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510 points bookofjoe | 2 comments | | HN request time: 0s | source
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epsteingpt ◴[] No.46187326[source]
While most comments will be negative toward Dollar General, in many areas Dollar General or Family Dollar or Dollar Tree are the only places you can get access and distribution to a wide range of products and brands in areas which are otherwise underserved.

You can dislike it, but they've evolved and expanded in part because they are very good at serving these areas profitably, where other businesses aren't.

People wanting bank branches and grocery stores and brunch spots here clearly have never lived or worked in many of these areas. The reality of theft, low spend, and employees - though not universal - is hard to fathom if you're not trying to 'run' the business. Good will does not pay your suppliers or rent.

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garbagewoman ◴[] No.46187389[source]
Did you ever consider that they might have caused this situation?
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qeternity ◴[] No.46187426[source]
It would help people to consider your point if you made even a modest attempt to explain and justify what you mean.
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1. bittercynic ◴[] No.46188582[source]
Dollar General and their ilk are behemoths compared to the shops that might have served these areas before they rolled in. It's possible they're the only game in town because they engaged in dumping or other dirty/illegal tactics to drive out established businesses.

I'm not an expert on the topic, but I don't think it's a reach to think that they might have engineered this situation.

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2. qeternity ◴[] No.46197127[source]
Or perhaps more likely like a large corporation simply has economies of scale that smaller retailers cannot compete with.