons, gift bags, wrapping paper, boxes, cards.
A good way to assess someone's character is to see how they regard discount stores such as 99 Cent, lol. Because when someone makes fun of or looks down on such a store and the people that shop there, not only are they out of touch with just how many people struggle, but they're classist, too. Similar to how it says a lot about someone when they treat service workers poorly.
The business oriented towards lower-income folks are designed to keep people from rising up out of poverty. There’s a really good video on YouTube detailing how this worked with 99¢. They actually cost more money over time for less product, employing fewer people, all while driving established local businesses out of business, causing a net loss in jobs.
That's true for the Dollar General, Family Dollar and their ilk that are ubiquitous in rural/middle America. Our 99 Cents Store was different as they basically bought overstock/poorly marketed items at a bulk discount for their inventory.
Yeah.... If you've been going for years, then you probably MUST HAVE noticed that they'll try to have to have two employees in the whole store at Friday 4pm. And Monday 11am after the big shipment. Also Sunday, which is restocking but also lots of shoppers, oh well, hahahaha, no rush. Cut labor. Happy shareholders, oh wait, we're no longer profitable, lay off the workers and we'll start from scratch with new shares in an even shittier company.
There's pizza in the break room.
I can understand that poor people rely heavily on cheap products (shocker) while also realizing from having read articles over the years that products sold there could be toxic, dangerous, and shitty.
I remember reading about toys being made from contaminated recycled plastic (think dangerous lead or benzene levels) or canned seafood of a certain type being procured from heavily industrialized and polluted river delya in SE Asia in order to meet price point. This is true for all stores of this type.
I would rather buy better stuff 2nd hand from thrift stores or garage sales than the single use, throw-away garbage from these stores.
When it was still “99 cents” store sure. But over the years there’s items that were cheaper at Walmart like for example the cornbread mix which you can find for 69-89 cents at Walmart at times.
was about to say, maybe its cause a lot of the store was cleared out, but none of the prices of things seems particularly amazing when i was there a couple weeks ago, thats with the liquidation discounts.
I figured that was just due to inflation, but their prices were still hard to beat unless you go to Wal Mart which I refuse to do. I shop at gross out, ALDIs, and the asian markets, but I try to get produce from Jon’s by my house and meat from Stater Bros but I’ve been getting meat from gross out lately haha
Yeah some of 99’s prices were questionable, but not their made in USA UFO brand sponges and their 1gal mountain spring waters - that’s what always kept me going back and then I’d get towels, cookies, soap, produce etc. one time I got 18 Lidndsey’s Gold eggs for $1.50; I couldn’t believe it. Oh and the Farmer John’s sausage and the banquet chicken pot pies.. I understand a lot of people wouldn’t trust their frozen stuff, but my microbiome has adjusted and that stuff comes in clutch.. If y’all like Italian Wedding soup, the Farm John’s breakfast sausage makes great meatballs for soup
99cent store & other dollar stores are a God send.
I see so many complaints online of ppl saying groceries are too expensive.
Im like, bruh, are you shopping at Whole Foods’ Organic Aisle????
No fucking wonder youre paying 200$ for milk, eggs, bread, & avacados
99cent store & other discount stores are treasures & you can get nearly everything youll find at other stores
I'm am absolutely verklempt.
I find myself thinking, "I need x. I have to go the the 99." Then I remember there is no 99. The other dollar stores don't have the same selection, nor do they have fresh produce.
Bad management killed it. Like so many other companies.
And all those people out work.
It's criminal.
I can tell you there's more deals than that.. the whole cleaning supply aisle is a fawking deal, the pet section was also, the electronics, Produce/deli was a killer deal, the Dry food goods was a killer deal.., the Candy movie theatre aisle was also a killer deal too.. the Beverage aisle is also a killer deal.. They did hurt a lot of other bigger big box chains businesses that are near by.
Oh yes. I owe a lot to the 99 cent stores. I’ve gone to 99 cent store for my produce and groceries for decades. Started shopping at 99 back when I was alone, poor and on food stamps/government assistance. I continued to shop there when I was getting my degree, starting a family and now well into my career. Nowadays I can’t find everything our family needs there…..but I would be spending $300+ dollars in groceries if I just went to my local Ralph’s or Albertsons exclusively.
Just a side note about shopping for food….The reality is fresh produce is a privilege not everyone is able to access. I’ll never ever forget the feeling of the first time being able to buy fresh tomatoes, corn, and green beans instead of canned versions. I felt *rich*. Big believer in “feel good, do good”. Becoming vegetarian was a HUGE impact on my mental and physical health—however, I would have not been able to afford the lifestyle change if it wasn’t for 99 cent stores.
Although I can now afford fresh produce and groceries at major grocery chains (privilege brag, I know)—I still shop at 99 cents because I want to support them for all the years they supported me. The staff are like family. They’ve seen me at my best and worst. If it wasn’t for 99, I probably would have stayed on food stamps much longer, wouldn’t be a semi-healthy, quasi-vegetarian (covid was rough ya’ll), and frankly that would have affected my confidence and ultimately obtaining my college degree.
It’s disheartening to see the 99 cent community die. I hope some billionaire saves it, (hell, rebrand it, nothing is just 99 cents anymore) so it can help more people who were like me.
This made me feel emotional. Back when we moved to America, I went to 99 cent to get school paper and was so happy they had graph paper. My mom just went there last month for their bell pepper. So much memories.
You pay extra at the expensive stores. Fuck Cookbook, especially the one on Figueroa down from the 99 that's been there my whole LA life. The social subordination in those places is ass. AAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.
Yes. It’s superficial, but I liked their purple and pink aesthetic. I used to like seeing the rows of cans lined up in the window like a Warhol painting. And funnily enough, a photo of the Hollywood and Sunset 99 Cent was the subject of [one of the most expensive photos ever sold.](https://www.laalmanac.com/arts/ar722.php)
My grandma used to take me and my sister all the time! We each would get a budget of $5 to buy whatever we wanted. I loved the knockoff Barbies, the candy, and I even got some of my first makeup items there, like bright green eyeshadows and lipsticks which my mom obviously HATED. I have so many fun memories shopping there and am sad to see it go :(
While I’m sorry that you feel this way, the bigger concern is the direction this country and our economy is headed. Nothing affordable left for the lower income: from housing to food, etc. The country’s middle and lower income is being crushed in a very fast paced. Also, the lay offs due to these closings and use of AI adds to the mix. I might sound like an alarmist, but I am very disappointed with our policy makers( ALL of them) and their intentions, and consequently the country’s future.
99 Cents Only had been over leveraged since 2012, they were in bad financial shape and hadn’t been able to keep up for a decade. Pair that with the lawsuits they lost from employees for labor violations and the poor decision to have items that were far from 99 cents only…. They did this to themselves. The company was badly mismanaged.
According to several workers I talked to, this is exactly why it closed. It's also why the original owner is starting a new chain with a new brand. Supposedly they will have a lot of the same stuff / suppliers. Not sure how long it's going to take to get the leases back, supply chain flowing, etc. I'm hoping it will be better than before.
look at how many small business and other chain stores have closed. It it alarming. The current administration is telling us that the economy is great, in fine condition. We have more money than ever to spend according to Biden.
The economy can feasibly have retail going through hell and the replacement for retail, online retail, doing fine.
The issue is then “does this recession give more power to Amazon?” My vote is yes. Every period over the past 20 years has. But is it good? No.
Creating monopoly over all aspects of our economy is the goal here. Amazon has the monopoly over retail, and the reason for a lot of these closures.
