Andrea Harwood Palmer
By Andrea Harwood Palmer
A new discount store has opened at the Mount Royal Plaza at 959 Route 9 in Queensbury.
Gina Peters and her husband opened the store on July 24.
“We are here to serve the community. We’re not a franchise or a big corporation. We’re here for the local community and the surrounding area. We are a $10 or less store, because we wanted quality products in here. We also consign local artisans in the store, and we encourage people to buy local,” said Peters.
“The people we’ve had come in have been very encouraging and supportive. Day by day, our customer base in increasing,” she said.
The store carries cleaning and kitchen supplies, home and bath items, health and beauty items, toys, home décor, party items, electronics, pet supplies and hardware. There is also a small grocery section that is expanding and they are working on a small auto section.
“We opened up with the help of an organization called Liberty Opportunities. The initial set-up package was done through them, with their vendors who are known to be professional and reputable,” said Peters.
Peters started the local artisan consignment program with friends, family and previous coworkers. She is currently advertising in the store and online, to attract regionally based vendors and consignees.
“I’ve been in retail for over 20 years. About 10 years ago, I learned about Liberty Opportunities. I was looking at opening a traditional dollar store. At the time, my kids were 3 and 4 years old, and the timing just wasn’t good. Now they’re teenagers, and I have a lot more retail experience. It was the right time,” said Peters.
Peters is leasing the property in Mount Royal Plaza, next to Adirondack Urgent Care.
“Queensbury is where I do my major shopping. I was originally considering opening the store in Warrensburg. I worked in the Warrensburg Price Chopper for years, and you can really see the fluctuation in shopper traffic during the tourist season and the off season. We felt the niche and opportunity was greater in Queensbury,” said Peters.
Dollar Dash offers various discount days. It is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with the exception of Wednesday, when they are opened 9 a.m. 5 p.m. Its website is www.dollar-dash-llc.business.site. The phone is 518-502-1726.