As reported on CNN:

https://tinyurl.com/3dw7yc92

The Family Dollar store just a few miles from where I live has gone
downhill since Dollar Tree acquired it. It used to be a nice place to
be able to quickly pick up a few household items without having to drive
into town. Since the acquisition by Dollar Tree, employee retention has
been an issue. Sometimes the store has been closed simply because there
was no one to open it. Last year I thought it had already gone out of
business. I'd drive past it on my way to work and there were no cars in
the parking lot, the parking lot had tons of debris. It appeared to be
abandoned. It reopened about a month later and there seems to be steady
business since. But I wondered about it...

Jill

jmcquown wrote :

> The Family Dollar store just a few miles from where I live has gone
> downhill since Dollar Tree acquired it. It used to be a nice place to
> be able to quickly pick up a few household items without having to drive
> into town. Since the acquisition by Dollar Tree, employee retention has
> been an issue. Sometimes the store has been closed simply because there
> was no one to open it. Last year I thought it had already gone out of
> business. I'd drive past it on my way to work and there were no cars in
> the parking lot, the parking lot had tons of debris. It appeared to be
> abandoned. It reopened about a month later and there seems to be steady
> business since. But I wondered about it...

More on the rat infestation that cuased some stores to temporarily
close.

https://www.axios.com/2022/03/02/rat-infestation-family-dollar-dollar-recall

-----start quote-----
A rodent infestation at a Family Dollar distribution center in
Arkansas cost $34 million after it triggered a voluminous product
recall over contamination concerns, owner Dollar Tree reported
Wednesday.

From March 29 through Sept. 17, 2021, maintenance officials at the
distribution center captured more than 2,300 rodents, according to
the FDA.

More than 1,100 dead rats were harvested after a January 2022
fumigation at the West Memphis, Arkansas, facility.
-----end quote-----

--
multi-tasking - doing something else while I try to remember what I
was doing in the first place

On 3/13/2024 3:26 PM, heyjoe wrote:
> jmcquown wrote :
>
>> The Family Dollar store just a few miles from where I live has gone
>> downhill since Dollar Tree acquired it. It used to be a nice place to
>> be able to quickly pick up a few household items without having to drive
>> into town. Since the acquisition by Dollar Tree, employee retention has
>> been an issue. Sometimes the store has been closed simply because there
>> was no one to open it. Last year I thought it had already gone out of
>> business. I'd drive past it on my way to work and there were no cars in
>> the parking lot, the parking lot had tons of debris. It appeared to be
>> abandoned. It reopened about a month later and there seems to be steady
>> business since. But I wondered about it...
>
> More on the rat infestation that cuased some stores to temporarily
> close.
>
> https://www.axios.com/2022/03/02/rat-infestation-family-dollar-dollar-recall
>
> -----start quote-----
> A rodent infestation at a Family Dollar distribution center in
> Arkansas cost $34 million after it triggered a voluminous product
> recall over contamination concerns, owner Dollar Tree reported
> Wednesday.
>
> From March 29 through Sept. 17, 2021, maintenance officials at the
> distribution center captured more than 2,300 rodents, according to
> the FDA.
>
> More than 1,100 dead rats were harvested after a January 2022
> fumigation at the West Memphis, Arkansas, facility.
> -----end quote-----
>
Yes, but that was in 2021. I'm talking 2023. The Family Dollar store
nearest me was closed for a month with no explanation. Maybe rats, who
knows. I have no idea where the distribution center for this store in
southern South Carolina is located. It's a "fer piece" away from West
Memphis, Arkansas. ;)

