The 99 Cent Store has many fans
Did I get a response to my story Tuesday about shopping at the 99 Cent Only Stores? You betcha.
The blinking message light on my phone did not do justice to the anger and frustration voiced by readers who are fans of this one-price-fits-all chain. My experience was that the store has decent quality stuff and pretty good prices.
But readers picked up on a few negative asides - a moldy eggplant I spotted, limited grocery selection, a so-so tasting meal made of 99 Cent ingredients - and rushed to the store's defense.
First there was a lady named Ann who was so offended by my story she offered to show me how to really shop at the store. Because clearly I did not know how. A minute later she called back to let me know her friend down the hallway was equally ticked off. The store saves seniors like her a bundle, she said.
A reader named Don called to say I went about it all wrong. You don't bring a grocery list to the 99 Cent Store, you just shop for the best deals, he said. Then he listed all the items he has saved money on - frozen dinners, ice cream, and many others. "Just tell people to browse," he said. "There are so many ways to save there."
Another caller said the trick was to...
...find the best stores within the chain. Not all of them are stocked equally, he said, but North Hollywood and Glendale are good ones.
Perhaps I will give the chain a third and fourth chance. If you'd like to test the store for yourself, use this page to find one near you. Please let me know what you think of the 99 Cent Only store by leaving a comment. Many already commented on a short post about the story Tuesday.
If you missed the original story, here it is.
"I'd never before been tempted to shop at the 99 Only Store. Me buy groceries and goods from a one-price-fits-all store? Not a chance.
"But with the economy in the dumps and my reputation as a cheapskate to uphold, I decided to take the plunge.
"I wanted to know how the company sells merchandise so cheaply, if the grocery prices are really that good and if the food is edible.
"For shoppers whose mantra is "You get what you pay for," quality is a major source of concern.
"The 99 Only Store buys surplus and discontinued merchandise, closeouts, items bearing old labels and orders canceled by other retailers, said Eric Schiffer, CEO of the Commerce-based chain.
"But at 99 cents - a price that is going up by nearly a penny at the end of the month - even rejects have appeal. Most of what the chain buys is made in the United States, Schiffer said, although some items come from England, Canada and China.
"In most cases, the chain buys directly from the manufacturer. Certain items are made just for the chain, hence the 32-ounce milk and juice containers you don't see in other stores.
"And while competitors may sell a dozen brands of toothpaste, for example - each with varying size, tube and cap options - 99 Only may only have four choices. This allows them to buy in bulk at lower prices.
"The store does try to sell one brand name in each category so customers can buy a familiar product, Schiffer said. Off-brands fill the rest of the shelves.
"Food and produce typically has a short shelf life because it's already ripe or nearing expiration, having been purchased from another store that could not sell it.
"The values are so tremendous that people understand that our watermelons may be good for five days and at the market it's seven days," Schiffer said.
"So eat food immediately or freeze it. For other items, use your best judgment about the quality and check expiration dates.
"The perception is that 99 Only Stores are a cheaper alternative to traditional retailers, but I wanted hard numbers before converting.
"I pulled out My Nitty Gritty Grocery List with the best prices for 35 staple items, but immediately ran into trouble.
"The Canoga Park store I visited has a limited grocery section, and I found just 10 of the items on my list.
"Four of those were low-price leaders (black beans, lettuce, green peppers and eggs). Four others (bread, sugar, onions and carrots) tied with the lowest prices I found at Trader Joe's, Food 4 Less and Fresh & Easy.
"Two - milk and chicken broth - were more expensive per ounce at the 99 Only Store.
"And some items that were not on my list were so cheap they had me talking out loud. Guerrero-brand corn tortillas, Act II buttered popcorn, and oversized containers of dried basil and ground cinnamon each were - as the store promises - 99 cents.
"Other food items I purchased turned out to be a good deal, including four delicious peaches for 99 cents and three green peppers for 99 cents.
"I did see one smashed and moldy eggplant in a produce bin and I threw out three of the eight garlic heads I bought because they were either dried out or rotten.
"Other items were more expensive than at mainstream markets. Six packs of ramen noodles were $1, but can be purchased 10 for $1 on sale at a traditional grocer. A 1.25 liter bottle of Crystal Geyser seltzer is 10 cents cheaper at Trader Joe's.