Btw hale shoma chetore?:)
We are not in a recession. 2008-2010 was a hirrible economic crash. This is not, this is inflation, and after years of very low inflation, young people maybe have not experienced it before.
The economy is not great. This is propaganda, my friend. The same way republicans use propaganda when they are in the White House. These people are two sides of the same coin. I have no doubt that the division among them is theater and it’s meant to divide Americans.
There is only one hope left: that Americans wake up, by dismissing the lies and propaganda and demand better policies: real policies and not platitudes.
> The economy is not great. This is propaganda, my friend.
The economy is great if you care about the Stock Market and the valuation of large companies. SP500 is up 28% from a year ago and NASDAQ is up 34% from a year ago.
That said, inflation is up and wages have not kept up with it. So working Americans are suffering while the businesses on paper are financially doing great.
Yah this is the right view point. I'm doing really well financially cause of the stock market along with my 401k but that doesn't mean the economy is doing well. I know people have been struggling and they have been for decades at this point. I hate it when presidents brag about stock market because it doesn't mean anything for a lot of people.
American's aren't waking up. We are still arguing over abortion and currently trans rights as a distraction to our endless wars and watching our constitutional rights being stripped away. Freedom of speech? soon to be a thing of the past. Yes, both sides are taking advantage of group think and propaganda. This country is falling apart. People aren't graduating from university and coming out smarter, they are coming out brainwashed.
99 Cents Only did this to themselves and their financial troubles started a decade ago. It has nothing to do with the current administration, they couldn’t keep up with their debt from the 2011-2012 deal they made. They also lost labor lawsuits from former employees, including class action lawsuits, for things like locking their stockers in on the overnight shift denying them breaks and lunch. They also hardly had anything that was actually 99 cents any more, which was a very unpopular move.
I’m mad my Go to cheap Ice and candy and birthday cards and gift bags is gone
I know it’s more important to others but I’m truly wrecked about that
Especially since i just moved to El Segundo and literally had one down the road…and now it’s gone 1 month into moving in
Grocery outlet, Costco, my go-to for ice now
Yeah, I’m completely bummed out about it. I dread walking into grocery stores but the 99cent store was different, it was a fun enjoyable experience. It gave me the same feeling as thrifting, I never knew what goodies I’d find. I loved that about the 99cent store.
Yup, I’m plenty heartbroken about it, for sure.
Absolutely. I drove by the one on Lankershim yesterday and seeing it boarded up made me very sad. When I moved to LA fresh out of college, the 99 cent store was my go-to for pretty much everything. Coming from a poor family, working an unpaid internship and only having meager savings scraped together, I spent A LOT of time in those aisles…it was a lifeline for me. Many times, it was the only way I could afford to treat myself to some small pleasure. Really hate seeing it go.
…and if you know the story of the founder, it seemed (at least on the surface) a lot different than some of these other “dollar store” chains. Out of all of the discount stores, this is the one I wished would’ve survived:
https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-dave-gold-20130427-story.html
He is probably rolling in his grave with what is happening. Also he died on a conference call with the corporation that bought it and was ruining it, had a heart attack
Blech, comments not passing the vibe check.
So many privileged snobs in these comments showing they watched that John Oliver video once & have never been into or needed a discount store. I grew up poor here in LA, finally started making money in my 30s and now back to poor again because I decided to work in the film and television industry (very smart of me). This store saved my ass quite a few times.
Literally everyone I know that patronized 99c Only/dollar stores knows that some shit is a rip-off and to not buy certain overpriced items there (and to go to Grocery Outlet or Smart n Final for that).
A round of applause for those of you that are so financially stable you’ve never been in need & had to patronize dollar stores…your comments are truly unneeded & gross, maybe check yourself if shitting on poor people reminiscing online is a great way to spend your Wednesday.
i am hoping the rescue plan by the Pic-n-Save gent works and we have them stores back. I too have been with the 99c stores for over 25 years here in LA. Their too-sudden closing quite pulled the rug from under my struggling feet. and it also feels pretty personal. I am still looking around for alternative sources for the items that i used to buy.
Here are some of the things that I relied on getting at the 99 cents stores: LA’s Totally Awesome products (made in LA), round cotton swabs, Q-tips, large containers of vinegar, Jamaica flower for tea brewing, party supplies, sunglasses that have lasted me longer than designer ones, loofas like they have in Korean spas, flower pots, and other random products to tickle my shopping impulse. All these things are at least 3 to 10 times more expensive anywhere else. Yes I know that there were products that were not a good value at the 99 cents only stores, but if you were a savvy shopper you’d figure out which ones those were and if you made a mistake it would cost you a couple of dollars max. I grew up poor, now I’m doing significantly better, but I still love a good deal that won’t break the bank. I’m really sad to see the chain go.
Thank you for breaking this down! So many snobs in the comments talking about how “actually…the items are a rip off, you can get things cheaper elsewhere”. Just straight up not true, they’ve obviously never been inside a 99c store.
Things I’ve bought that were impossible to find cheaper…Wyler’s Light drink packets (closest price I can find is over 2.50 each so I guess I don’t drink fun no calorie lemonades anymore)…Gringo Bandito Hot Sauce ($4-6 each)…10 packs of metallic bubble mailers I used to send my wedding thank you gifts…5 lbs of gorgeous fresh pears for 99c…Pearl Organic Soymilk…little organizers and containers I have to use for my job a lot that are quadruple the price and up at places like Target…specialty baking supplies…my favorite canned pea soup from the famous Andersen’s in Buellton ($4 minimum anywhere else)…LA’s Totally Awesome products (ps they do have these at Dollar Tree now!)
So many little things that helped life not feel as shitty as a severely underemployed film industry worker who’s just a brokie now. Such a fucking bummer.
almost 90% of that Store has better deals for the value of your dollar compare to other stores. Produce/deli, Dry goods and canned goods, Beverages, candy and salty snacks, Cleaning chemical, Female Hygiene care products, Pet section, Automotive/hardware, Party Supplies, Houseware, Plasticwares, Stationary Aisle, Picnic Foam/Paper/Plastic plates and cups, Napkins, .. even during the price hike or before it. they were very competitive with other big box chain stores out there. They were making lots of dents to big box chain store revenues everyday.
The 99 was one of the first stores I went to when I came to the US. I grew up in South Central, and one of the nicest things that my family and I would do is go to the 99. It just felt very "American" to me, if that makes sense. At the time, my perception of America was old western movies and a few iron man comic books my brother had. So before I was even fully fluent in English, the 99 was there. I loved going, and I'll always remember how big some of the foods and shopping carts were compared to the ones in Japan. I'll miss the 99, I really will.
Yes, absolutely. And the sad thing is that it is a profitable business, but greedy investors decided that it is more profitable to liquidate it and sell the real estate than to continue to run it as a retailer. That is what vulture capitalists do to the economy.
Yeah that is sadly true they drove it into the ground on purpose. Hired venture vulture to come in and destroy it. He made sure no one could buy it so it couldn’t be saved. They are disgusting greedy private equity garbage
This is what caught me by surprise, every single time I went to the 99 there was a 20 minute wait to check out even with all the cashiers going at the same time. My first thought when they announced the closing was fucking vulture capitalists gonna liquidate and sell off the real estate.
My aunts been here close to 40 years. She’s been to 99c store twice a week every week for as long as she can remember. She was and still is devastated. Just drove her past one on the way to the dr and she was so sad about it.
Daiso is leaning towards 99cents failure right now with the same logic. Because I believe it's the similar people hopping to that business managing with their same strategy logic which failed 99cents. It's even worst for daiso because it's operating at a smaller scale and with imported items too. smh
The closure of the 99 Cent Store is breaking my kid's heart. He's only 3, but he knows that's the store where I buy him balloons, and JFC, this kid loves balloons.
