Within its 4.56 miles, Big Rapids is home to a total of 1,749 businesses. Some of these businesses include a Family Dollar, a Dollar General and now, as of Feb. 2, two Dollar Trees.
Big Rapids local Allison LeVeque has worked for locally owned business Quinn’s Music for 16 years. LeVeque loves the new Dollar Tree because of its convenience.
“The new Dollar Tree is the best thing that could have happened to my son and [me],” LeVeque said. “We now live within walking distance to the new store so if my son wants to go get a treat or a toy, it’s awesome. It’s very clean and the staff is just so friendly.”
LeVeque thinks that Dollar Tree is in a perfect spot. She feels that the new location is more convenient for people living on this side of town.
“A lot of this side of town is disabled, elderly and lower income,” LeVeque said. “We need this because a lot of people are able to get good things at a good cost. With this location, people don’t have to travel all the way across town to get things… I don’t even have to get in my vehicle.”
Carlleen Rose has owned Kilwins for 34 years. Similarly to LeVeque, Rose feels that this will allow more people to come downtown and view the shops that are already there.
Rose feels that adding a well-known business like Dollar Tree to downtown allows more customers to come to the area and view the stores downtown has to offer.
“Anytime you have a business that drives people to your downtown, it gives you an opportunity to take advantage of that by being aggressive and offering really great things,” Rose said. “Anytime you have somebody that’s making a trip in the downtown district, you can figure out a way to set them on the spot. So, I appreciate the fact that people are coming to all sorts of different businesses in our downtown district.”
Even though Big Rapids now has two Dollar Trees, Rose believes if the people of Big Rapids wanted and needed it, it would stay in business.
“The customers will let you know whether another Dollar Tree is needed in town.” Rose said. “I think pot shops are the perfect example of that. We have so many pot shops coming to town and so many of them are leaving, because of supply and demand.”
Rose enjoys the addition of a second Dollar Tree to the town but also hopes that other businesses open in the area that the town doesn’t already have.
“There’s a whole pile of things that I would like to see come downtown,” Rose said. “Like more restaurants, more shopping, shops for men, something for kids. I mean, there’s a whole list of things that I would love to see happen in the downtown district.
A new member of Big Rapids, Isabella Ashe agrees that this new Dollar Tree is beneficial to the community as a whole. Ashe makes candles from her home and the Dollar Tree allows for her to keep her business affordable.
“I can get so many different types of candles that are cheap rather than ordering so many online. I can only get a pack of five or 10 whereas the Dollar Tree has them priced in dollars,” Ashe said.
The Torch reached out to both of Big Rapids’ Dollar Trees for a comment on the new location but did not receive a response.
The new store is located at 210 N. Michigan Ave and is open from Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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