Editorial

This retail business opportunity is all about bargains for bucks!

Alled Dollar Stores

Everyone loves a bargain. From college students who need to count every penny to multi-millionaires like Donald Trump and Martha Stewart, getting great deals on purchases is a national passion.

Allied Systems Industries (ASI) Dollar Stores, founded in 1992 by Fred Spindel, is a Business Opportunity you won’t want to miss if you’d like to be part of the deep discount trend. Allied, which is headquartered in Las Vegas, opened its 500th store in 2004 and sees this as just the tip of the iceberg. They expect to approach the 600-store mark by the end of 2005.

Dan Margles, CEO and managing partner of ASI, says that industry studies show this market in still in its infancy and is expected to triple in the next five years as the buying public continues to be more and more price conscious.

“Purchasing a Dollar Store gives you all the benefits of a Franchise business without the expense and restrictions,” says Margles. “You own your store outright and even choose your own name.” As a business opportunity, ASI owners pay no franchise fees and there are no royalties. Yet everything to ready your store for opening, from the store fixtures to the high-quality merchandise, is provided as part of your purchase price.

“We have two prototype stores, one in Las Vegas (the original company owned store) and an independently owned store in Solon, Ohio (a 9,000-square foot super store ), where we bring potential buyers for a discovery day and for their hands-on training,” says Margles. “The whole concept is so simple that intensive training is not necessary. A trainer will show a new buyer how to receive and display merchandise. We don’t need barcodes or price stickers; we keep track of the inventory the old fashioned way. The main skill needed in a Dollar Store owner is customer service.”

One thing that sets ASI apart from other deep discount concepts is the upscale feel of the stores. “Our stores are large and bright with quality chrome fixtures,” says Margles. “We consider ourselves the Cadillac of
dollar stores.”

The merchandise is also of high quality. Margles, or “Dollar Dan,” as he is known around the industry, hand selects the items from 60-70 top suppliers. While Dollar Store owners are free to purchase commodities from any vendor, the combination of ASI’s volume discounts and the superior quality of the items they buy means there is always fresh stock available for owners to fill their stores.

There are several reasons, says Margles, for the appeal of a Dollar Store. “First, there’s the abundance of high quality merchandise, all priced at a dollar. Then there’s the convenience factor. It’s just easier to shop at a dollar store than to get in and out of a big box discount store. It’s a true bargain hunter’s haven.”

Who shops at Dollar Stores? Margles says there are 60 different categories of items, meaning there is something for everyone. Teachers will find party supplies for school events and senior citizens can get discounted prices on house wares. Teens can find hair accessories, cosmetics and jewelry. Do you need baby and bridal shower gifts? You’ll find the best items at the lowest price (a dollar!) at a Dollar Store. And, while studies show that 85% o shoppers at the stores are women, there are categories to attract men, too, from hardware to electronics to toiletries.

Help with site selection comes with your Dollar Store purchase. “We select our store sites where they will receive the most traffic,” says Margles. “In malls with large anchor stores, we attract lots of customers just checking to see what is new on our shelves. Besides those people stocking up on supplies and purchasing gifts, we inspire a lot of impulse buying.”

“What we have found is that the quality of the merchandise we buy continually goes up,” says Margles. “As we investigate more importers, vendors and wholesalers, we keep finding better merchandise at better prices. That’s important because the higher the quality, the quicker an item sells.”

Why Choose an Allied Dollar Store?

No retail experience needed – this is a turnkey operation!
No franchise fees or royalties
Corporate help with site selection, lease negotiation, store layout & build-out
Purchase price includes: sign, fixtures, counters, shopping baskets, cash registers, carpeting and build out labor
Stocking of store with merchandise for the grand opening
Training in all aspect of operating store
Operations manual, business forms
Backed by 17 years of experience
Volume product discounts, better service from vendors
Highest quality merchandise = fast turnover = higher profits
Continuing support
Simplicity of operations
No extensive marketing needed
You build it and shoppers will flock to you!