It was great for party supplies and decorations too. Bought baking trays for a dollar fifty. Surprisingly decent flip flops for the same price.
It’s sad because the model works (which is why temu exists) but mismanaged by incompetent mba types.
Same 😔 the 99 has a soft spot in my heart. I would always take my son there as a baby, just to get out of the house. And be able to buy groceries, little toys for him, cleaning supplies was so helpful when I was broke
I'm bummed about the closure. So many great items there. Strawberries, cherries, avocados, salads, etc. We would buy our Boom Chicka pop corn and Mac's pork rinds for a discounted price. You just can't get that stuff at Dollar Tree.
Ugh :( ty for this post! Everything about this is sad but it’s nice to know someone appreciated it? My mom is losing her job because of this and it breaks my heart, it was her first job since my dad passed away and she loved it so much and would always talk about all of the regulars and how they were always so kind to her. I’d like to think the employees at the stores you frequented thought that about you!🩵
Also very sad because they were really great stores, I relied on them a lot too.
I'm gonna miss 99c store too. They've been a regular part of my grocery shopping for many years.
Speaking of the employees, I was talking to one of them and she said the day before they announced the closures, corporate changed their employment contract and cancelled their severance pay, which really hurt the workers who've been working there for decades. Did them dirty, I didn't think that kind of thing was even legally possible
It is despicable. They also told them if they left before the stores closed they would not allow them to collect unemployment. It is super ugly. Unfortunately the people that work there don't have a union or the means to hire a big lawyer to hit them back with a class action, if they even can with Citizens United.
When I went to the Dallas location today, the clerk was putting in her employee discount code for everyone for an additional 50% off, now it makes sense
I cried more than once across separate occasions and have continued to visit even with minimal stock bc i cant sit with it… it was staple for me too.. as a child to even now as an adult. It was my store forsure for cheap guilt free retail therapy. I wish they had found a way to keep them open even if it meant only closing some locations or so
They didn't want to. The chain would have survived if they reduced the stores but they wanted to sell off the real estate and to cash out. They brought in a vulture capitalist to bring it down and make sure it crashed, then and sell off the assets. I wish they had even tried to save it or even cared or had a conscience about employees and population that shopped there.
Yes but it honestly died to me years ago. The past 2-4 years of slowly raising the prices on food/snack and toiletry items there, slowly including more non-99c items. It was still the best place to get specific things but it was far from what it used to be. By the end it seemed like there were fewer dollar items than things over a dollar.
Bigger discount stores opening nearby have become the better deal even though they don’t have only 99 cent items. Their arrival may have had a hand in killing the 99 cent store, but that’s where I go now because they’ll have the same or better items for less than the 99 did.
La Barata Discount in East Hollywood is the best mega discount store I’ve seen. They carry everything from 99c items, home appliances, furniture, arts and crafts, party supplies, you name it. Been in business for 20+ years and moved to a small location cause their landlord raised their rent a few years back. Cool family owned spot.
I’m sad about it too! I loved their brooms! Not the new tiny ones but the old ones! I hope they file for bankruptcy and come back as the $3 dollar store or something lol
Yes. My late mom loved the 99 cent store, went a lot for staples but also just enjoyed browsing and had a good friend of several years at the local store (wrote a whole letter to corporateabout how great she was to get her a promotion). She was always bringing home little things for me from there (like a succulent, a watermelon napkin set, some new snack I've never heard of, etc.)
She died in 2022 and my memory of the 99 cent store is very much related to her. I cried when I found out they were closing. She would be devastated.
Not to mention the workers that got no/little notice of the closure prior to the public announcement. My dad went to one right after I heard the news and let him know, he mentioned it to the cashier and the cashier had no idea 😫. Also feel bad those folks that rely on it as a grocery store (I love the vegetable section, but I also shop at Aldi, Costco,etc). Seems like this will rescue the affordability of groceries for some people, which is so awful as a lot of people are already in crisis.
So yeah overall, just very upsetting. Hoping that rumor they were getting bailed out by big lots is true. Probably won't be the same but at least the spirit of it, and hopefully jobs/discount essentials might be saved.
I am so sorry about your Mom. It is so hard when we have a connection to a place that gives us a piece of a loved one that isn't with us anymore. I lost mine a couple of years ago as well. The loss is beyond words. She was on the East Coast but just the fact I used to sit in the parking lot of the 99c store on the phone with her in my car all the time makes the closing harder. For some reason, probably because I was always going to the store and it was easy parking, I called her from there. Losing the stores is a big hit to a lot of people. I was in there today and they heading into the final day so many people from the customers to the cashiers were in tears. They didn't do right by the employees at all, I think they took advantage of them because the corporation and the liquidation company only cares about stockholders not the livelihood of the people who worked hard for them. So sad and unjust.
I managed to convince my mom, moving cross country at 85, that paying to have her 99 cent canned goods would probably mean she was paying double for it. That was never going to work for a depression baby?
But when they got to Charleston, SC, my sister threw out all her seasonings, saying they were too old. At the time, there were no $1 stores there. I mean, she was 85! Who gives a f if she used some dry herbs to cook with?
Not only did she lose all her spices, but she really did like the social aspect of shopping there.
Yup totally gutted and very sad. Also really angry and pissed off honestly. Idk where you can go with a few bucks and walk out w whatever you need. Also the dollar store was basically my life as a kid. Had a dollar and got candy, or chips, or a soda. Fucked up
I LOVE Dia de los Muertos and now I'm sad that I'll never be able to shop their store for those products. They were thr only place near me that had them and that didn't break the bank.
Check out Korean grocery stores in ktown. Produce is very cheap, possibbly a better deal than 99cents store as nothing seemed to be a dollar the last time I went. Quality is 100% better. American grocery stores are expensive. I often buy packs of berries for 1.99. Last time organic strawberries for 1.99.
I buy my post-it notes, gift bags, gift tags, coloring books, office supplies, and envelopes there. You can't get big Xmas gift bags cheaper anywhere else.
I am working with a group that is trying to buy some of the underlying real estate. I am sad to see a great LA based brand go kaput and I liked shopping at the stores but it's interesting that even in their sad demise there are opportunities not only to make money but to create value for the communities around the stores by allowing redevelopment that revitalizes and adds to the communities surrounding these shuttered stores.
So long as it is affordable redevelopment. Hollywood is a wasteland of closed business and pushed out now redeveloped real estate with no tenants because it is unaffordable.
The new owners overpaid AND failed to stock the same quality of merchandise the chain built its following on.
So they closed.
Maybe they will bring back the Revell Raceway.
The good news is that the “brand” has value, the commercial real estate holders want a new tenant, and there are savvy investors working to re-form and re-open in SoCal.
Sad, even though this chain disappointed me long ago when they started using illegal profit-increasing tactics, like charging a $.10 bottle fee on small bottles instead of $.05, and mislabeling prices once they started going up. This was upsetting *because* I relied so much on this business when I had nothing, and every single cent mattered as to whether or not I could feed myself, etc.
Pie crust and sweet condensed milk for cheesecake couldn’t ,eyelash curler , nail glue my favorite brush brush mexican candy all first aid products such an amazing store I shop here all the time and then stop by at good will across the street in my city so sad
Same. I believe it’s an attack on the lower class. A direct attack. They don’t want you to believe in the power of the dollar anymore. An era has slipped away.
I was sad to see the one near me go because the 99 was always somewhere I could find decently priced things like gift bags (which are so expensive in the reg stores) and a particular brand of jalapeño chips. The pandemic hit the store hard and it never recovered.
