Family Dollar, a national discount chain store, is now open in West Fargo.
The store, called "a mini-Wal-Mart" by manager Teresa Erickson, opened quietly Tuesday.
Erickson said the store at 144 Main Avenue East is projected to serve 142,000 customers every three months.
A grand opening ceremony will be held 9 a.m. Thursday.
Family Dollar is a Matthews, N.C.-based chain. The store is being leased in a recently built building along the north side of Main that also houses Pfau Construction Inc.
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The West Fargo outlet is one of more than 4,690 stores in 41 states, said the company's Web site, familydollar.com.
It carries a wide variety of items including clothing, housewares, food, laundry, cleaning and personal hygiene supplies, toys, hardware, automotive, seasonal items and greeting cards.
Prices are usually listed in whole dollar increments. For example, a household cleaner will sell for $1, rather than $1.19 or $1.47.
The grand opening banner across the front of the store was already pulling in a steady trickle of bargain hunters Tuesday.
"I just happened to be in the neighborhood," said Kevin Syverson of Fargo. "Wherever I can find a bargain, I'll certainly go. I think I got some deals. It looks like they have some good products."
"There's nothing she likes like a sale," said Ina Thomsen, referring to herself.
"This is nicely set up and it looks nice and tidy," the Valley City, N.D., resident said. "(The store has) some nice brand names."
It was Family Dollar's variety that made Erickson a customer in her previous home in Pensacola, Fla., and attracted her to apply for the West Fargo job.
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"Where I come from in Pensacola, we have tons of these stores. I buy my cleaning supplies, stuff that I need, there. It gives me more money to play with," she said.
"Money that I'll need for snowmobiles and four-wheel-drives," Erickson said, joking about Monday's snowfall. "I haven't seen snow for 15 years."
The nearly 7,000-square-foot store will have six to eight employees to start -- two assistant managers and four to six cashiers, Erickson said.
Erickson moved to the area with her husband, Stacy, a New Town, N.D., native. He is the flooring manager for the Lowe's Home Improvement store opening soon on 13th Avenue South near the Fargo Sam's Club.
She said she has worked as a manager at convenience and fast food stores for the last nine years.
The store will be open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, for the first month, Erickson said. Later, those hours will revert to 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. It will be open noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Helmut Schmidt at (701) 241-5583