Jill

On 3/13/2024 3:43 PM, jmcquown wrote:
> On 3/13/2024 3:26 PM, heyjoe wrote:
>> jmcquown wrote :
>>
>>> The Family Dollar store just a few miles from where I live has gone
>>> downhill since Dollar Tree acquired it.  It used to be a nice place to
>>> be able to quickly pick up a few household items without having to drive
>>> into town.  Since the acquisition by Dollar Tree, employee retention has
>>> been an issue.  Sometimes the store has been closed simply because there
>>> was no one to open it.  Last year I thought it had already gone out of
>>> business.  I'd drive past it on my way to work and there were no cars in
>>> the parking lot, the parking lot had tons of debris.  It appeared to be
>>> abandoned.  It reopened about a month later and there seems to be steady
>>> business since.  But I wondered about it...
>>
>> More on the rat infestation that cuased some stores to temporarily
>> close.
>>
>> https://www.axios.com/2022/03/02/rat-infestation-family-dollar-dollar-recall
>>
>> -----start quote-----
>> A rodent infestation at a Family Dollar distribution center in
>> Arkansas cost $34 million after it triggered a voluminous product
>> recall over contamination concerns, owner Dollar Tree reported
>> Wednesday.
>>
>>  From March 29 through Sept. 17, 2021, maintenance officials at the
>> distribution center captured more than 2,300 rodents, according to
>> the FDA.
>>
>> More than 1,100 dead rats were harvested after a January 2022
>> fumigation at the West Memphis, Arkansas, facility.
>> -----end quote-----
>>
> Yes, but that was in 2021.  I'm talking 2023.  The Family Dollar store
> nearest me was closed for a month with no explanation.  Maybe rats, who
> knows.  I have no idea where the distribution center for this store in
> southern South Carolina is located.  It's a "fer piece" away from West
> Memphis, Arkansas. ;)
>
> Jill

They have been in the news quite a bit the past couple of years. Many
are in the inner city and cater to the poor. They also have staffing,
holdups,theft, sanitation issues.

jmcquown wrote:
> As reported on CNN:
>
> https://tinyurl.com/3dw7yc92
>
> The Family Dollar store just a few miles from where I live has gone
> downhill since Dollar Tree acquired it.  It used to be a nice place to be
> able to quickly pick up a few household items without having to drive into
> town.  Since the acquisition by Dollar Tree, employee retention has been an
> issue.  Sometimes the store has been closed simply because there was no one
> to open it.  Last year I thought it had already gone out of business.  I'd
> drive past it on my way to work and there were no cars in the parking lot,
> the parking lot had tons of debris.  It appeared to be abandoned.  It
> reopened about a month later and there seems to be steady business since.
> But I wondered about it...
>
> Jill

They would never dare close a dollar store you majesty has patronized, even
one time, your highness.

Not to worry.

That store is a national treasure!

Ed P wrote:
> On 3/13/2024 3:43 PM, jmcquown wrote:
>> On 3/13/2024 3:26 PM, heyjoe wrote:
>>> jmcquown wrote :
>>>
>>>> The Family Dollar store just a few miles from where I live has gone
>>>> downhill since Dollar Tree acquired it.  It used to be a nice place to
>>>> be able to quickly pick up a few household items without having to drive
>>>> into town.  Since the acquisition by Dollar Tree, employee retention has
>>>> been an issue.  Sometimes the store has been closed simply because there
>>>> was no one to open it.  Last year I thought it had already gone out of
>>>> business.  I'd drive past it on my way to work and there were no cars in
>>>> the parking lot, the parking lot had tons of debris.  It appeared to be
>>>> abandoned.  It reopened about a month later and there seems to be steady
>>>> business since.  But I wondered about it...
>>>
>>> More on the rat infestation that cuased some stores to temporarily
>>> close.
>>>
>>> https://www.axios.com/2022/03/02/rat-infestation-family-dollar-dollar-recall
>>>
>>>
>>> -----start quote-----
>>> A rodent infestation at a Family Dollar distribution center in
>>> Arkansas cost $34 million after it triggered a voluminous product
>>> recall over contamination concerns, owner Dollar Tree reported
>>> Wednesday.
>>>
>>>  From March 29 through Sept. 17, 2021, maintenance officials at the
>>> distribution center captured more than 2,300 rodents, according to
>>> the FDA.
>>>
>>> More than 1,100 dead rats were harvested after a January 2022
>>> fumigation at the West Memphis, Arkansas, facility.
>>> -----end quote-----
>>>
>> Yes, but that was in 2021.  I'm talking 2023.  The Family Dollar store
>> nearest me was closed for a month with no explanation.  Maybe rats, who
>> knows.  I have no idea where the distribution center for this store in
>> southern South Carolina is located.  It's a "fer piece" away from West
>> Memphis, Arkansas. ;)
>>
>> Jill
>
> They have been in the news quite a bit the past couple of years. Many are
> in the inner city and cater to the poor.  They also have staffing,
> holdups,theft, sanitation issues.

You must be mistaken. Her majesty would NEVER set foot in such shabby stores.