"All in all, there are deals to be had at the 99 Only Store. But not everything is a fabulous price.
"With food prices rising dramatically, expanding grocery sections at the 99 Only Store have generated a buzz. But is the food any good?
"I put their cheapo groceries to the ultimate test by cooking a dinner with 99 Only Store ingredients and serving it to Hubby. For recipes, I turned to Christiane Jory, a Los Angeles native and author of "The 99 Only Stores Cookbook."
"Jory is not affiliated with the company, but began shopping there to save money so she could pay off $20,000 in credit card debt.
"Like me, Jory was initially a skeptic.
"I was introduced to the store by a friend," Jory told me. "I didn't believe it either."
"An early convert, she spent two years cooking and eating 99-cent food while writing the book, which has caught the attention of "Good Morning America" and NPR's "Day to Day."
"By shopping at the 99 Only Store before going to other grocers, Jory said she's reduced her food tab by one-third.
"The cookbook has dozens of recipes, most of which cost less than $10 to make. I chose two to test - jambalaya and curried chicken, but the Canoga Park store I visited did not have the ingredients for either. Instead, I cobbled together a meal of frozen mini-tamales, garlic broccoli and fettucini.
"The pasta was fine, the broccoli had a bug in it (to which CEO Schiffer replied, "I think you can find the same bug in any store.") And the tamales were so salty they were nearly inedible.
"With a frown I ate two. Hubby ate one.
"At the Culver City store the next day, I found enough ingredients to make curried chicken and I picked up three bottles of 99-cent wine.
"I got the onions, almonds, garlic and canned whole tomatoes and chicken from the 99 Only Store. I already had the other ingredients in my pantry.
"I served the dish over fettucini because I didn't have the patience to make fresh nan, as Jory recommends. The final result looked appealing and was good enough to serve to friends.
"I went back for seconds. Hubby did not. The wine - 2001 Tierra Salvaje Cabernet Sauvignon, a kosher vintage from Chile - was nothing to write home about but perfectly suitable for sangria or as a second or third bottle.
"All in all, I would advise shopping there with a discriminating eye. Stick to the best bargains on items you know you will use, and don't go overboard. Even 99 cents can add up."
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About The Bargain Hunter
Daily News staff writer Julia Scott loves to find bargains on everything from groceries to Gucci. Her tips will help keep your hard earned cash where it belongs - in your pocket.
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The "advice" from Don to simply browse the aisles of any store is counterproductive. That's a sure way to end up with something you don't really need (or want, in some cases). That's not bargain hunting, that's bringing home junk that'll take up space. As always, the best way to save money is not to spend it at all.
I am on the same page as you. The stuff is limited and most always bad. I will buy holiday decorations for kids' stuff and that's about it. I find I can get better deals as the grocery stores with coupons and sales.
I do agree with the one reader that location is everything. The one in the old Sport Chalet in Valencia is much nicer than most in the valley.
Just be wary of what you buy. Many things are rotten or go rotten within a day. :(
My family loves to shop at the 99 cents only store! I agree that browsing is the most productive way to shop since the availability and brands change often. Once you establish the items and brands you really like, then you can be more selective and only go down the aisles that carry the products you buy regularly. I also agree that different locations vary in selection, quantity and quality.
Saying the best way to save money is not to spend it is like saying the best way to lose weight is not to eat. The best way to save money is to shop smartly and spend with moderation. As an example, if you have small kids 99 Cents is a great place to save on many articles that your little ones lose or misplace daily such as pacifiers, baby bottles, socks, kids’ toothbrushes 3 for .99. And let’s not forget the batteries for their toys, gift bags, party favors, birthday cards ….!
Hey---Big News Flash about 99cents only store.
I went to the one on Van Nuys Blvd on a Thursday (8/28), looking for the "Beefsteak Tomatoes" in the ad. Didn't see much to interest me but I asked. I was told to "come back tomorrow, after we get our delivery in the morning." When I returned, mid-morning, on Friday -- All the difference in the World!! Big beautiful Beefsteak Tomatoes as well as a large fully stocked selection of FRESH produce.
