New Bedford, Fairhaven Dollar Tree Stores Not Yet ‘Dollar Twenty-Five Tree’

Dollar Tree recently announced that it has been forced to go up in price to $1.25 at all locations nationwide, including local stores like in New Bedford, Fall River, Wareham and North Dartmouth.

The extra quarter hasn't kicked in on the SouthCoast yet, it seems.

"What we've been told from corporate is that the stores around here are not increasing the prices quite yet," said a longtime employee of the Fairhaven location. "All I can tell you is this will happen, but not until the end of the holidays, and only select items will go up to $1.25, not everything in the store."

The cashier at the second register leaned beyond the plastic COVID protector and said in a hushed tone, "It's been the talk of the store."

The shoppers at the New Bedford Dollar Tree on Kings Highway didn't seem bothered by the news. "Stock up now," one jested with a smile.

Anita, a customer in line, said, "Yeah, they might lose a little bit of business at first, but where are you going to find prices like these? This jar of instant coffee is just a buck."

Get our free mobile app

Another patron, hands full with odds and ends, said she buys all of her paper goods, greeting cards and cleaning supplies at the Dollar Tree. "People will still come here. Twenty-five cents isn't that much."

Patrick Ferreira, holding his little boy Ashton, said the Dollar Tree stores in the southern half of the nation "started charging the extra 25 cents. We caught a break here. All the stores down there have rolled out the increase already."

Does the price hike bother him? "Not really, we'll still shop here, no matter what," he said.

Next door to the Kings Highway Dollar Tree store is Family Dollar. Would the prices there would also follow suit? Jessica, the personable cashier, assured that wasn't the case.

"Prices should stay put here," she said. "We're different from Dollar Tree because we sell items ranging from $1 to $45." When asked what costs $45 at Family Dollar, she pointed to the stack of extra large electric blankets.

Does she feel like there's competition for the lower priced items between the two retailers?

"No, because the same company owns us both," she said.

Finally, with the price increase, would the name change to "Dollar Twenty-Five Tree?" All laughed and said leave it as Dollar Tree.