I'm sure she'll let you know your foolish error soon.

jmcquown wrote:

> As reported on CNN:

> https://tinyurl.com/3dw7yc92

> The Family Dollar store just a few miles from where I live has gone
> downhill since Dollar Tree acquired it. It used to be a nice place to
> be able to quickly pick up a few household items without having to drive
> into town. Since the acquisition by Dollar Tree, employee retention has
> been an issue. Sometimes the store has been closed simply because there
> was no one to open it. Last year I thought it had already gone out of
> business. I'd drive past it on my way to work and there were no cars in
> the parking lot, the parking lot had tons of debris. It appeared to be
> abandoned. It reopened about a month later and there seems to be steady
> business since. But I wondered about it...

> Jill

There was a Family Dollar store that opened about 12 blocks from me right
on the edge of the projects a few years ago. I stopped in one evening to
buy a money holder card. It had the appearance of a combined ransacked
drug bust and a tornado. That store was open less than 2 years before
it closed.

ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>
>> As reported on CNN:
>
>> https://tinyurl.com/3dw7yc92
>
>> The Family Dollar store just a few miles from where I live has gone
>> downhill since Dollar Tree acquired it.  It used to be a nice place to be
>> able to quickly pick up a few household items without having to drive
>> into town.  Since the acquisition by Dollar Tree, employee retention has
>> been an issue.  Sometimes the store has been closed simply because there
>> was no one to open it.  Last year I thought it had already gone out of
>> business.  I'd drive past it on my way to work and there were no cars in
>> the parking lot, the parking lot had tons of debris.  It appeared to be
>> abandoned.  It reopened about a month later and there seems to be steady
>> business since.  But I wondered about it...
>
>> Jill
>
>
> There was a Family Dollar store that opened about 12 blocks from me right
> on the edge of the projects a few years ago.  I stopped in one evening to
> buy a money holder card.  It had the appearance of a combined ransacked
> drug bust and a tornado.  That store was open less than 2 years before
> it closed.

What are "the projects" ?

Are those the temporary housing provided by the gov't for negroes until
they get back on their feet and able to support themselves?

On Wed, 13 Mar 2024 19:55:31 -0500, Hank Rogers <Hank@nospam.invalid>
wrote:

>ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
>>
>> There was a Family Dollar store that opened about 12 blocks from me right
>> on the edge of the projects a few years ago.  I stopped in one evening to
>> buy a money holder card.  It had the appearance of a combined ransacked
>> drug bust and a tornado.  That store was open less than 2 years before
>> it closed.
>
>What are "the projects" ?
>
>Are those the temporary housing provided by the gov't for negroes until
>they get back on their feet and able to support themselves?

I thought the Projects is where people live who shouldn't have the
right to vote, according to Republicans.

jmcquown wrote:
> As reported on CNN:
>
> https://tinyurl.com/3dw7yc92
>
> The Family Dollar store just a few miles from where I live has gone
> downhill since Dollar Tree acquired it. It used to be a nice place to
> be able to quickly pick up a few household items without having to drive
> into town. Since the acquisition by Dollar Tree, employee retention has
> been an issue. Sometimes the store has been closed simply because there
> was no one to open it. Last year I thought it had already gone out of
> business. I'd drive past it on my way to work and there were no cars in
> the parking lot, the parking lot had tons of debris. It appeared to be
> abandoned. It reopened about a month later and there seems to be steady
> business since. But I wondered about it...

according to reports the stores in many places were
older and not well maintained. so the price of fixing
them up may be much higher than the money they might
make.

it's just the normal churn of retail business. like
many restaurants, they're open and do ok for a while and
then tend to fade out and go under. then someone comes
along and does it all over again after a remodel. or
they burn it down (aka grease fire)... soon it will be
lithium ion fire instead.

songbird

Hank Rogers wrote:

> ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
>>
>> There was a Family Dollar store that opened about 12 blocks from me right
>> on the edge of the projects a few years ago.  I stopped in one evening to
>> buy a money holder card.  It had the appearance of a combined ransacked
>> drug bust and a tornado.  That store was open less than 2 years before
>> it closed.

> What are "the projects" ?

> Are those the temporary housing provided by the gov't for negroes until
> they get back on their feet and able to support themselves?

They are public housing for generations, literally generations of welfare
receiving families. I cannot speak for other cities, but here there's
plenty of crime happening in that area.

