New Dollar Tree Coming to East Side

Dollar Tree is opening a new store in Tucson.Photo byKenny EliasononUnsplash

The corner pharmacy is a fading business. Not long ago, at the corner of almost every major intersection, you could find a Walgreens, CVS, or Rite-Aid. Sometimes you could find two. However, most big-brand pharmacies have shuttered hundreds of locations around the country, including here in Tucson. Filling prescriptions at grocery stores is far more convenient for many, and the products sold inside often come at significantly lower prices. The introduction of Amazon’s new prescription delivery service will only quicken the demise of these store brands. Closure does sprout new opportunities though, as a new business is moving into a space vacated by a long-closed CVS.

In 2022, CVS Pharmacy closed at 8705 East Speedway Blvd. This is the intersection of East Speedway and North Camino Seco. In the two years since its closure, the building has sat dormant. Outside of Los Bertos Mexican Food across the street, the neighborhood on the east side of Tucson has remained without many grocery options. That will soon change, at least somewhat, as Dollar Tree signed a lease for the address. 

As first reported by Inside Tucson Business, Dollar Tree Stores Inc. has officially taken over the 14,375-square-foot building. While brands around the country have struggled over the last several years, Dollar Tree remains one of the strongest in the country, as it has opened over 100 stores just in 2024 alone. 

Dollar Tree's history started in 1953 when K.R. Perry opened a Ben Franklin in Norfolk, Virginia. Eventually, the store was renamed K&K 5&10 as a take on the classic five-and-dime store. This spun off to K&K Toys in 1970, which became an especially popular chain along the East Coast. Later, in 1986, Doug Perry, the son of K.R. Perry launched Only $100 in various Southeastern locations (focusing on Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee). The branding of Dollar Tree occurred three years later as a new store opened.

Doug Perry went on to sell K&K Toys (to former toy store outlet KB Toys), and with the money he was able to launch Dollar Tree Stores throughout the United States. From that point on, Dollar Tree continued to expand, buying up failed brands including Dollar Bill$, Only $One, Dollar Express, Greenbacks, Inc., DEAL$, Dollar Giant, and Family Dollar.

At this point, Dollar Tree has a near monopoly on the dollar-store concept. Regardless though, the new store will give locals on the east side of Tucson another shopping option. There is no official word yet as to when the store will open to the public, but as the lease has been signed, work will commence soon.