Equal opportunity discounts coming to Costa Mesa

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- Who says a dollar can’t but you anything?

Never fear, it’s not another commercial featuring athletes proving

they didn’t miss their calling when they chose baseball over the

drama club. The 99 Cents Only Store is making a home for itself in

Costa Mesa and retail officials hope to continue the chain’s

reputation of providing brand-name products for less than a dollar.

The Commerce-based retail chain will open on the corner of Harbor

Boulevard and Victoria Street Sept. 19, store representative Albert

Lee said. The outlet will employ about 50 workers at the former site

of the Lucky’s supermarket.

The prices may be discounted but the store is far from a

low-income shopping venue, officials said. Founded in 1982, the

company first opened its stores in low-income, blue-collar

neighborhoods, hoping to cater to those who need to get a lot of

product for 99 cents. In 1994, the chain opened on Wilshire

Boulevard, near Beverly Hills, and found even the rich like to save.

It became the most popular store, officials said.

“The Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, upscale shopper is exactly the

kind of customer we are looking for,” buyer Michelle Zwick said,

refuting the notion that the 99 Cents Only Store is a “discount

outlet.”

Linda Dixon, who is an avid bargain shopper, said she had never

been in a 99 Cents Only store before but was curious to see what kind

of shop they would bring to the city. In the meantime, the mayor said

she would continue her “convenience shopping” at local grocery

stores, still always searching for the best prices.

“All we want is for people to come into our store once and they

will be hooked,” Zwick said.

Store spokesman Henry Miller said the company can offer such great

rates because it buys a huge amount of one product and buys directly

from the manufacturer. In the last 20 years, the chain has

established quite an impressive array of name-brand items that they

can turn around for a real bargain, he said.

To kick off its Costa Mesa opening, the 99 Cents Only store will

offer televisions to its first nine customers on Sept. 19 for 99

cents, Lee said. The next 99 customers will have the chance to buy

scooters for less than a dollar, he said.

The store’s prices afford Costa Mesa residents the opportunity to

save that penny for their thoughts.