Dollar Tree wasted little time moving into the building once occupied by a 99 Cents Only Store in the Jess Ranch Marketplace in Apple Valley.
On Monday, the new Dollar Tree near Target on Bear Valley Road was bustling with customers as they purchased Halloween decorations, party supplies, greeting cards, crafts supplies, dinnerware, cleaning supplies, toys and snack items.
Dollar Tree boasts carrying a broad, exciting mix of consumable, variety, and seasonal merchandise that includes many national and regional brands.
Carol Murray’s shopping cart was mostly filled with storage organizers, artificial plants, candles and a bag of Halloween candy.
“I’m organizing my closet and decorating our guest room, but the candies are for me,” Murray laughed. “This bag will probably be gone by Labor Day.”
Murray was one of several customers who lived in the nearby retirement communities of Jess Ranch or Del Webb Sunset City in Apple Valley.
Businessman and customer John Francis told the Daily Press he was pleased to see Dollar Tree moving into the old 99 Cents Only Store building.
“The last thing we need are empty buildings,” said Francis, 67, who lives in Apple Valley. “Empty buildings send wrong messages to potential business owners, developers and the homeless.”
Several customers, along with Murray and Francis, shared their disappointment that the new Dollar Tree did not offer a fresh produce section.
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“Having fresh produce would make Dollar Tree, for me, a one-stop shop,” said Mary Thomas, who lives in Hesperia.
Because Dollar Tree locations were often smaller than 99 Cents Only Stores, the new Dollar Tree had wider aisles, with products spread spaciously throughout the building.
Dollar Tree acquires 99 Cents Only Stores
In April, California-based 99 Cents Only Stores filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It then initiated a process to dispose of its assets, including its inventory, owned real estate and store leases.
At that time, a 99 Cents Only Store executive said “significant and lasting challenges” faced by the popular retailer will force the closure of all 371 locations, including several in the High Desert, the Daily Press reported.
By May, most of the 99 Cents Only Stores in the High Desert were shuttered, including six in the Victor Valley and one in Barstow.
That month, Dollar Tree officials announced that it had acquired designation rights for 170 leases of shuttered 99 Cents Only Stores across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas.
The action meant dozens of shuttered 99 Cents Only Stores in Southern California, including the High Desert, could reopen as Dollar Tree stores.
The deal to acquire the leases to the stores was completed through two transactions in May and was approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Dollar Tree officials stated.
As part of the purchase, Dollar Tree also acquired the North American Intellectual Property of 99 Cents Only Stores and selected on-site furniture, fixtures, and equipment.
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In the High Desert, there are four Dollar Tree stores in Victorville, four in Hesperia, two in Apple Valley, one in Barstow and one in Phelan.
Dollar Tree officials said they recently changed its primary price point to $1.25 in order to continue to offer its customers all the products they’ve come to know, plus hundreds of new ones, and to bring back customer favorites.
Dollar Tree has over 8,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada, the company reported.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