So, freshness and availability is very dependent on day of the week shopping. Of course "locals" already know when their store gets their deliveries, so it might be to your benefit to call the one you shop at to find out their schedule.
I often shop the 99 cent store. I do like it, but I have occasionally made a poor choice. Your article was truthful, not offensive. I'm amazed how some people are so easily offended. Clearly, Ann and her friend down the hall skim an article, just looking for negatives to fire them up, not even reading enough to get the point.
My husband and I (seniors with money) love the 99cent Store. We browse at least once a week. Much of their produce is fresher than the major markets. I recall a recent purchase of blueberries that were absolutely perfect and yummy. That week the blueberries at Ralphs were 300% more in price and had mold all over. Granted we probably buy items that we purchase just because they are a bargain, but, hey what have we lost - 99cents! And yes many items can be purchase at a lower cost elsewhere, but you have to know prices!!! Recently I bought a honeydew at Vallerta that was 6 lbs. for a dollar and this price was much lower than 99cents! So, be careful and enjoy this great store!
i love the 99 cent store!
but i agree with the person who commented that it's a store where you browse, rather than come with a set in stone shopping list.
and yes, browsing can be problematic if you start to buy things that you don't need. But that can happen anywhere, so i'm careful & i only buy what i need. and yes, a lot of the stuff is worthless junk, but i don't buy the worthless junk!
sometimes i've found incredible deals...
for the past year or so, I've been buying most of my produce at the 99 cent store. Granted, sometime i see produce that's not in good shape, & sometimes they don't have what i need. On a rare occasion, I'll find a particular produce item cheaper somewhere else. But most of the time it's a tremendous bargain, & I've found most of the produce items i need to be of good to decent quality. sometimes, it's even been very good. if they don't have exactly what i'm looking for, i can usually find something else that's a good substitute. And yes, there have been times when i didn't quite like the look of the produce that they had, & on those occasions i bit the bullet & bought my produce elsewhere. But all in all, I've saved a bundle buying my produce there...
last week they had huge beautiful cauliflowers at the Van Nuys store... A few months ago they had these beautiful mixed heirloom varieties cherry tomatoes....
i could go on & on....
I am a senior citizen, with 4 grandchildren... all year
long I pick up things for them, school supplies, games
books,crayons, t shirts...at Christmas time I am a very
loved Gramdma, they have many presents,(packed in colorful 99cent bags)Everyone is happy, I have spent
less than $10 per kid. They don't care which store the
pencils came from, they are colorful and have some logo on from t.v. show...
For those of us who are watching out $1.00, it is the
perfect place...
I, too, thought the 99 cents store was THE best until I found the dairy items to be expired or 1 day before expiration. The produce was mealy, over ripe - rotten (now understand most of the produce is in pre-packaged bags). I've even gotten tortillas that the store had just put out on the shelf - and when I got it home and opened the package it was old and moldy! I believe I heard that they buy the items that have a shorter shelf life than the major markets; so one just needs to be more aware of they are getting.
I do have some items that I feel are a real bargin and that is the laundry soap & bleach, school items, gift bags & tissue, misc. 'goodie' for kids party gift bags, canned goods, spices, and some dry noodle soups, and bottled water.
I agree with your article and I can also see those on a fixed income point of view. Its just like any place else, there is good and bad - ya just need to know which place is the best for whatcha looking for!
The store on Victory & Vineland is one of the best ones on the east side of the valley.
was very wary of trying 99 cent store. But as the economy is in dire straits i thought I wold give it a try. It was a wise decision. The food, if you choose wisely, is as good as your local supermarket.
I shaved $50 to $75 dollars off my usual bill. And they have just about everything you need. I do 90 percent of my food shopping there and 10 percent at the "regular" market.
Leave your ego at the door and you'll be a amazed how anyone would pay 3 and 4 dollars for what you get for less than a buck!
The 99 cent only store has been the light in my darkest days penny pinching. I love getting a good deal and have found name brand tv dinners that in other places run 3 to 5 dollars. I have found name brand lunch meat and cheese there it has helped cut down on cost of food. I also love going there when i get the urge to get shopping bug out of me i spend 20 bucks get five bags of stuff i needed and some that i just wanted in one trip love the place. There is also a grocery outlet and bakery outlet in my town that helps when money is low