More communities are turning away from the prospect of a dollar store opening up in their town. In a report published by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, researchers said more than 70 cities and towns have already blocked new projects from chain dollar stores and 50 cities have enacted laws to limit the discount retailers’ plans for expansion. … “In cities, it is common to find dollar stores clustered by the dozen within certain neighborhoods. In rural towns, they typically locate near the only grocery store, and often succeed in wiping it out,” the report said. “One might assume that the dollar chains are simply filling a need, providing basic retail options in cash-strapped communities. But the evidence shows something else. These stores aren’t merely a byproduct of economic distress, they are a cause of it.” Researchers said these tactics leave people without access to fresh food, further imposing hardship on residents who have to travel farther to buy food. But each store’s representatives disagree with the report.
Source: Hutch News
