One door closes, another door opens . . .

Earlier this year I bemoaned the loss of the 98 Cent Dollar Super Store just a few months after it had opened in a shuttered Longs Drug Store. I love independent Dollar Stores with superfluous or contradictory names a la "98 Cent Dollar" because they usually signal an exciting, unexpected mix of merchandise. While I'm not one to buy food from China, I do love their exuberant embrace of American Pop Culture and over the top (and cheap) products that are so darn festive, like this Christmas Card for example . . .

It is pink, and sparkly, and Santa is playing a fiddle which I love, and you open it up and you get a heart that lights up, says Merry Christmas, and plays Jingle Bells, and I Wish You a Merry Christmas.

So, I took the opening of a Dollar General Market, with it's clean but corporate aura with a grain of salt. I knew all about Dollar General from my foray in the South, and I shopped there often, but I don't consider it a "true" dollar store, as most merchandise is not a dollar. Still, there are bargains to be found, and some even surpass those at the local Dollar Tree or 99 Cent Only Store.

Oh, and they sell booze, and cigarettes . . . and they have plenty of holiday accoutremants made in China.

I couldn't resist a $3 bottle of merlot from Spring Creek of California. I think 2 Buck Chuck aka Charles Shaw from Trader Joe's is $2.99 a bottle, so I'll spring for the extra penny, and try this out. I got a beautiful bottle box from the 99 Cent Store, and a very gaudy bauble from the (independent) Dollar Discount Store still open (though the closed for a time), put it all together for a lovely gift for around $5.

The Dollar General Store did beat everyone for their assortment of Holiday Muffin Cups with festive matching picks.

You get 20 per package, so I'm all set for my cupcake baking.

All in all, the Dollar General Store is a welcome addition to the neighborhood, and though not a "true" dollar store, with definitely be on my route.