Discount Store to Fill Space in Dearborn
Family Dollar is expected to soon open in the former site of Jo-Ann Fabrics.
There soon will be one less vacancy along Newman Street next to ACO Hardware in Dearborn.
The long-vacant building (not owned by Norm Newman who has his share of vacant buildings in our town) will soon be the home of a future Family Dollar store. Hardly the kind of store most of us would like to see fill Dearborn’s retail void but maybe it is a sign of the times . . . and probably better than a vacancy.
The owners of Family Dollar have been talking about moving into the former Jo-Ann Fabrics building for about two years, according to one city official. Now, it appears the owners are a bit more serious having recently come to City Hall to have their plans for the new store reviewed, including new signage for the store.
No word yet on when it will open but it should be soon as putting up shelving to stock Made in China goods won’t take too long.
June 2nd, 2011 at 11:02 am
It’s better then an empty building and should help ACO’s business.
June 2nd, 2011 at 1:19 pm
I agree, nice to see a store better than a vacant building. However, we need a Trader Joe’s or a better choice of stores to come to Dearborn, how about a Kohls????
June 2nd, 2011 at 1:20 pm
It’s a good start. Now if someone could just convince Norm to lease out space for a tanning salon/manicure/wig & extension/check cashing/low end tax preparation service store, we’d have perhaps the greatest strip mall in the universe!
June 2nd, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Please no more dollars stores or anything similiar to a dollar store. Bring Dearborn back to what it once was!!
June 2nd, 2011 at 5:27 pm
For all you elitists, what kind of high class store do you think would come to Dearborn? When Kohl’s wanted to come into Jacobsons, it was thought that Kohl’s was to low class. So now what do we have? Not much.
June 2nd, 2011 at 6:18 pm
The Mayor’s development plans are a bust, his budget is a bust, his ability to balance the constitution with public safety is a bust. A dollar store really! Comon when are people going to realize that this guy was elected into public office because of a name, he never experienced the adversity and coalition building most politicians do while building public support and now that times are tough he has no real leadership or executive skills to fall back on. Seriously, this is what constitutes west end development. Good luck attracting high value customers with this store. Every last person has to now realize that this O’Reilly method is a big belly flop
June 2nd, 2011 at 6:49 pm
No.
I don’t want Family Dollar. It will drive the image of Dearborn down further.
June 2nd, 2011 at 6:51 pm
yeah.
It would be great seeing very low end business’ here in Dearborn. Let’s annex Detroit..
June 2nd, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Now your talking! There is not a Trader Joe’s downriver either. Capitalize on Ford Motor.
For heaven sake, I have to drive to Royal Joke or Ann Arbor to go to Trader Joe’s. Hiller’s Market is nice too.
June 2nd, 2011 at 9:48 pm
another example of the demographics (or lack of) in 48124
June 2nd, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Trader Joe’s; great idea! City Hall are you listening?
June 2nd, 2011 at 10:36 pm
A better addition than another restuarant. Build on this move, as I believe we have enough bars and resstuarants in west dearborn already.
June 2nd, 2011 at 10:56 pm
There already is a Dollar Store at Westborn–spitting distance from this location. Please tell me this is a joke. Will the Dollar Store investors be at the Mayor’s $100/plate fundraiser tonight at the Dearborn Inn-maybe it should have been a $1/plate event.
June 2nd, 2011 at 11:56 pm
Many of us have been screaming Trader Joe’s for a long time now. It’s either fallen on deaf City ears or TJ’s has no interest in coming to Dearborn. We also need a novelty diner like Steak N Shake (did that one fall through?). Or better yet, let’s bring back Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Restaurant and put it in Dearborn! There are several Farrell’s currently located in California and Hawaii.
June 3rd, 2011 at 1:57 am
Anyone notice the IT shop that opened across from La Pita?
June 3rd, 2011 at 4:22 am
These stores are hoot and nicely maintained. If you have 12 items in your basket – it’s $12 – simple to track. Many of the items aren’t available anywhere else like Mrs. Freshley’s Honey Buns and Donut Sticks or Whales cheese crackers.
