Ron

This is probably a silly question but...<BR>Does Paris have anything like the omnipresent DOLLAR stores in the U.S.??<BR>You know - "Nothing in this store is priced over 1 Euro" - or some such thing.<BR>If so, what are they called, and where are they? Thanks. Ron

Julie

You should check out the Tati stores in Paris for cheap items. They're not exactly dollar stores but have very low prices.

Sue

The thought of dollar stores springing up all over Paris is appalling.

Lorna

When I was in Paris last month, we came across a store that was kind of like a dollar store in its odd assortment of inexpensive items (everything from soap to crayons to CD's and tacky home decorations -- you get the picture). There was not the set "all things are a dollar" price, but everything was quite cheap.<BR><BR>I'm not certain of its exact address, but I am sure that it was on the east side of Rue de Rivoli near Les Halles. It was a long, narrow shop with many wares displayed on the sidewalk.

Rita

Ron: Look for the Monoplex stores. I think that's how it is spelled. Not a dollar store but prices are reasonable.

xxx

<BR>Rita is right about the reasonable prices, but the stores are called Monoprix. Don't know of any "Euro"-type stores in Paris. Whether or not they'd appeal to enough Parisians to be successful, I don't know.

jjj

Yes Monoprix is the discount store of choice in france, It is comparable in prices & quality to Shopko, in other words don't buy the cloths if you want them to last more than a month.<BR><BR>One word of warning, the lines (expecially for the grocery sections) are VERY LONG, go at odd hours and avoid morning (pre-work), noon hour (11-3) and evening (after work) times.

Christina

I don't know what Shopko is, but Monoprix (or Inno or Prisunic) are discount general stores, sort of like Target, Walmart, Kmart, etc. They are not anything like those dollar stores in the US that I've only seen in the worst urban areas and just sell absolute junk (they aren't omnipresent in the US around where I live, either, on the East Coast, because I've only seen a few of them in urban immigrant/very low income areas). Everything they sell is pretty much made in poor foreign countries anyway, so why go to Paris to buy that kind of junk when it's not made in the local country, anyway? <BR><BR>Monoprix is a million times better quality than those dollar junk stores. I've bought some tops or sweaters there that are acceptable quality, cotton knit or even merino wool, just as good as you'll get in many US mid-level dept. stores. Tati is worse quality than Monoprix from what I've seen, but I don't think they have a wide variety of things, mainly clothes. But, if you want cheap junk, just buy it at home, because it isn't American when sold here and won't be French there. It sounds like Lorna found the best facsimile, though.

Ron

Just wanted to quickly respond to those who don't understand why I asked the Paris Dollar Store question - and indeed seemed disparaging of the query. 1. Yup they sell a lot of junk that costs only a dollar. Often stuff that costs $15.00 and more other places. 2. They carry loads of convenience items that would be useful during a long stay abroad: cleaning products (both personal and household); storage products (like tupperware); flash lights; Swiss Army type knives; dishes; etc. etc. and etc.<BR>3. I've used them in New York, and have been grateful to find them. 4. And here in Pennsylvania's Amish country there are at least five within 15 miles, and they are eagerly shopped by knowing travelers looking for just the sort of thing you already have at home... and don't want to pay too much for when you're away. Do I have to explain further?<BR>

jjj

If you are looking for stuff like, soap, shampoo, etc the best place I found in Nice was Schledekers (sp?), the stuff they carried reminded me of walgreens without the drugs, they were everywhere and, although not $1, their prices were well below mall and other store prices, and they carried name brands such as panteen, dial, etc.<BR><BR>I bet you can find something similar in Paris if you keep your eyes open. I bought paper plates, plastic forks, and cheap glass wine glasses there so we could snack in our room or have a picnic, also I got a 1.5 liter bottle of evian for 57 cents, the big grocery stores were charging $1.20 and at a restraunt anywhere from $3-$7.<BR><BR>Good Luck.

judy_two_shoes

Just so you know, Monoprix is not exactly a cheap store, it is one of the most expensive you can find. I've alway lived in paris and I don't know the existence of such store. sorry.

Gretchen

I love Monoprix--cute things to pick up for children and good food sections. As for soap, etc., there is always just the local supermarket--Franprix or such.

FrenchMystiqueTours

This info might have been very helpful.....10 years ago when the OP was looking for it.

dfourh

There's at least a couple of these, according to Google:

Tout à 1 euro:

http://www.yelp.fr/biz/tout-%C3%A0-1-euro-paris-2

Ackislander

I saw several similar kinds of places in the area between the Marche des Enfants Rouges and Republique and something not unlike it near the St Paul Metro on the left side as you go toward Bastille.

I would be very surprised if there weren't a lot of places like this up beyond Belleville and possibly near Place d'Itallie.

I saw and photographed exactly such a store ("Euro") store in Florence in September, just behind San Lorenzo. So it is just finding them.

kerouac

The OP may have perished from old age in the ensuing years.

dfourh

>>>>The OP may have perished from old age in the ensuing years.

Or, now that they have Dollar stores to look forward to, they will finally take that trip of a lifetime.

janisj

I can see it now . . . Judy_two_shoes is sitting in her lovely Paris flat Thursday afternoon and thinks to herself "<i>Self, how about googling 'Dollar Stores in Paris? Yeah that'll be fun!</i>"

And --she does, finds this 10 year old thread and registers to post that she doesn't know of any . . .

FrenchMystiqueTours

^^Excellent musings janisj.

djkbooks

Has anyone else noticed that everything is overpriced at Dollar Stores?