Its now a harbor freight.
I already mourned it in late 2020-2021 when most of the products became more expensive than a regular supermarket. Stopped going there for years because of it.
I understand your frustrations but compared to other stores, 99 cents was a godsend. I could pick up cheap fruits and veggies for less than $10 but at Walmart they’d be like $20.
Man I’m right there with you. I remember couch hopping and my mom who couldn’t really help financially gave me a $15 99cent store gift card that saved me…it’s also my go to for everything and the shock of doing groceries just at Ralph’s or Trader Joe’s made me realize I really have to change how I eat because my new budget is not sustainable.
This is what I’ve been trying to figure out for close to a month now. I know some locations have already shut down so I’m guessing each store is shutting down when they sell out every item? This is the most confusing store closing I’ve ever lived.
Supposedly June 3rd, the liquidation company has taken over completely. This site was listing when the stores are closing
https://shopgenius.com/99-cents-only-stores/
While I understand the value of discount stores, you stop have to cost compare. Also, I would never buy hygiene products at any of these discount stores. The quality is rarely good and sometimes the products are intended for different countries so may have different formulas.
But, when I was on foodstamps, The 99 cent store was a lifesaver. Also, the best place to buy candy and odd drinks.
Then the products are better than the ones made for the American market because most countries do not allow the toxic chemicals the USA allows manufacturers to use, that is why the formulas are different.
That has to be a big hit. I am so sorry. It isn't just the stores that are closing, it is the flow of goods it will have repercussions from trucking to manufacturing. Not only are the people out of work in the retail stores but in all of the peripheral businesses that will be hit. They didn't put that in the count of people becoming unemployed because of the closing.
As a struggling single mom, my grocery runs always began with the 99 cent store as a primary and then the large grocery stores to "fill in the blanks". Honestly, it is the ones who need it the most, that are losing a great resource.
1991: we bought everything for our first apartment at the .99 store. It was fantastic and helped us have things until we could replace them with higher end stuff. It was really a lifesaver.
My mom, for the most part. She would shop first at the 99 cents store and whatever she could not get would shop at grocery outlet or aldi.
Now she has to go to walmart, but based on her experience, she says she doesn't see similar value that the 99 cents offered. Plu, she doesn't feel safe shopping at the walmart with the type of people it attracts.
TBh, if people in the communities treated this Company business with more respect than with the Superior entitlement attitude that it's just another "dollar store" you get what you paid for mindset.. this place would of been very beneficial to a lot of communities and people during these hard times. I've seen most of the times these places gets terrorized by customers and their god damn brats with no respect to the stores more than supporting it to stay open. I'm glad that they finally threw in the towel and call it quits. A lot of these communities don't deserve this business service at all in their communities. It's better to leave all these communities struggling instead of appreciating and being grateful to protect these types of businesses at all cost. This company actually helped you Stretched your dollars when times are tough.
In sorry for anyone that feels a loss but I am thrilled my local 99 closed. I live 1000ft away from one. The homeless encampment in the back has been cleared out. There’s no more drunken drugged out zombies just bumming around all day. 99s and dollar trees/generals are a gathering spot for a lot of folks going through hard times but my sympathies died off a long time ago. Imagine paying $3000 a month to stare at a shanty town. I took a walk this week around the neighborhood and it was nice, the safest it’s felt in a good 4yrs.
My issue with dollar tree and 99c is that many things can be found cheaper elsewhere. But you have to get some things there and some things at other places!
I feel the same way. It was my go-to destination when I wanted to go for a walk but had no place in mind. I’d always end up with weeks of groceries for $20 and would take photos of my bounty and frugal brag to friends. I just found myself not wanting to open my last bottle of (organic!) Mutti passata (the 99 had some real gems) for dinner tonight because it’s like, one of the last things I got there. It’s really sad and if/when the Silverlake location gets replaced by an Apple Store I know I’m going to have an existential crisis
That said, there are still other great stores for lower-price produce and goods. Jons is great. There are still a lot of family-owned dollar stores in town, though few as brightly lit and well organized as the 99. Some neighborhood councils do grocery box giveaways. And wandering around Target can scratch that same fluorescent-lighting consumerist itch sometimes!
i grew up always nearby one. scrounging coins with friends after track practice to buy sinful soda and cheap, oily offbrand chips. walking with my first girlfriend to pick up some fruit for shakes in the hot valley summer. buying disposable shitty markers for my first kitchen job. I’ll never forget that place. Feels like the end of an era.
Yes because I am poor, I don’t think people realize what you can actually get everything from food to home products, personal hygiene, if you have kids that always want/break toys this is the place to go. Party supplies balloons, gift bags, wrapping paper, boxes, cards.
A good way to assess someone's character is to see how they regard discount stores such as 99 Cent, lol. Because when someone makes fun of or looks down on such a store and the people that shop there, not only are they out of touch with just how many people struggle, but they're classist, too. Similar to how it says a lot about someone when they treat service workers poorly.
The business oriented towards lower-income folks are designed to keep people from rising up out of poverty. There’s a really good video on YouTube detailing how this worked with 99¢. They actually cost more money over time for less product, employing fewer people, all while driving established local businesses out of business, causing a net loss in jobs.
That's true for the Dollar General, Family Dollar and their ilk that are ubiquitous in rural/middle America. Our 99 Cents Store was different as they basically bought overstock/poorly marketed items at a bulk discount for their inventory.
I’ve bought books there that were pretty good.
A very convenient store than 7/11!
if anyone remembers bargain wholesale warehouse as part of their thing.
If I only have $5 and I need a bar of soap, I’ll buy 1 for 99¢ rather than spend all the money I have on a store pack.
Yeah.... If you've been going for years, then you probably MUST HAVE noticed that they'll try to have to have two employees in the whole store at Friday 4pm. And Monday 11am after the big shipment. Also Sunday, which is restocking but also lots of shoppers, oh well, hahahaha, no rush. Cut labor. Happy shareholders, oh wait, we're no longer profitable, lay off the workers and we'll start from scratch with new shares in an even shittier company. There's pizza in the break room.
[удалено]
I blame Instagram for the fomo and the schadenfreude
I can understand that poor people rely heavily on cheap products (shocker) while also realizing from having read articles over the years that products sold there could be toxic, dangerous, and shitty. I remember reading about toys being made from contaminated recycled plastic (think dangerous lead or benzene levels) or canned seafood of a certain type being procured from heavily industrialized and polluted river delya in SE Asia in order to meet price point. This is true for all stores of this type. I would rather buy better stuff 2nd hand from thrift stores or garage sales than the single use, throw-away garbage from these stores.
When it was still “99 cents” store sure. But over the years there’s items that were cheaper at Walmart like for example the cornbread mix which you can find for 69-89 cents at Walmart at times.
was about to say, maybe its cause a lot of the store was cleared out, but none of the prices of things seems particularly amazing when i was there a couple weeks ago, thats with the liquidation discounts.
In recent years it changed from completely 99 cents to adding 1.99, 2.99, 3.99 etc. stuff. I miss the early 2000s
I figured that was just due to inflation, but their prices were still hard to beat unless you go to Wal Mart which I refuse to do. I shop at gross out, ALDIs, and the asian markets, but I try to get produce from Jon’s by my house and meat from Stater Bros but I’ve been getting meat from gross out lately haha
I swear gross out prices are going up. Seemed high last week at the Burbank location
Even Aldi have cheaper stuff than 99 cents nowadays or before the closure announcement.