Hank Rogers wrote:

> ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>>> As reported on CNN:
>>
>>> https://tinyurl.com/3dw7yc92
>>
>>> The Family Dollar store just a few miles from where I live has gone
>>> downhill since Dollar Tree acquired it.  It used to be a nice place to be
>>> able to quickly pick up a few household items without having to drive
>>> into town.  Since the acquisition by Dollar Tree, employee retention has
>>> been an issue.  Sometimes the store has been closed simply because there
>>> was no one to open it.  Last year I thought it had already gone out of
>>> business.  I'd drive past it on my way to work and there were no cars in
>>> the parking lot, the parking lot had tons of debris.  It appeared to be
>>> abandoned.  It reopened about a month later and there seems to be steady
>>> business since.  But I wondered about it...
>>
>>> Jill
>>
>>
>> There was a Family Dollar store that opened about 12 blocks from me right
>> on the edge of the projects a few years ago.  I stopped in one evening to
>> buy a money holder card.  It had the appearance of a combined ransacked
>> drug bust and a tornado.  That store was open less than 2 years before
>> it closed.

> What are "the projects" ?

> Are those the temporary housing provided by the gov't for negroes until
> they get back on their feet and able to support themselves?

They are a pitiful result of leftist democratic "social engineering"...

The dem's policy of deliberately keeping black folks "down and out"... an outgrowth of LBJ's "Great Society"...

Only under President Trump did lower - income blacks make REAL economic progress in the last 50 years...

--
GM

ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
> Hank Rogers wrote:
>> ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
>>>
>>> There was a Family Dollar store that opened about 12 blocks from me right
>>> on the edge of the projects a few years ago.  I stopped in one evening to
>>> buy a money holder card.  It had the appearance of a combined ransacked
>>> drug bust and a tornado.  That store was open less than 2 years before
>>> it closed.
>
>> What are "the projects" ?
>
>> Are those the temporary housing provided by the gov't for negroes until
>> they get back on their feet and able to support themselves?
>
> They are public housing for generations, literally generations of welfare
> receiving families. I cannot speak for other cities, but here there's
> plenty of crime happening in that area.

some do make it out and learn from the experience.
not that i wish it upon anyone if it is a mean and
crime-ridden life, but it is not a sure thing as
many try to paint it.

my own experience as growing up fairly poor is
also another example of what is possible. you learn
and try not to make the mistakes of those you
observe. that also means you often get to make your
own mistakes of other kinds.

not much cooking lately other than egg salad and
some spinach dip.

songbird

On 2024-03-14 6:20 a.m., songbird wrote:
> ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:

>> They are public housing for generations, literally generations of welfare
>> receiving families. I cannot speak for other cities, but here there's
>> plenty of crime happening in that area.
>
> some do make it out and learn from the experience.
> not that i wish it upon anyone if it is a mean and
> crime-ridden life, but it is not a sure thing as
> many try to paint it.
>
> my own experience as growing up fairly poor is
> also another example of what is possible. you learn
> and try not to make the mistakes of those you
> observe. that also means you often get to make your
> own mistakes of other kinds.

Poverty is not a really great excuse for failure at life, especially in
North America. It is a land of immigrants. Many of them came with
nothing more than the clothes on their backs. There have been conflicts
and disasters that destroyed what they had achieved, but a solid work
ethic and moral standards helped them get back on their feet.

> not much cooking lately other than egg salad and
> some spinach dip.

I am thinking about making some hummus. I am going on a Costco run this
morning. Maybe I will just buy some.

On 3/14/2024 6:20 AM, songbird wrote:
> ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
>> Hank Rogers wrote:
>>> ItsJoanNotJoAnn wrote:
>>>>
>>>> There was a Family Dollar store that opened about 12 blocks from me right
>>>> on the edge of the projects a few years ago.  I stopped in one evening to
>>>> buy a money holder card.  It had the appearance of a combined ransacked
>>>> drug bust and a tornado.  That store was open less than 2 years before
>>>> it closed.
>>
>>> What are "the projects" ?
>>
>>> Are those the temporary housing provided by the gov't for negroes until
>>> they get back on their feet and able to support themselves?
>>
>> They are public housing for generations, literally generations of welfare
>> receiving families. I cannot speak for other cities, but here there's
>> plenty of crime happening in that area.
>
> some do make it out and learn from the experience.
> not that i wish it upon anyone if it is a mean and
> crime-ridden life, but it is not a sure thing as
> many try to paint it.
>
> my own experience as growing up fairly poor is
> also another example of what is possible. you learn
> and try not to make the mistakes of those you
> observe. that also means you often get to make your
> own mistakes of other kinds.
>
> not much cooking lately other than egg salad and
> some spinach dip.
>
>
> songbird

If there was a simple solution, it would have been done by now. You
have to want to do better to start.

