Dollar Tree Starts Off With Plenty of Customers

Dollar Tree is now open and appears to be doing well based on the numerous cars in the parking lot given any hour of day. Considering the economy, I probably shouldn’t seem surprised but we do have a Walmart here that has just about everything at really low prices. So, I’m still surprised.

I know that there was a Dollar Store here just recently that lasted at least two years out by the freeway in the little shopping center by Carl’s Jr. It was a pretty large store, about 4,000 square feet and was nicely organized. I would have thought with the freeway location, if anything, it had a good chance of survival but it didn’t make it. Rumor had it that the rent of thousands did them in.

The Dollar Tree Store doesn’t appear to have different inventory so the only thing I can figure is that Highway 113 serves as more visibility. What do you think?

In other business news, you might have noticed the very crisp-looking black and white sign that touts ‘Tire Pros’ on the corner of Stratford and Highway 113 next to CVS. Apparently, the business gave up their Big O franchise but other than that, they say there are no changes in their great service.

Their new sign reminded me a lot of Auto and Exhaust Pros that just recently closed their doors. They were first located behind DuPratt Ford but had recently re-located next to Hahn and Son Tires. Owners Rich Hydo and Debbie Cornfield say it was a good decision for them.

“We want to say thank you to all the customers who supported us over the years,” Cornfield said. “We decided not be self employed for the next 15 years and we decided to make career changes while we could.” The good news is that Hydo had more than a couple offers right away and is already at a new job.

“The sad part is we won’t be as involved in the Chamber anymore,” Cornfield said.

And, I have to step out of my mother role and put on ‘reporter’ as Devon Minnema has done pretty well manning what’s left of Dixon’s Farmers Market and growing his professionally created website, ‘Best of Cluck.’ But the BestofCluck.com business is really the surprising thing to me.

This is his website created after trying to figure out the best chickens to raise for his 4-H and FFA projects that he could have in city limits—or anywhere. He also collaborated with friends and his sister who were also getting chickens so they would have fresh eggs to eat from free-range chickens.

Because Devon has some kind of analytics program, he knows where all the hits are from and people have clicked on from all over the world. It is amazing. What is really interesting to me, is that the most hits are from countries with people who rely heavily on chickens for their main source of food. We can also tell from comments, etc. that urban chicken farming is huge right now. If you have not already heard of his site, click on and see more.

He has one advertising contract so far and will be getting more, he said, as he learns valuable feeding systems or supplies that will be most helpful to the chicken and egg industries. I personally like that he posts recipes, too. I’ve tried some of them myself and they are delicious. Finally, the most impressive bit about this business owner is that Devon is 16 and he's hoping sales grow enough to put help put him through college. I can’t imagine what he will have accomplished by the time he’s 25.