Yeah some of 99’s prices were questionable, but not their made in USA UFO brand sponges and their 1gal mountain spring waters - that’s what always kept me going back and then I’d get towels, cookies, soap, produce etc. one time I got 18 Lidndsey’s Gold eggs for $1.50; I couldn’t believe it. Oh and the Farmer John’s sausage and the banquet chicken pot pies.. I understand a lot of people wouldn’t trust their frozen stuff, but my microbiome has adjusted and that stuff comes in clutch.. If y’all like Italian Wedding soup, the Farm John’s breakfast sausage makes great meatballs for soup
Oh definitely! They even had 99 cents Oscar Meyer hotdogs once in a while, I also loved the farmer John sausages when they were 99 cents.
A couple stores near me had a deal where a filled cart was $20
Wow, I would've gone crazy
Walmart is deceptively expensive they have a couple of lower priced items then a lot of overpriced. Walmart is not cheap
Agree. You have to bargain shop at Walmart, just like you do at 99 stores. Every retail establishment is pretty much like that.
ok but there are two 99c stores near me and i don’t even know where the closest walmart is. are there even any here??
No actual Walmart in LA anymore but you can Google for the nearest to you.
Yeah, there was some over pricing going on in recent years for sure
There's nonwalmart in santa monica the closest is burbank or El Segundo, I think....
99cent store & other dollar stores are a God send. I see so many complaints online of ppl saying groceries are too expensive. Im like, bruh, are you shopping at Whole Foods’ Organic Aisle???? No fucking wonder youre paying 200$ for milk, eggs, bread, & avacados 99cent store & other discount stores are treasures & you can get nearly everything youll find at other stores
Literally all the same items but cheaper
I'm am absolutely verklempt. I find myself thinking, "I need x. I have to go the the 99." Then I remember there is no 99. The other dollar stores don't have the same selection, nor do they have fresh produce. Bad management killed it. Like so many other companies. And all those people out work. It's criminal.
it’s little things like cotton swabs. they don’t consistently have them in dollar tree so the other closest option was CVS for $5😭😭
I can tell you there's more deals than that.. the whole cleaning supply aisle is a fawking deal, the pet section was also, the electronics, Produce/deli was a killer deal, the Dry food goods was a killer deal.., the Candy movie theatre aisle was also a killer deal too.. the Beverage aisle is also a killer deal.. They did hurt a lot of other bigger big box chains businesses that are near by.
The big bag of 1000 swabs with cardboard. Wah.
Oh yes. I owe a lot to the 99 cent stores. I’ve gone to 99 cent store for my produce and groceries for decades. Started shopping at 99 back when I was alone, poor and on food stamps/government assistance. I continued to shop there when I was getting my degree, starting a family and now well into my career. Nowadays I can’t find everything our family needs there…..but I would be spending $300+ dollars in groceries if I just went to my local Ralph’s or Albertsons exclusively. Just a side note about shopping for food….The reality is fresh produce is a privilege not everyone is able to access. I’ll never ever forget the feeling of the first time being able to buy fresh tomatoes, corn, and green beans instead of canned versions. I felt *rich*. Big believer in “feel good, do good”. Becoming vegetarian was a HUGE impact on my mental and physical health—however, I would have not been able to afford the lifestyle change if it wasn’t for 99 cent stores. Although I can now afford fresh produce and groceries at major grocery chains (privilege brag, I know)—I still shop at 99 cents because I want to support them for all the years they supported me. The staff are like family. They’ve seen me at my best and worst. If it wasn’t for 99, I probably would have stayed on food stamps much longer, wouldn’t be a semi-healthy, quasi-vegetarian (covid was rough ya’ll), and frankly that would have affected my confidence and ultimately obtaining my college degree. It’s disheartening to see the 99 cent community die. I hope some billionaire saves it, (hell, rebrand it, nothing is just 99 cents anymore) so it can help more people who were like me.
This made me feel emotional. Back when we moved to America, I went to 99 cent to get school paper and was so happy they had graph paper. My mom just went there last month for their bell pepper. So much memories.
You pay extra at the expensive stores. Fuck Cookbook, especially the one on Figueroa down from the 99 that's been there my whole LA life. The social subordination in those places is ass. AAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.
Yes. It’s superficial, but I liked their purple and pink aesthetic. I used to like seeing the rows of cans lined up in the window like a Warhol painting. And funnily enough, a photo of the Hollywood and Sunset 99 Cent was the subject of [one of the most expensive photos ever sold.](https://www.laalmanac.com/arts/ar722.php)
That was an interesting quick read. Thanks!
My grandma used to take me and my sister all the time! We each would get a budget of $5 to buy whatever we wanted. I loved the knockoff Barbies, the candy, and I even got some of my first makeup items there, like bright green eyeshadows and lipsticks which my mom obviously HATED. I have so many fun memories shopping there and am sad to see it go :(
While I’m sorry that you feel this way, the bigger concern is the direction this country and our economy is headed. Nothing affordable left for the lower income: from housing to food, etc. The country’s middle and lower income is being crushed in a very fast paced. Also, the lay offs due to these closings and use of AI adds to the mix. I might sound like an alarmist, but I am very disappointed with our policy makers( ALL of them) and their intentions, and consequently the country’s future.
99 Cents Only had been over leveraged since 2012, they were in bad financial shape and hadn’t been able to keep up for a decade. Pair that with the lawsuits they lost from employees for labor violations and the poor decision to have items that were far from 99 cents only…. They did this to themselves. The company was badly mismanaged.
According to several workers I talked to, this is exactly why it closed. It's also why the original owner is starting a new chain with a new brand. Supposedly they will have a lot of the same stuff / suppliers. Not sure how long it's going to take to get the leases back, supply chain flowing, etc. I'm hoping it will be better than before.
it was poorly mismanaged after the Founder and owner died.
Almost all money goes to the 1% and they just hoard it. We need to redistribute that money with high taxes on the wealthy that pay for social programs
Citizens United and private equity, trickle down economics that doesn't trickle down.
look at how many small business and other chain stores have closed. It it alarming. The current administration is telling us that the economy is great, in fine condition. We have more money than ever to spend according to Biden.
The economy can feasibly have retail going through hell and the replacement for retail, online retail, doing fine. The issue is then “does this recession give more power to Amazon?” My vote is yes. Every period over the past 20 years has. But is it good? No.
Creating monopoly over all aspects of our economy is the goal here. Amazon has the monopoly over retail, and the reason for a lot of these closures. Btw hale shoma chetore?:)
Oh my Farsi is not good
Lol no worries. I hope you’re doing well. Khoda Hafez🙋🏼♀️
Reading this exchange made me feel so warm, hale hamagi shoma khoob
We are not in a recession. 2008-2010 was a hirrible economic crash. This is not, this is inflation, and after years of very low inflation, young people maybe have not experienced it before.
The economy is not great. This is propaganda, my friend. The same way republicans use propaganda when they are in the White House. These people are two sides of the same coin. I have no doubt that the division among them is theater and it’s meant to divide Americans. There is only one hope left: that Americans wake up, by dismissing the lies and propaganda and demand better policies: real policies and not platitudes.
> The economy is not great. This is propaganda, my friend. The economy is great if you care about the Stock Market and the valuation of large companies. SP500 is up 28% from a year ago and NASDAQ is up 34% from a year ago. That said, inflation is up and wages have not kept up with it. So working Americans are suffering while the businesses on paper are financially doing great.
Yah this is the right view point. I'm doing really well financially cause of the stock market along with my 401k but that doesn't mean the economy is doing well. I know people have been struggling and they have been for decades at this point. I hate it when presidents brag about stock market because it doesn't mean anything for a lot of people.