There are environmental and genetics involved too. Many kids never see
the better life they should aspire to.

On 3/13/2024 9:04 PM, songbird wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>> As reported on CNN:
>>
>> https://tinyurl.com/3dw7yc92
>>
>> The Family Dollar store just a few miles from where I live has gone
>> downhill since Dollar Tree acquired it. It used to be a nice place to
>> be able to quickly pick up a few household items without having to drive
>> into town. Since the acquisition by Dollar Tree, employee retention has
>> been an issue. Sometimes the store has been closed simply because there
>> was no one to open it. Last year I thought it had already gone out of
>> business. I'd drive past it on my way to work and there were no cars in
>> the parking lot, the parking lot had tons of debris. It appeared to be
>> abandoned. It reopened about a month later and there seems to be steady
>> business since. But I wondered about it...
>
> according to reports the stores in many places were
> older and not well maintained. so the price of fixing
> them up may be much higher than the money they might
> make.
>
The particular Family Dollar store near me was built about 12 years ago.
Until then there were literally no "grocery" type stores between Saint
Helena and the big grocery stores at Lady's Island/Beaufort. I know for
a fact this Family Dollar didn't start going downhill until after Dollar
Tree bought out the chain. Prior to that, the store had regular
employees, people I knew by name. The store was well staffed. After
the acquisition those regular employees left. What remained was often a
single person expected to be stocker/janitor/run the checkout. It's not
a one person job.

> it's just the normal churn of retail business. like
> many restaurants, they're open and do ok for a while and
> then tend to fade out and go under. then someone comes
> along and does it all over again after a remodel. or
> they burn it down (aka grease fire)... soon it will be
> lithium ion fire instead.
>
> songbird

I don't necessarily agree with the comparison. Restaurants are
frequently opened by people who have absolutely no experience working in
one, much less understanding how to run one. Their friends and family
have been telling them for years "Hey, you're a great cook! You should
open a restaurant!" No, they really shouldn't.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
> On 3/13/2024 9:04 PM, songbird wrote:
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>> As reported on CNN:
>>>
>>> https://tinyurl.com/3dw7yc92
>>>
>>> The Family Dollar store just a few miles from where I live has gone
>>> downhill since Dollar Tree acquired it.  It used to be a nice place to
>>> be able to quickly pick up a few household items without having to drive
>>> into town.  Since the acquisition by Dollar Tree, employee retention has
>>> been an issue.  Sometimes the store has been closed simply because there
>>> was no one to open it.  Last year I thought it had already gone out of
>>> business.  I'd drive past it on my way to work and there were no cars in
>>> the parking lot, the parking lot had tons of debris.  It appeared to be
>>> abandoned.  It reopened about a month later and there seems to be steady
>>> business since.  But I wondered about it...
>>
>>    according to reports the stores in many places were
>> older and not well maintained.  so the price of fixing
>> them up may be much higher than the money they might
>> make.
>>
> The particular Family Dollar store near me was built about 12 years ago.
>  Until then there were literally no "grocery" type stores between Saint
> Helena and the big grocery stores at Lady's Island/Beaufort.  I know for a
> fact this Family Dollar didn't start going downhill until after Dollar Tree
> bought out the chain.  Prior to that, the store had regular employees,
> people I knew by name.  The store was well staffed.  After the acquisition
> those regular employees left.  What remained was often a single person
> expected to be stocker/janitor/run the checkout.  It's not a one person job.
>
>>    it's just the normal churn of retail business.  like
>> many restaurants, they're open and do ok for a while and
>> then tend to fade out and go under.  then someone comes
>> along and does it all over again after a remodel.  or
>> they burn it down (aka grease fire)...  soon it will be
>> lithium ion fire instead.
>>
>>    songbird
>
> I don't necessarily agree with the comparison.  Restaurants are frequently
> opened by people who have absolutely no experience working in one, much
> less understanding how to run one.  Their friends and family have been
> telling them for years "Hey, you're a great cook!  You should open a
> restaurant!"  No, they really shouldn't.
>
> Jill

I'll bet your majesty could manage a red lobster restaurant. Maybe even the
whole goddamn chain.