1A Remaking America: The Anti-Dollar Store Movement

1A

NPR

News

4.3 • 4.5K Ratings

🗓️ 13 June 2023

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The most common store in the U.S.? It's not Target, not Walmart, or Walgreens.

It's Dollar General.

The chain boasts more than 19,000 locations across the country.

According to the American Public Health Association, dollar stores are the fastest-growing food retailers in the country, but they don't usually provide the same amount of fresh produce as conventional grocery stores.

Now, dozens of cities are moving to limit the number of dollar stores opening in their communities.

We discuss the playbook city reps are using to regulate their local market.

This show is part of 1A's "Remaking America" project looking at how our government is – and is not – working for everyone.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Quick question, what is the most common store in the US?
0:11.9	What do you think?
0:12.9	Target?
0:13.9	Maybe Walmart?
0:14.9	It's Dollar General.
0:15.9	There are more than 19,000 locations across the US, and they open roughly three new stores
0:21.7	each day.
0:23.0	Add another $16,000 stores if you include Dollar Tree and Family Dollar.
0:27.8	How do you shop at Dollar Stores for a bargain, but at what cost?
0:31.4	Hi.
0:32.4	I'm Matthew in Oceanside, California.
0:35.2	You can get real good deals at Dollar Tree.
0:37.9	There are some things I get like hand-writes that would be twice as much in a regular store
0:44.1	that I use in the bathroom, not getting to personal.
0:49.3	But on the other hand, the growth of these Dollar Stores is indicative of America getting
0:56.4	less prosperous and more poor.
0:59.8	Matthew, thanks for that message.
1:01.6	How do Dollar Stores affect local economies and how many are too many?
1:06.0	Some places are limiting how many can exist within city limits, including Birmingham, Alabama.
1:11.0	This show is part of our remaking America partnership with six public radio stations, including
1:15.5	WBHM in Birmingham.
1:17.5	It's a project looking at how our government is and is not working for everyone.
	...

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