By By Lydia Grimes
Features Reporter
A business that sells items for only a dollar may be a welcome sight in today’s economy.
The Dollar Tree will hold its grand opening at 9 a.m. today, but the store has already been open for business.
Manager Mark Reynolds of Mobile said the store actually had a “soft grand opening” a week ago.
Customers were excited to have a new store in which to shop, and several school teachers think they have found a friend in the Dollar Tree.
Angel Blackmon, a teacher at W.S. Neal Middle School, said that the prices will be helpful to teachers.
Cathy Farrior, a second-grade teacher at Brewton Elementary, said it was easy to keep up with what she picks off the shelves to buy.
Reynolds, there are more than 4,000 Dollar Tree stores across the country. The company buys in bulk so therefore is able to have lower prices on items. The store does not carry high scale items and has a no-cash refund policy, but exchanges can be made if a customer has a receipt.
Dollar Tree is the first store to open in the new shopping center next to the Walmart Supercenter.
Cato is relocating from Douglas Square to the new shopping center, with the store set to open Wednesday.
Crystal Adams of Brewton will manage the store at the new location. She brings five years of retail management experience to Cato.
The Cato Corporation is a leading specialty retailer of value-priced women’s fashion apparel operating under three store brands, Cato, It’s Fashion and It’s Fashion Metro, with more than 1,200 stores in 31 states. There are 72 Cato stores located throughout Alabama.
Steve Yuhasz, director of community development, said some of the other stores will open soon in the new shopping center. Hibbett’s is planning to move there, and AT&T will relocated there.
Other businesses set to open near the new Walmart are Gulf Winds Federal Credit Union and The Oaks restaurant.
Yuhasz said a Murphy Oil station is scheduled to open in 2010 on the corner across from the bank.