Dollar Tree Locator map. Seems useful.
 

https://www.dollartree.com/store-locator

If you go on one or two week tours in the U.S. this seems like a good tool.

Dollar Trees seem to be everywhere.
They are the new grocery store in many small towns I frequent on tour.
Sometimes I really appreciate Chef Boyardee in a can and a new pair of socks from a single location. Too bad they don't sell beer.

I flatted on my fix gear 10 miles from home across the street from a small shopping mall and gas station. Forgot my wrench. Gas station had no mechanics at that hour and no access to tools, Attendant suggested the Dollar Tree there. Bought a $1 vise grip. Worth every penny I spent and not a cent more. Destroyed it doing the change, but it got me home.

Ben

I think Dollar General is much more popular in rural areas so perhaps that one also.

I don't think I have ever had any trouble whatsoever finding one of those places. Around California, they're like churches in Texas, there's one on every corner, sometimes two.

Ain't that the truth. We've got Dollar Tree, Dollar General, 99¢ Only, and Family Dollar. You'd be hard-pressed to travel 5 miles in any direction without hitting a dollar store of some kind in California.

Of course, we also have everything else, so you can actually find proper tools, supplies, and beer. If I ever needed to enter a Dollar Tree to continue a bike ride, I could only presume the absolute worst has happened.

Dollar Tree is where you go for drinks & snacks. I'm totally spoiled on pop now, 2 1/2 liters for a buck!!! That's about enough for a whole day. 👍
I've noticed several Family Dollar stores going out of business lately. Sometimes they just change over, and become Dollar Trees, sometimes they just die out. I don't think folks cared for them charging way more, but claiming to be a dollar store. 🤔🙄

Heh. I was riding the Great Allegheny Passage during a cross-PA tour and got a campsite in Rockwood, PA. Pretty rural area, but there was some sort of dollar store. Food-wise, it was mostly snack stuff. I got some chips and salsa and managed to scrounge up a few cans of white beans. With the pasta, olive oil and fresh garlic I already had I made a pretty decent dinner. Only thing missing was fresh sage. :)

I have always found the Dollar Store fresh sage to be a bit wanting, must be "second pickings". :(

I am shopping at a Dollar Tree a couple times a month, but when I am on a bike tour and need something I will go to the most convenient store I can find regardless of pricing, I am not going to pedal for an extra hour to save a couple bucks.

Of all my touring, I think I have gone to a dollar store (a Dollar Tree) on only one occasion, it was next door to the Safeway that I also shopped at.

But if I am riding past one on a tour, I would quickly try to figure out what is on my shopping list that they might have.

The following article has an interesting map showing some of the regional variation in Dollar General stores...

https://www.npr.org/2018/05/23/61373...-rural-america

I've definitely noticed them more in the last years but wasn't sure how much was also correlated with moving from CO to OR to TX in the last decade.

Dollar Tree and Family Dollar merged. Around NC/SC the bulk of the dollar stores in the rural areas are Dollar General. They work for a place to grab canned goods and such for dinners as well as Heet to power up the alcohol stove in a pinch.

Aaron :)

And let's not even talk about ice cream. 🙄😁 There's nothing like cheap ice cream, to get you through a hot day. 👍 I just think they should standardize pint containers, for ice cream, not half-pint or half-gallon, with no happy middle ground. 😒

Definitely so here in the midwest. In fact, as so many smaller towns dry up and lose their retail, a Dollar General is a blessing for them (and me as I ride through)

Less so popular and more so taking over rural areas and forcing out local businesses and fresh food markets. They have an aggressive strategy that is actually quite damaging. However yes they are everywhere now especially in small towns and rural areas and on tour could be a good emergency type stop.