Fans of Family Dollar will be happy to learn that all 21 stores scattered across Michigan’s Great Southwest are safe in the latest round of retail shutdowns across America. Two stores in Michigan, however, will be closed down by May.
Earlier this month, Family Dollar — owned and operated by Dollar Tree — had announced that of the more than 8,000 Family Dollar stores dotting the American landscape, some 400 would cease operations while another 1,000 stores would be getting renovations and face lifts to accommodate the sale of alcohol.
At that time Dollar Tree CEO Gary Philbin said, “We are confident we are taking the appropriate steps to reposition our Family Dollar brand for increasing profitability as business initiatives gain traction in the back half of fiscal 2019.”
Family Dollar reported at that time that 395 of their locations would be closed down, and about 200 would end up being rebranded as Dollar Trees. In the last quarter of 2018 just under 90 stores were shuttered even prior to Philbin’s report in the first week of March.
This week, the company did produce a list of 143 stores that will be closed in May, and two Michigan stores are on that list — Port Austin and Twin Lake. Port Austin is at the very tip of the Michigan Thumb…and Twin Lake is northeast of Muskegon.
Still safe on the Family Dollar list are 21 stores in Michigan’s Great Southwest. These stores are not impacted by this latest round of closings, they will remain open for now:
- Niles Avenue in St. Joseph
- M-139 in Benton Harbor
- Pipestone Road in Benton Harbor
- Riverview Drive in Benton Harbor
- N. Paw Paw Road in Coloma
- N. Main in Watervliet
- W. Main in Hartford
- U.S. 31 in Berrien Springs
- East Front St. in Buchanan
- E. Main in Niles
- Tatro Ave. in Sawyer
- Spruce St. in Dowagiac
- E. Delaware in Decatur
- U.S. 12 in Three Oaks
- Phillips St. in South Haven
- Red Arrow Hwy in Paw Paw
- N. Center St. in Bangor
- Middle St. in Grand Junction
- E. Main in Fennville
- S. State in Gobles
- Lincoln Road in Allegan
There was no immediate indication of what would happen to the local retailers in our region going forward or if any would be in the next round of closings, or if they will be renovated and upgraded, or converted to Dollar Tree stores in the future. For now, enjoy your shopping experience and stay tuned.
The photo accompanying this story on Moody on the Market shows the M-139 Family Dollar, but only for illustration purposes. That store, like all others in the region, is due to remain open for the time being.