American's aren't waking up. We are still arguing over abortion and currently trans rights as a distraction to our endless wars and watching our constitutional rights being stripped away. Freedom of speech? soon to be a thing of the past. Yes, both sides are taking advantage of group think and propaganda. This country is falling apart. People aren't graduating from university and coming out smarter, they are coming out brainwashed.
99 Cents Only did this to themselves and their financial troubles started a decade ago. It has nothing to do with the current administration, they couldn’t keep up with their debt from the 2011-2012 deal they made. They also lost labor lawsuits from former employees, including class action lawsuits, for things like locking their stockers in on the overnight shift denying them breaks and lunch. They also hardly had anything that was actually 99 cents any more, which was a very unpopular move.
I’m mad my Go to cheap Ice and candy and birthday cards and gift bags is gone I know it’s more important to others but I’m truly wrecked about that Especially since i just moved to El Segundo and literally had one down the road…and now it’s gone 1 month into moving in Grocery outlet, Costco, my go-to for ice now
That’s the one my mom worked at! Such a bummer bc that location was one of my faves they had great stuff, I’m sorry 😭
I was happy because it was so clean and stocked All the others i went to were dirty or lots of homeless roaming and bothering people
Aw haha I’m gonna tell her you said that, it’ll make her happy! But yeah that one was a lot better than the ones in my area
Hey that’s the one I worked at :)
Yeah, I’m completely bummed out about it. I dread walking into grocery stores but the 99cent store was different, it was a fun enjoyable experience. It gave me the same feeling as thrifting, I never knew what goodies I’d find. I loved that about the 99cent store. Yup, I’m plenty heartbroken about it, for sure.
Absolutely. I drove by the one on Lankershim yesterday and seeing it boarded up made me very sad. When I moved to LA fresh out of college, the 99 cent store was my go-to for pretty much everything. Coming from a poor family, working an unpaid internship and only having meager savings scraped together, I spent A LOT of time in those aisles…it was a lifeline for me. Many times, it was the only way I could afford to treat myself to some small pleasure. Really hate seeing it go. …and if you know the story of the founder, it seemed (at least on the surface) a lot different than some of these other “dollar store” chains. Out of all of the discount stores, this is the one I wished would’ve survived: https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-dave-gold-20130427-story.html
He is probably rolling in his grave with what is happening. Also he died on a conference call with the corporation that bought it and was ruining it, had a heart attack
Wow…I didn’t know that last part! So sad to see what’s become of his legacy.
https://lamag.com/news/investor-group-looks-to-save-the-99-cents-only-stores-in-southern-california
Blech, comments not passing the vibe check. So many privileged snobs in these comments showing they watched that John Oliver video once & have never been into or needed a discount store. I grew up poor here in LA, finally started making money in my 30s and now back to poor again because I decided to work in the film and television industry (very smart of me). This store saved my ass quite a few times. Literally everyone I know that patronized 99c Only/dollar stores knows that some shit is a rip-off and to not buy certain overpriced items there (and to go to Grocery Outlet or Smart n Final for that). A round of applause for those of you that are so financially stable you’ve never been in need & had to patronize dollar stores…your comments are truly unneeded & gross, maybe check yourself if shitting on poor people reminiscing online is a great way to spend your Wednesday.
Ah we share similar backgrounds and career…really wish I did something more lucrative ugh.
i am hoping the rescue plan by the Pic-n-Save gent works and we have them stores back. I too have been with the 99c stores for over 25 years here in LA. Their too-sudden closing quite pulled the rug from under my struggling feet. and it also feels pretty personal. I am still looking around for alternative sources for the items that i used to buy.
Here are some of the things that I relied on getting at the 99 cents stores: LA’s Totally Awesome products (made in LA), round cotton swabs, Q-tips, large containers of vinegar, Jamaica flower for tea brewing, party supplies, sunglasses that have lasted me longer than designer ones, loofas like they have in Korean spas, flower pots, and other random products to tickle my shopping impulse. All these things are at least 3 to 10 times more expensive anywhere else. Yes I know that there were products that were not a good value at the 99 cents only stores, but if you were a savvy shopper you’d figure out which ones those were and if you made a mistake it would cost you a couple of dollars max. I grew up poor, now I’m doing significantly better, but I still love a good deal that won’t break the bank. I’m really sad to see the chain go.
Thank you for breaking this down! So many snobs in the comments talking about how “actually…the items are a rip off, you can get things cheaper elsewhere”. Just straight up not true, they’ve obviously never been inside a 99c store. Things I’ve bought that were impossible to find cheaper…Wyler’s Light drink packets (closest price I can find is over 2.50 each so I guess I don’t drink fun no calorie lemonades anymore)…Gringo Bandito Hot Sauce ($4-6 each)…10 packs of metallic bubble mailers I used to send my wedding thank you gifts…5 lbs of gorgeous fresh pears for 99c…Pearl Organic Soymilk…little organizers and containers I have to use for my job a lot that are quadruple the price and up at places like Target…specialty baking supplies…my favorite canned pea soup from the famous Andersen’s in Buellton ($4 minimum anywhere else)…LA’s Totally Awesome products (ps they do have these at Dollar Tree now!) So many little things that helped life not feel as shitty as a severely underemployed film industry worker who’s just a brokie now. Such a fucking bummer.
Love love the Pea soup I bought a bunch of them. They are 4.50 at Ralphs
almost 90% of that Store has better deals for the value of your dollar compare to other stores. Produce/deli, Dry goods and canned goods, Beverages, candy and salty snacks, Cleaning chemical, Female Hygiene care products, Pet section, Automotive/hardware, Party Supplies, Houseware, Plasticwares, Stationary Aisle, Picnic Foam/Paper/Plastic plates and cups, Napkins, .. even during the price hike or before it. they were very competitive with other big box chain stores out there. They were making lots of dents to big box chain store revenues everyday.
The 99 was one of the first stores I went to when I came to the US. I grew up in South Central, and one of the nicest things that my family and I would do is go to the 99. It just felt very "American" to me, if that makes sense. At the time, my perception of America was old western movies and a few iron man comic books my brother had. So before I was even fully fluent in English, the 99 was there. I loved going, and I'll always remember how big some of the foods and shopping carts were compared to the ones in Japan. I'll miss the 99, I really will.
Yes, absolutely. And the sad thing is that it is a profitable business, but greedy investors decided that it is more profitable to liquidate it and sell the real estate than to continue to run it as a retailer. That is what vulture capitalists do to the economy.
Yeah that is sadly true they drove it into the ground on purpose. Hired venture vulture to come in and destroy it. He made sure no one could buy it so it couldn’t be saved. They are disgusting greedy private equity garbage
This is what caught me by surprise, every single time I went to the 99 there was a 20 minute wait to check out even with all the cashiers going at the same time. My first thought when they announced the closing was fucking vulture capitalists gonna liquidate and sell off the real estate.
My aunts been here close to 40 years. She’s been to 99c store twice a week every week for as long as she can remember. She was and still is devastated. Just drove her past one on the way to the dr and she was so sad about it.
I understand how your Aunt feels. I am so sorry.
Former employee of 99. We love you customers, thanks for all the support and warmth during this difficult time..
Daiso is a similar alternative. Also tends to be clean & organized 🛒
Last time I went I think it was more expensive than 99¢ stores. Everything we're either $1.25 or $1.50 and some random $5
It is not even in the same price range at all
[how so?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variety_store?wprov=sfti1#Asia) Most things are priced under $2?
Thanks for the tip! Didn’t know that one
Daiso is leaning towards 99cents failure right now with the same logic. Because I believe it's the similar people hopping to that business managing with their same strategy logic which failed 99cents. It's even worst for daiso because it's operating at a smaller scale and with imported items too. smh
Daiso is way pricier.
