Rob E might go to a giant Bargain Center soon

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

Basically.. I'm within 20 minutes of the place (I think)

 

The full name of the place is "Dirty Don's Bargain Center"

 

Here's one article on it from 2003

 

CITYSCAPE: Saving money is the name of the game at Dirty Don's Bargain Center

 

By JOYCE SMITH

 

Columnist

 

Tiffany lights from El Paso, Texas. VCRs from St. Louis. Washcloths from Memphis, Tenn. Coconut cream biscuits from New Jersey.

 

All of these items were headed to retail stores, but none reached their original destination. Train derailments, trucking accidents or other problems rerouted them to Dirty Don's Bargain Center in Raytown.

 

"That's when the insurers need an undertaker like me to take the products off their hands," said Don Glenn, owner of Dirty Don's. "I help them -- and I help the consumer -- save money.

 

"You know, we are in tough economic times, and people are looking for more bargains to make their purchasing dollar go further."

 

After 32 years in business, Dirty Don's has more than doubled in size by moving to an 80,000-square-foot building at 9700 E. 56th St., across the street from its old location. Glenn consolidated his 30,000-square-foot wholesale operation in the River Market into the new facility, but he kept his retail location at 830 Kansas Ave. in Kansas City, Kan.

 

Dirty Don's usually salvages items in which the box is damaged but the product is in good condition. He also takes manufacturer closeouts or food items that are near or past their "use by" date. For example, broccoli is selling for 25 cents a bunch at Dirty Don's, compared with $1.49 a bunch at some area grocery stores.

 

Sallie Ludovico and her daughter Cathlene Greer recently stopped at Dirty Don's in search of diapers. Instead they had a cart stacked with food items.

 

"We come in about once a month. In a lot of cases it's cheaper than the dollar stores," Ludovico said.

 

Sexton Metalcraft previously operated in the spot. Glenn originally worked on the dock, buying salvaged products from the truckers as a hobby. He stored them in his basement until he could take them to swap-and-shops.

 

In 1973 he opened his first retail store in the basement of his father's Raytown house, which was in a commercial area. The operation soon outgrew the space.

 

"Back then we beat everybody; there weren't any Targets or Price Choppers," Glenn said. "Now you just have to sharpen your pencil. We're always searching for new merchandise."

 

As Glenn walks the spacious aisles, he points out bargains. There are $12 Pottery Barn Christmas candles for $1, supposedly damaged, but shoppers would be hard-pressed to find a flaw. There are also $20 Tommy Jeans, 32 ounces of Miracle Whip for $1, and Lipton "Sizzle & Stir" for $1.75.

 

Other items include patio furniture and microwaves.

 

"I furnished my house from this store," Glenn said. "We never know what we are going to get in. Every day is different."

 

With stuff like this.. how can you resist? How can you resist $1 Miracle Whip?

 

Knowing myself, I'm going to go there on Friday and then make a really stupid purchase.

 

Any thoughts on the store (from personal experience or the article) or on bargain centers in general?

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Sounds like a Big Lots/Ollies with just a wierder name.

 

Theres nothing really wrong with either store, they just sacrifice the ambiance of a store that sells new stuff. Ollie's has a concrete floor and they clean it about once a month it seems. Big Lots is a bit more "upscale" and they actually have national advertising, but a lot of the times they have the same stuff as Ollies.

 

They carry some really odd ball stuff as well as regular stuff that just didnt sell well. I saw Jerry Lawler's book on audio tape for $4, and I bought Mick Foley's book Tietam Brown for $3.

 

As far as food goes, Im ok with buying some things there as long as they have a date and the package isn't messed up. I also wont touch the stuff that was sold in other countries, and then brought back here and plastered with English labels right over the foreign languages, food or otherwise. Im pretty ok with anything else they sell, especially cleaning stuff. Sometimes they'll have $1 bottles of Tide and I'll get a couple of those because I wont pay $5+ for laundry detergent.