June 3rd, 2011 at 12:48 pm
Dearborn is a sad show of its former self. Don’t enjoy saying it. I was born here and I frequent places in Dearborn regularly, such as Westborn Market and Bob Evans. I was a regular at Borders. And I still go to Best Buy. But the area isn’t enticing for better-name merchants.
Dearborn is not attracting such desired businesses like Trader Joe and Kohl’s. (The latter is more likely to go to Fairlane Green, in Allen Park, if it were to be “close” to Dearborn.) Walmart is as high-end as it gets.
Any business I’ve wanted to see come to the Detroit market goes to Oakland County first. If we were in the 1980s, or even the 1990s, an establishment like Chipotle would open in Dearborn. (It is in Oakland and Washtenaw counties.)
Dearborn likely has problems that are more revealing behind the scenes.
June 3rd, 2011 at 12:52 pm
I remember Jacobson’s closing around 1997 and sitting there nearly 10 years! I didn’t know Dearborn had the opportunity to get Kohl’s. Oh, for cyring out loud, what the hell was this city’s officials thinking? Did they have the capacity for thought?
June 3rd, 2011 at 12:59 pm
Katzeye, I’ve already made the comment. But, for the hell of it, let’s dream about more than Trader Joe’s. I’d like to see restaurant/eateries like Raising Canes, PB&J, and Mimi’s Cafe. I’d also like to see stores like Pottery Barn, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Apple Store, Williams-Sonoma Grand Cuisine, and a minimum of 20% the stores in Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota that are certainly not at “oh-my-how-low-did-it-go?” Fairlane Mall.
June 3rd, 2011 at 5:36 pm
Because you are screaming for TJs means the city has deaf ears? That’s ridiculous. The city has no say in what businesses come to open their doors – that is until we can offer them tax incentives.
Give up on your pipe dream of a TJs coming to Dearborn. Look at the store. Look at where they open new locations – in thriving areas with easy access to major roadways. Not Dearborn – but perhaps Allen Park.
June 3rd, 2011 at 6:04 pm
Rudedog992,
Kohl’s wanted to come to Dearborn but the Mayor said NO. Not good enough for his City but the $1 store is?
June 3rd, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Dave, you can thank Mayor Guido for that one. He and his officials considered Kohl’s declasse and decided that Dearborn should be more like Birmingham or Grosse Pointe. Well guess what, other than Macy’s at Fairlane, we don’t have any department stores (where many would prefer to shop) in Dearborn anymore.
June 3rd, 2011 at 10:19 pm
A general comment, Said. First of all, it was never a Joanne Fabrics; it started out as Minnesota Fabrics and then became a Hancock Fabrics. I for one am very tired of this large store being vacant. I miss the fabric store and the Michael’s; but right now, I think just about anything is good, except maybe another bar or food establishment. Ferndale recently opened up that Rustbelt Market. Wouldn’t something like that be a fabulous use of the old Inca store?
June 4th, 2011 at 2:39 am
Get this trader joes will never come to Dearborn. This city just got a family dollar. This is even worse than a dollar store. This is a store whose Main revenue generator is food stamps. The bridge card, is the most common method of non cash transaction at Family Dollar, and you think any hig end retail wants to pair up with that. Good luck not getting mugged shopping at ACO
June 4th, 2011 at 6:09 pm
Thanks, Dearbornette for the clarification. I appreciate it! I knew it was a fabric store (I recall Minnesota Fabrics went there as a kid with my mother). I just had Jo-Ann Fabrics on my mind because my mother is a regular there. She just now complains about having to leave Dearborn to find a good fabric store.
June 4th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Bob – what is the IT shop?? I looked the other day when I drove by but didn’t see it.
June 7th, 2011 at 5:15 pm
This is not good news, it is disappointing news. This is the best we can attract? There is a dollar store 2 blocks down.
June 7th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
its in the plaza, right across from la pita, behind the bridal shop, next to the dance studio.
It’s visible from michigan. Green sign.
June 9th, 2011 at 2:19 pm
It wasn’t a Jo-Ann Fabrics: it was Minnesota Fabrics, then (I think) Hancock Fabrics.