ALCO Store Chain Closing

[CRBWildcat]

For those of you in the central USA familiar with the discount store chain ALCO, the chain declared bankruptcy not long ago and is presently in mid-liquidation.

ALCO up to this point was based primarily in smaller communities around the US, with outlets as far west as Arizona and as far east as Ohio. I liked the local store primarily because it was real easy for me to buy a Reese's chocolate bar and a six-pack of Mountain Dew on the way back to work in the afternoons.

[PCHeintz72]

For those of you in the central USA familiar with the discount store chain ALCO, the chain declared bankruptcy not long ago and is presently in mid-liquidation.

ALCO up to this point was based primarily in smaller communities around the US, with outlets as far west as Arizona and as far east as Ohio. I liked the local store primarily because it was real easy for me to buy a Reese's chocolate bar and a six-pack of Mountain Dew on the way back to work in the afternoons.

I live in Ohio... never heard of them. We have plenty of discount and dollar chain type stores though... Dollar Paradise, Dollar General, Ollies....

[Crescent Pulsar S]

First I've heard of it, too. Closest thing to that around here is Aldi, maybe? In name, anyway.

[CRBWildcat]

Like I said, they're a small-community type dealie; all told I don't think that there are more than 200 stores in the whole country, most of them in places that have just a few thousand people (and in close proximity to the rurals). *shrug* Until I moved out here in '07, I'd never heard of them either.

Think of a combination of Dollar General and a mini-Walmart as far as supplies are concerned, and you'll get an idea of what ALCO was like.

Yeah, ALCO and Aldi aren't quite the same thing. ()^_^ Always did love how the latter works, though.

[PCHeintz72]

Yeah... Aldi's works a bit odd, but they generally carry decent stuff, got one a few miles from me. We also have a GFS near me that just finished being built which is like a mini SAMs Club.

I'm in a town of some 3700... but am probably too close to other big towns to have one of these ALCO places.


As for myself... generally it depends on type of item:
- if buying in bulk food and household items is SAM's Club,
- if buying clothes that is K-Mart or Walmart
- if buying non-bulk food that is Walmart or GFS or Dollar General
- if buying tools or any home materials that is Home Depot
- if buying something medical related that is CVS (myself) or Walgreens (my mom)
- if buying computer supplies are Cyberguys or OfficeDepot or Best Buy
- if buying fast food that is split between Mcdonalds and Arby's
- if ordering out for delivery that is Pizza Hut, Marcos Pizza, or Gininos Pizza
- if going out that is iHop, Steak and Shake, or Applebees
- Most other purchases are either Amazon or Walmart or Best Buy.

[CRBWildcat]

...Wait, hold the phone! You've got Marco's Pizza over there?! Man, I miss that place like you wouldn't believe!

[talonhunter]

Alco is kinda like the old Ben Franklin 5 and dimes that catered to smaller towns with slightly higher prices due to the extra cost of bringing the items into the smaller markets.

[CRBWildcat]

Pretty much, yeah. My dad described it once as a store "that is trying to be a Wal-Mart", although obviously their merchandise isn't (or wasn't, rather) anywhere near as varied or great.