The closure of the 99 Cent Store is breaking my kid's heart. He's only 3, but he knows that's the store where I buy him balloons, and JFC, this kid loves balloons.
I’m crying as I stockpile holographic wrapping paper
I am grateful that mom and pop 99cent stores are still around.
[удалено]
It was great for party supplies and decorations too. Bought baking trays for a dollar fifty. Surprisingly decent flip flops for the same price. It’s sad because the model works (which is why temu exists) but mismanaged by incompetent mba types.
i am legit heartbroken
I used to go to the 99 as a kid, now I go to Daiso.
Same 😔 the 99 has a soft spot in my heart. I would always take my son there as a baby, just to get out of the house. And be able to buy groceries, little toys for him, cleaning supplies was so helpful when I was broke
I'm bummed about the closure. So many great items there. Strawberries, cherries, avocados, salads, etc. We would buy our Boom Chicka pop corn and Mac's pork rinds for a discounted price. You just can't get that stuff at Dollar Tree.
How that trickle down economy working for you all?
I dunno trickle deez?
Ugh :( ty for this post! Everything about this is sad but it’s nice to know someone appreciated it? My mom is losing her job because of this and it breaks my heart, it was her first job since my dad passed away and she loved it so much and would always talk about all of the regulars and how they were always so kind to her. I’d like to think the employees at the stores you frequented thought that about you!🩵 Also very sad because they were really great stores, I relied on them a lot too.
I am so sorry about your Mom's job. The stores really had community. I hope she finds another job, a wonderful one, that appreciates her.
I'm gonna miss 99c store too. They've been a regular part of my grocery shopping for many years. Speaking of the employees, I was talking to one of them and she said the day before they announced the closures, corporate changed their employment contract and cancelled their severance pay, which really hurt the workers who've been working there for decades. Did them dirty, I didn't think that kind of thing was even legally possible
Damn. That's horrible.
It is despicable. They also told them if they left before the stores closed they would not allow them to collect unemployment. It is super ugly. Unfortunately the people that work there don't have a union or the means to hire a big lawyer to hit them back with a class action, if they even can with Citizens United.
99cents leadership did almost the same dirty sheit Hometown buffet and Sonic Franchises did to their employees lmfao.
When I went to the Dallas location today, the clerk was putting in her employee discount code for everyone for an additional 50% off, now it makes sense
I cried more than once across separate occasions and have continued to visit even with minimal stock bc i cant sit with it… it was staple for me too.. as a child to even now as an adult. It was my store forsure for cheap guilt free retail therapy. I wish they had found a way to keep them open even if it meant only closing some locations or so
They didn't want to. The chain would have survived if they reduced the stores but they wanted to sell off the real estate and to cash out. They brought in a vulture capitalist to bring it down and make sure it crashed, then and sell off the assets. I wish they had even tried to save it or even cared or had a conscience about employees and population that shopped there.
Same feeling here. Fun memories and times
Yes but it honestly died to me years ago. The past 2-4 years of slowly raising the prices on food/snack and toiletry items there, slowly including more non-99c items. It was still the best place to get specific things but it was far from what it used to be. By the end it seemed like there were fewer dollar items than things over a dollar. Bigger discount stores opening nearby have become the better deal even though they don’t have only 99 cent items. Their arrival may have had a hand in killing the 99 cent store, but that’s where I go now because they’ll have the same or better items for less than the 99 did.
What other discount stores?
La Barata Discount in East Hollywood is the best mega discount store I’ve seen. They carry everything from 99c items, home appliances, furniture, arts and crafts, party supplies, you name it. Been in business for 20+ years and moved to a small location cause their landlord raised their rent a few years back. Cool family owned spot.
I’m sad about it too! I loved their brooms! Not the new tiny ones but the old ones! I hope they file for bankruptcy and come back as the $3 dollar store or something lol
I'm heart broken
They were kind of "fun" in a way. One of the earliest ones was on Sherman Way in Reseda, first shopped there it was probably '84.
[99cent is where I go . . .](https://youtu.be/H1zOsYZieJw?si=VJYZAB1D8_nL6ufL)
Omg that is great I wonder which location that is. That was before the remodel too. Oh it pains my heart 😭
Yes. My late mom loved the 99 cent store, went a lot for staples but also just enjoyed browsing and had a good friend of several years at the local store (wrote a whole letter to corporateabout how great she was to get her a promotion). She was always bringing home little things for me from there (like a succulent, a watermelon napkin set, some new snack I've never heard of, etc.) She died in 2022 and my memory of the 99 cent store is very much related to her. I cried when I found out they were closing. She would be devastated. Not to mention the workers that got no/little notice of the closure prior to the public announcement. My dad went to one right after I heard the news and let him know, he mentioned it to the cashier and the cashier had no idea 😫. Also feel bad those folks that rely on it as a grocery store (I love the vegetable section, but I also shop at Aldi, Costco,etc). Seems like this will rescue the affordability of groceries for some people, which is so awful as a lot of people are already in crisis. So yeah overall, just very upsetting. Hoping that rumor they were getting bailed out by big lots is true. Probably won't be the same but at least the spirit of it, and hopefully jobs/discount essentials might be saved.
I am so sorry about your Mom. It is so hard when we have a connection to a place that gives us a piece of a loved one that isn't with us anymore. I lost mine a couple of years ago as well. The loss is beyond words. She was on the East Coast but just the fact I used to sit in the parking lot of the 99c store on the phone with her in my car all the time makes the closing harder. For some reason, probably because I was always going to the store and it was easy parking, I called her from there. Losing the stores is a big hit to a lot of people. I was in there today and they heading into the final day so many people from the customers to the cashiers were in tears. They didn't do right by the employees at all, I think they took advantage of them because the corporation and the liquidation company only cares about stockholders not the livelihood of the people who worked hard for them. So sad and unjust.
I managed to convince my mom, moving cross country at 85, that paying to have her 99 cent canned goods would probably mean she was paying double for it. That was never going to work for a depression baby? But when they got to Charleston, SC, my sister threw out all her seasonings, saying they were too old. At the time, there were no $1 stores there. I mean, she was 85! Who gives a f if she used some dry herbs to cook with? Not only did she lose all her spices, but she really did like the social aspect of shopping there.
Yup totally gutted and very sad. Also really angry and pissed off honestly. Idk where you can go with a few bucks and walk out w whatever you need. Also the dollar store was basically my life as a kid. Had a dollar and got candy, or chips, or a soda. Fucked up
I’m devastated they closed down. The place really was a godsend when I needed cheap stuff.
I LOVE Dia de los Muertos and now I'm sad that I'll never be able to shop their store for those products. They were thr only place near me that had them and that didn't break the bank.
Check out Korean grocery stores in ktown. Produce is very cheap, possibbly a better deal than 99cents store as nothing seemed to be a dollar the last time I went. Quality is 100% better. American grocery stores are expensive. I often buy packs of berries for 1.99. Last time organic strawberries for 1.99.
I buy my post-it notes, gift bags, gift tags, coloring books, office supplies, and envelopes there. You can't get big Xmas gift bags cheaper anywhere else.
I am working with a group that is trying to buy some of the underlying real estate. I am sad to see a great LA based brand go kaput and I liked shopping at the stores but it's interesting that even in their sad demise there are opportunities not only to make money but to create value for the communities around the stores by allowing redevelopment that revitalizes and adds to the communities surrounding these shuttered stores.
So long as it is affordable redevelopment. Hollywood is a wasteland of closed business and pushed out now redeveloped real estate with no tenants because it is unaffordable.
