Oregon's Own Dollar Stores

Dollar Store Newsletter by Kole Imports

Oregon’s Own Dollar Stores: Success is a Family Affair

Dollar Stores is one of Oregon's largest 99-cent-store operations, with 15 dollar stores and still growing. We talked with Mary Jane Wilson about how she and her two sisters help run the store her father, Larry Polsen, founded in 1985.
    Oregon's Own Dollar Stores, mainly located in strip malls, average 3,000 square feet. The stores carry candy, toys, hardware, housewares, craft items, sunglasses, cosmetics, non-prescription drugs and other dollar items.
    "Our customer is the young mother with children," said Mary Jane. "She can come in and buy toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner...All the basics for a dollar. Then she can give her kids a dollar and they can buy two or three things. I think people really like to be able to get a log of products for $5 or $10."
    Although somewhat off the beaten path, the chain is no stranger to competing with the majors and have learned a few lessons from the experience. "We had a national chain come into our area recently. So we had to work extra hard the last couple of years on keeping our customers.
    People like good customer service, and that's what we stress because it's all we have as a small company to set ourselves apart from the giants. We greet people immediately when they come through the door. One on one contact is very important to us."

Supplier is Crucial

    "I have to be able to find and get the product that it think is upcoming. A lot of times, I'll order from a company at a buying show and I don't get the product. They have a great deal at the show but they never ship it! So we have to make sure that we're getting what we're asking for. And we're stuck with that dollar price, so if something goes up 5 cents or a dime that's a bid deal for us. So I have to look around to make sure I'm getting the best deal I can so we can pass the savings along to the customer."
    Mary Jane and her family have been dealing with Kole since they opened, and the relationship has obviously been a good one. "We appreciate their way of doing business," she said.
    "They're always honest and if I'm looking for something, they go out of their way to get it--and it's usually here within a week."
    And what about the future? "We're optimistic. We try to open a new store every year...but finding good people is always a challenge."

KOLE IMPORTS, 24600 Main Street, Carson, CA 90745
Phone: (800)874-7766 Email: email@koleimports.com