Franklin Ave Family Dollar Gets a Facelift

The Family Dollar store located at 308 Franklin Avenue between Clifton Place and Lafayette Avenue just got a facelift… and an attitude adjustment: It has undergone a full renovation, a change in management, and it is preparing this week for its grand re-opening.

The store, one of nine Family Dollar stores located in Bedford-Stuyvesant, was a much needed and welcome addition to the growing list of businesses along Franklin Avenue when it first opened in 2005.

But in recent years, enthusiasm soured, as the store earned a growing reputation for scantily stocked shelves, disorderly aisles, slow service, absent floor help and cashiers that carry on loud conversations with each other across the aisle while tending to customers.

Walk into the store today, and the difference immediately is noticeable: The cash registers now sit adjacent to the outside windows on each side of the doors, and the shelves are arranged in a way that feel more natural, inviting, even.

“Now it’s better than before,” said Saif Rahman, a floor manager. “We’ve hired all new staff. We’re trying to do our best with customer service, make sure the store is neat and clean. And there is a lot more product.”

Noticeably, the store has increased its household appliances, including shoe racks, shelving, mops and cooking utensils. The store also has expanded its food section, adding three refrigerators to accommodate more frozen foods, meats, produce and ice cream.

Customers also have noted the big change.

“You used to come in and the shelves would be empty, and they didn’t know when deliveries were coming,” said Linda Richards. “It’s a big improvement. I noticed that the staff is more polite, more friendly, more outgoing. I wish them good luck.”

Charles Bronson, 32, agrees: “It’s way better than the past few months— especially how they’ve set everything up. It’s easier to move through here. And you have less complications with the cashier on this side and one on the other side.”

“It’s better for me,” said Lee Wiley. “Before, they had product in big containers. Now you can see everything, see the prices. It’s much, much better. Even the food on that side; they didn’t have all that food before. I’ll be here all the time.”