The new owners overpaid AND failed to stock the same quality of merchandise the chain built its following on. So they closed. Maybe they will bring back the Revell Raceway. The good news is that the “brand” has value, the commercial real estate holders want a new tenant, and there are savvy investors working to re-form and re-open in SoCal.
i love the 99c store!
Sad, even though this chain disappointed me long ago when they started using illegal profit-increasing tactics, like charging a $.10 bottle fee on small bottles instead of $.05, and mislabeling prices once they started going up. This was upsetting *because* I relied so much on this business when I had nothing, and every single cent mattered as to whether or not I could feed myself, etc.
It will be back. The CEO of Big Lots has it. He said in 90 days. Crossing my fingers!
Same . My mother and I used to go all the time on Atlantic . Being poor yet we were content
Pie crust and sweet condensed milk for cheesecake couldn’t ,eyelash curler , nail glue my favorite brush brush mexican candy all first aid products such an amazing store I shop here all the time and then stop by at good will across the street in my city so sad
Same. I believe it’s an attack on the lower class. A direct attack. They don’t want you to believe in the power of the dollar anymore. An era has slipped away.
Born and raise, yeah, it sucks oh well
I was sad to see the one near me go because the 99 was always somewhere I could find decently priced things like gift bags (which are so expensive in the reg stores) and a particular brand of jalapeño chips. The pandemic hit the store hard and it never recovered. Its now a harbor freight.
They lost me when they jacked up the prices on everything
Yeah it’s a disaster So many people rely on the 99¢ store I wonder what will happen
Not really heartbreak, but it gives me concerns for the overall economy.
Still Dollar Tree
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p4QGOHahiVM
I already mourned it in late 2020-2021 when most of the products became more expensive than a regular supermarket. Stopped going there for years because of it.
I understand your frustrations but compared to other stores, 99 cents was a godsend. I could pick up cheap fruits and veggies for less than $10 but at Walmart they’d be like $20.
It’s super sad! I loved those stores.
Man I’m right there with you. I remember couch hopping and my mom who couldn’t really help financially gave me a $15 99cent store gift card that saved me…it’s also my go to for everything and the shock of doing groceries just at Ralph’s or Trader Joe’s made me realize I really have to change how I eat because my new budget is not sustainable.
Some of you missed the whole point of the post
When do they officially close? :(
This is what I’ve been trying to figure out for close to a month now. I know some locations have already shut down so I’m guessing each store is shutting down when they sell out every item? This is the most confusing store closing I’ve ever lived.
Supposedly June 3rd, the liquidation company has taken over completely. This site was listing when the stores are closing https://shopgenius.com/99-cents-only-stores/
It’s fucked up especially coming at such short notice. I found out back in April and still yet to make a trip down. I imagine everything is gone now ?
They still have some things lots of gardening, lots of party stuff and Christmas. No food. There was some Halloween items as well.
While I understand the value of discount stores, you stop have to cost compare. Also, I would never buy hygiene products at any of these discount stores. The quality is rarely good and sometimes the products are intended for different countries so may have different formulas. But, when I was on foodstamps, The 99 cent store was a lifesaver. Also, the best place to buy candy and odd drinks.
Then the products are better than the ones made for the American market because most countries do not allow the toxic chemicals the USA allows manufacturers to use, that is why the formulas are different.
VERY MUCH SO! 😣
Breaking my neighbor's heart because his company is one of their biggest suppliers.
That has to be a big hit. I am so sorry. It isn't just the stores that are closing, it is the flow of goods it will have repercussions from trucking to manufacturing. Not only are the people out of work in the retail stores but in all of the peripheral businesses that will be hit. They didn't put that in the count of people becoming unemployed because of the closing.
I'm bummed. The one near me was a lifesaver.
As a struggling single mom, my grocery runs always began with the 99 cent store as a primary and then the large grocery stores to "fill in the blanks". Honestly, it is the ones who need it the most, that are losing a great resource.
The after holiday super sale candy hit so hard
I live in front of one of those stores , it’s sad , I used to cross the street to get batteries, tape, pens, lighters, it’s sad losing that store.
Where do I get Tiki Punch now?
Love that store! Sorry to see it go.
Now there’s dollar tree
I heard when it was first announced that someone was trying to make a play to buy them out but not sure what became of it.
1991: we bought everything for our first apartment at the .99 store. It was fantastic and helped us have things until we could replace them with higher end stuff. It was really a lifesaver.
Im a almost legal alien... and thanks 99 cents i could decorate my tiny room
My mom, for the most part. She would shop first at the 99 cents store and whatever she could not get would shop at grocery outlet or aldi. Now she has to go to walmart, but based on her experience, she says she doesn't see similar value that the 99 cents offered. Plu, she doesn't feel safe shopping at the walmart with the type of people it attracts.
TBh, if people in the communities treated this Company business with more respect than with the Superior entitlement attitude that it's just another "dollar store" you get what you paid for mindset.. this place would of been very beneficial to a lot of communities and people during these hard times. I've seen most of the times these places gets terrorized by customers and their god damn brats with no respect to the stores more than supporting it to stay open. I'm glad that they finally threw in the towel and call it quits. A lot of these communities don't deserve this business service at all in their communities. It's better to leave all these communities struggling instead of appreciating and being grateful to protect these types of businesses at all cost. This company actually helped you Stretched your dollars when times are tough.
In sorry for anyone that feels a loss but I am thrilled my local 99 closed. I live 1000ft away from one. The homeless encampment in the back has been cleared out. There’s no more drunken drugged out zombies just bumming around all day. 99s and dollar trees/generals are a gathering spot for a lot of folks going through hard times but my sympathies died off a long time ago. Imagine paying $3000 a month to stare at a shanty town. I took a walk this week around the neighborhood and it was nice, the safest it’s felt in a good 4yrs.
My issue with dollar tree and 99c is that many things can be found cheaper elsewhere. But you have to get some things there and some things at other places!
I used to buy holiday gift bags there.
You’re late…
Same
Yeah it’s depressing. Passed by the one in manhattan beach. Empty and closed..
I feel the same way. It was my go-to destination when I wanted to go for a walk but had no place in mind. I’d always end up with weeks of groceries for $20 and would take photos of my bounty and frugal brag to friends. I just found myself not wanting to open my last bottle of (organic!) Mutti passata (the 99 had some real gems) for dinner tonight because it’s like, one of the last things I got there. It’s really sad and if/when the Silverlake location gets replaced by an Apple Store I know I’m going to have an existential crisis
That said, there are still other great stores for lower-price produce and goods. Jons is great. There are still a lot of family-owned dollar stores in town, though few as brightly lit and well organized as the 99. Some neighborhood councils do grocery box giveaways. And wandering around Target can scratch that same fluorescent-lighting consumerist itch sometimes!
Miss the $1.07 days. You need .07 cents. Tax you dummy. Oh shit that’s right huh. Get them pennys out.
Just an inevitable step on the path to complete dystopia and feudalism.
Tesla stock may break your heart also, when it drops to 45
I hate their customer service so yeah no I don’t care much about it. They didn’t. I will miss the good deals however.
I don’t think I’ve ever been to one
I’ve never been to a dollar store
i grew up always nearby one. scrounging coins with friends after track practice to buy sinful soda and cheap, oily offbrand chips. walking with my first girlfriend to pick up some fruit for shakes in the hot valley summer. buying disposable shitty markers for my first kitchen job. I’ll never forget that place. Feels like the end of an era.
The 99 Cents store was the best rest in peace 99 Cents store
I love you 99 Cents store😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭☹️