Residents line up for 99 Cent grand opening

As a longtime resident of the Maricopa area, Dorothy Aragon knows just how significant the opening of a major discount store is for the community.

“This is big time for Maricopa,” she said.

Aragon was one of nearly 400 people who showed up Thursday morning to the grand opening celebration of the 99 Cent Only Stores off John Wayne Parkway and Edison Road.

With temperatures dipping below 60 degrees, residents came dressed in sweatshirts and coats. The long line of customers waiting for the 8 a.m. opening began at the storefront and snaked its way into the parking lot. Some shoppers had to park their vehicles along Edison Road.

Many came for the 99 cent deals on special items. The first nine customers received flat-screen TVs for 99 cents. The next 99 customers were promised Just Start scooters, also for 99 cents.

Aragon said she stopped by the store Wednesday evening to see if she could be one of the lucky nine. That’s when she discovered some dedicated shoppers had been camped out since last weekend.

“I wasn’t that crazy,” she said.

Yolonda Delemos, a Maricopa resident for about a year and a half, arrived around 6:30 a.m. Like others in the community, Delemos said she had been waiting a long time for this day.

“I don’t have to go to Casa Grande anymore,” she said.

Delemos said she expects the “much needed” store to have an impact on other grocery centers in the area – Fry’s, Bashas’ and Walmart.
While not as large as those shops, the 11,600-square-foot store isn’t your typical discount retailer.

“We’re a lot bigger than most,” said District Manager Manuel Bscheid.

Bscheid estimated about 98 percent of the store’s items are marked down as 99 cents. Certain items such as a gallon of milk and a quart of motor oil are more expensive because of the product and quantity.

The store sells fresh produce, school supplies, party supplies, tools, pet products and more. There’s a seasonal aisle where residents can now pick up Halloween candy and decorations.

Bscheid said the aim of the store is to make it a “one-stop shop” with low prices.

“We really do offer value to our customers,” he said.