With gasoline and milk prices hovering around $5 a gallon this summer, pain at the pump and agony at the grocery store are forcing many consumers to rethink how and where they do their shopping.
And while that's good news for venues here in East County such as the Dollar Tree and Grocery Outlet, it's also bodes well for the growing number of discount divas who are learning how to spot a deal when they see one.
Teresa Flores is one of those customers, a newbie to the Dollar Tree in Brentwood, who says the surprising selection and quality of merchandise has convinced her to rethink her previous shopping strategies.
I come in here mostly for office supplies and things, but now I'm looking around at everything, said Flores. If I'm going to save thirty dollars here on stuff, then that's thirty bucks I can put in my gas tank. It just makes sense.
And that's the kind of logic propelling business at the Dollar Tree while other mainstream retailers continue to struggle with their cash-flow crunch, says Shelle Davis, spokesperson for the Dollar Tree.
We've always been able to offer value to our customers, so we haven't changed anything about how we do business. But more and more people are reworking their focus and concentrating on what they need and where they can get it for the best price, said Davis. We're just very relevant for the times we're living in.
Brittney Lozano has understood that relevance for years. The 30-something savvy shopper has been frequenting the aisles of the Dollar Tree in Brentwood for ages. While Lozano says the Dollar Tree's selection of paper products including cards, stationary and party accessories bring her in, it's the bang-for-your-buck appeal that brings her back.
I've been shopping here for years, said Lozano, her arms full of party products. But now I'm doing it on more of a regular schedule. I try to get here once a week and make one big trip.
George Medeiros, owner and operator of the Grocery Outlet, says the influx of regular customers to his store has also grown. Since he and his wife Lori opened their Antioch location nearly 13 years ago, their store has enjoyed a continuous, steady increase in sales. Add to that equation the current economic condition said Medeiros, and you've got a business that has found its niche.
Everybody wants to save; there's no mystery to that, said Medeiros, who estimates he sees an average of 700 customers come through his store each day. Business is good and in the past year or so I'm seeing a lot of new faces; a lot new regular customers.
So what's the secret? How are these retailers able to provide a quality product at such discounted prices?
No secret, said Mindy Boone, manager of the Antioch Grocery Outlet. Just the know-how to buy overflow items, discontinued products and bulk foods that other stores don't have the room to stock. Buying in bulk allows stores like the Grocery Outlet to pass the savings onto their customers.
You can get a lot of the same things here that you can get in other stores, but at much lower prices, and they're just as fresh, said Boone. We have a lot of great deals here and people know that.
Name-brand items on snacks and other food items, as well as non-food products from companies such as Colman, are certainly a strong draw, agrees Medeiros. But for long-time patrons like Lee Ryan, it's the overall package that brings him in week after week.
This is the place to be, said Ryan. There is a ton of selection, the prices are great, and so is the customer service. We've always shopped here, but now we're just doing it more regularly.
Customer consistency and confidence are the mainstays of discount stores such as the Grocery Outlet, said Medeiros. Even restaurants that have long enjoyed the advantages of shopping in bulk are revving up their efforts even more these days.
Institutions come in here all the time because we offer the freshest, largest selections on items, said Medeiros. That's the key: give the customer what he wants. It's been working well for us, so we're just going to keep doing what we're doing.
Bargains abound in East County if you know where to look. Here's a glimpse of some of the better deals found right in your own backyard:
The Dollar Tree Stores
In Brentwood:
50 Sand Creek Road
925-516-5629
In Antioch:
2710 Delta Fair Blvd.
925-757-6997
The Grocery Outlet
1818 A St., Antioch
925-706-9521
Wonder Hostess Bakery
2749 Lone Tree Way, Antioch
925-706-7093
Goodwill Industries Thrift Stores
In Oakley:
2047 Main St. (Raley's Shopping Center)
925-679-2824
www.goodwill.org
In Antioch:
2701 W. 10th St.
925-706-9024
Ninety Nine Cents Plus Store
3100 Main St., Oakley
925-625-2945
98 Plus Store
7830 Brentwood Blvd.
(Centromart Center), Brentwood
925-634-8508
Salvation Army
20 W. 10th St., Antioch
925-754-2946
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