As some discount retailers are expanding, others are struggling. Recently, discount grocery chain Aldi announced they were embarking on a massive expansion that would include more than 100 new stores in the northeast. Perhaps they were privy to some information.

Dollar Tree To Acquire Family Dollar Stores For $8.5 Billion
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That's because Family Dollar and Dollar Tree have announced a plan to close more than 1,000 stores nationwide. According to CNN, about 600 of those closures will happen this year, with the remaining closures happening as leases run out across the country.

Dollar Tree To Acquire Family Dollar Stores For $8.5 Billion
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The reasoning behind the startling number of closures is likely something customers have experienced first-hand in a Family Dollar store. Mismanagement, store cleanliness, and a decline in affordable items to stock have all crushed Family Dollar's business model, leading to the decision to close stores.

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Another key reason is competition. Dollar General has expanded rapidly throughout the country, including here in Maine. Those stores have been better-run and have had far fewer supply chain issues than Family Dollar.

On a national level, the Family Dollar brand has been dragged through the mud recently. The company was forced to pay nearly $42 million in fines for operating a warehouse that was infested with rats and bacteria.

Locally, there have been some serious questions about Family Dollar as well. The Westbrook location closed for a substantial amount of time due to rodent problems and other safety concerns before reopening recently.

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Family Dollar currently operates 55 locations in Maine. Some of those locations are likely to close as part of the company's restructuring plan. Stores that are consistently understaffed or have been plagued by health and safety concerns will be the first to close nationwide.

READ MORE: Maine Likely to See Its First Aldi Grocery Stores Soon

The company plans to announce its first round of closures in the coming weeks.


9 Major Brands That Could Close Maine Stores in 2024

Changing retail habits and backlogged debt could cause several stores closures across Maine for these 9 major brands.

Gallery Credit: Joey

The 20 Most In-Demand Maine Towns to Buy a Home

Here is a list of the 20 most in-demand towns in Maine to buy a home. This list was determined by BetOhio. The company analyzed Realtor.com info to come up with the results. This included two major metrics...

Demand score: a unique listing page viewers per property ranking compared to other ZIP codes, counties, or metro location.

Median days on market: The median number of days property listings spend on the market within the specified geography during the specified month.

These two metrics were put together to come up with the town's Demand Index Score.

Gallery Credit: Chris Sedenka

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