With Dollar Trees, Family Dollars closing, what options are available for impacted communities

TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — Putting food on the table is a hassle for so many right now.

"It's too high. All those stores are high. It is all the same," said Thelma Robinson.

"Everything's expensive. Rent. Everything. Every time with a year pass. That's more high, gas, everything," said Shirley Berrios.

For decades, discount stores like Dollar Tree and Family Dollar have allowed people to stretch their dollars in low income communities. Be it for the prices or just the convenience.

Thelma Robinson said while price is important, location is also a big factor. And in her neighborhood, the options are limited.

Dollar Tree, which is also the parent company of Family Dollar, said it plans to close 1,000 locations shortly.

Among the closures, Dollar Tree said it plans to close 600 underperforming Family Dollar locations between now and June. An additional 370 Family Dollar and 30 Dollar Tree stores will close at the end of each store's current lease term.

Those locations haven't been disclosed yet, but it will mean people who shop there are left with other options.

"Publix, that's more expensive, but that's more better. Sometimes I go to Publix to buy bread, or doughnuts or something- meat, ham for sandwiches, something like that," said Berrios.

We wanted to get a clearer look at those price differences, so we visited four different stores to pick up the same exact five items:

1. a snack pack of Bumblebee tuna
2. a 1.25 liter of Coca-Cola
3. store-brand pasta
4. a box of Kraft mac and cheese
5. and a box of Pillsbury brownie mix

Here's the price break down for each store:

Dollar Tree:

1. $1.25
2. $1.75
3. $1.25
4. $1.25
5. $1.25

Wal-Mart

1. $1.78
2. $1.52
3. $.98
4. $1.24
5. $1.27

Family Dollar

1. $2.35
2. $1.80
3. $1.00
4. $1.35
5. $1.95

Publix

1. $2.19
2. $1.99
3. $1.49
4. $1.65 (but buy one, get one)
5. $2.49

Dollar Tree was the cheapest, charging $6.75 for all of the items together without tax. The items cost $6.79 at Wal-Mart. At Family Dollar, a total of $8.45. At the highest price point, $9.81 at Publix.
Dr. Tom Felke, an associate professor at Florida Gulf Coast University School of Social Work. He explains why we tend to see so many of the discount stores in low-income neighborhoods.

"When dollar stores come into communities, they tend to target lower socioeconomic communities where a large grocery stores tend to under invest their products," he said.

Although nearly a thousand are set to close, Dollar Tree owns 16,000 stores, including 8,000 Dollar Tree branded locations and 7,500 Family Dollar locations. Then there's the other dollar store giants like dollar general.

But that doesn't mean the closures won't hurt some communities.

"When those communities have this big influx. And then, all of a sudden, that's taken away, they're left in a real problem, because the under investment of the large grocers, the pushing out of the mom and pop grocer. And now the disappearance of those dollar stores that a lot of that I think it makes up about 78% of grocery in a lot of those communities," he added.

He adds that could lead more food deserts and more reliance on fast food.

But Dr. Felke does see this as an opportunity to address the issue with these stores being the go-to grocery source.

"What we really have to hope for is that one of these larger grocers sees that area now as a strategic investment opportunity and actually comes in and puts a location there," he said.

This also allows those communities to tap in options that are healthier.

"There is a national program called a fresh access bucks that would allow individuals who utilize SNAP Benefits to double the amount of those benefits by using them at farmers markets by selecting fresh fruit produce as their food choices," he said.

Giving every family an opportunity to have a healthy meal at the best price options.