BY KAREN E. BOWES
Staff Writer
PHOTOSBY MIGUEL JUAREZ staff Above, Lisa Coppola, an employee an the Family Dollar, arranges a pile of stuffed animals in the toy aisle of the new Keyport store. At left, Jeff Lunsford, manager of the Family Dollar on West Front Street in Keyport, keeps an eye on the store last week. KEYPORT – Welcome to the family.
Keyport’s Family Dollar joined West Front Street’s growing downtown shopping district recently, offering a new twist on the old-fashioned five and dime.
According to manager Jeff Lunsford, business has been brisk to say the least.
“For the last three days it’s been nonstop,” said Lunsford. “I have to almost lock people out at 8 o’clock, people are still trying to get in and shop.”
The store, part of a nationwide chain of over 6,000, offers a hodgepodge of just about everything, from toiletries and cleaning products to Christmas trees and pantyhose.
Labeled a “discount retailer,” almost every item is priced less than the manufacturers’ suggested retail value, with most ranging from $1 to $10.
“We pretty much seem to be anywhere from $2 to $10 under what you’d pay at a normal store,” said the manager.
The layout of the store is bright and cheerful, with window displays created by the Keyport Business Alliance.
Shoppers last Wednesday stocked their carts with sandwich baggies, remote controlled cars and muffins.
“You can get brand names at a good price,” said shopper Ben Cattano, of Hazlet. “We’re thrifty, that’s why we come here.”
Joanna Reyes, of Keyport, checked out candles and browsed the aisles, finally settling on a pair of winter gloves for $5.
“We get a lot of compliments about the store, how nice it looks,” said employee Vinnie Gentile, 17, of East Keansburg.
According to Gentile, customers are buying, “Christmas stockings, lights, bulbs, ribbons, everything.”
Lunsford credits the downtown location and the holiday season for the rush in business.
There’s also the lure of curiosity over a new business.
“I’m just looking,” said one late shopper. “It’s a new store.”
Family Dollar is located on the corner of Main and West Front streets in Keyport.
Some current hot items include large Bratz dolls at $10, 65 feet of wrapping paper for $2, greeting cards at two for $1, and brand-name diapers, 36 for $6.