Sept. 30, 2021

Stock up on those $1 items now — some of them at Dollar Tree might be going above that signature price.

Dollar Tree Inc. announced this week it plans to expand it new Combo and Dollar Tree Plus store formats and begin adding new price points above $1 across all Dollar Tree Plus stores as well as start testing additional price points above $1 in selected legacy Dollar Tree stores.

Dollar Tree has already announced that it is on track this year to have 500 Dollar Tree Plus stores by fiscal year-end, which is in January 2022 – offering an assortment of value-priced $1, $3 and $5 products. An additional 1,500 stores are planned for fiscal 2022, and at least 5,000 Dollar Tree Plus stores are expected by the end of fiscal 2024.

The company has 105 combo stores and expects to add 400 combo stores in fiscal 2022, with the potential of up to 3,000 over the next several years.

“For decades, our customers have enjoyed the ‘thrill-of-the-hunt’ for value at one dollar — and we remain committed to that core proposition — but many are telling us that they also want a broader product assortment when they come to shop,” Michael Witynski, president and CEO, said. “We believe testing additional price points above $1 for Dollar Tree product will enable us over time to expand our assortments, introduce new products and meet more of our customers’ everyday needs.”

Dollar Tree is a “test-and-learn” organization, he added.

“Our merchants have proven that they are among the best in the industry in working with suppliers to create extreme value, and we will continue to deliver the ‘thrill-of-the-hunt’ to our customers,” he said.

“Our brand promise is that customers get great value for what they spend at Dollar Tree. We will continue to be fiercely protective of that promise, regardless of the price point, whether it is $1, $1.25, $1.50.”

Sioux Falls didn’t appear to be affected by the increase yet.

But the market is still experiencing the same challenge as essentially every retailer — staffing. It’s advertising open interviews every Monday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.