<p>Had a very good earnings report,ups it forecasts…Not sure this is necessarily a good thing, as it seems to indicate the middle class is getting squeezed, BIGTIME…</p>
<p>What middle class? </p>
<p>[Jobless</a> in Iowa: a third of the state?s unemployed have been looking for work for six months or more | The Ticket - Yahoo! News](<a href=“Jobless in Iowa: a third of the state’s unemployed have been looking for work for six months or more”>Jobless in Iowa: a third of the state’s unemployed have been looking for work for six months or more)</p>
<p>Dollar General is one of those chains that seems to place their stores in towns with little other competition. I can think of several near me that are really the only place, other than convenience stores, to pick up a bottle of shampoo or a birthday card. Everyone that I know who goes there does it for the convenience…and to save gas, of course! I think their stores are kind of gross but it works if I need something (non-edible) and don’t want to drive the extra 10 miles to a larger store. I would not buy food of any kind there as I don’t think they rotate their stock!</p>
<p>Every time I go into the dollar stores I never buy anything. They sell nothing but junk. Maybe there are a few good values in those stores, but I rarely find any.</p>
<p>They open a ton of stores every year. Tractor Supply (retail aimed at farm/rural customers) is doing great, too. Both have HQ in Tennessee.</p>
<p>I was just in Dollar General on Saturday. It was packed. A woman in front of me in line spent $57. It is a handy place to pick up odds and ends. I bought several disposable aluminum baking pans and an extra set of clear glass salt and pepper shakers in prep. for the big family get together in two weeks. Paper products are often cheaper there also. In the rural areas of our state there are Dollar General and Family Dollar stores every where.</p>