The variety store Five Below is a popular destination for kids and their parents that sells backpacks, school supplies, toys, and even body boards and pool toys. It also sells candy and soda. Normally, everything in the store costs $5 or less but sometimes this store also stocks products such as keyboards and robotic vacuum cleaners at higher price points. Here are some other stores like Five Below that also stock a variety of products for low prices.
Big Lots
This big-box discount retailer finds merchandise that manufacturers need to sell and passes on the savings to its customers. Like other off-price and closeout stores, its stock may depend on the deals its buyers found. Five Below’s product selection seems more curated towards products that children would like, although Big Lots also sells toys, candy, and games for low prices. Big Lots also sells more groceries than other variety stores.
Unlike other variety stores, this store also sells some pricier items such as sofas, so you can go there for large discounts on items that still cost a lot more than $5.
Dollar General
The variety store Dollar General also stocks groceries and household supplies in addition to candy and toys. You can now buy fresh produce there as well. This is important because Dollar General has many stores in rural towns that are too small to support other big-box stores, including Five Below. While Five Below stores are popular discount stores in urban and suburban areas, I haven’t seen any of them in small towns.
There are a few small towns in my area with Dollar General stores that are located near national forests, so if you’re planning to go on an outdoor adventure you could visit these stores to pick up some supplies. These towns might not have enough residents for Five Below to set up shop there.
Walmart
You can also buy many products that Five Below sells such as candy, art supplies, backpacks, and headphones at Walmart. This big-box retailer could also be considered a large variety store. Unlike Five Below and the dollar stores, though, Walmart doesn’t have a fixed price point for its merchandise and you can also buy pricier products there such as flatscreen TVs and smartphones.
If you’re planning to buy some products that normally cost a lot more than $5 but still want to conserve your budget, you might want to visit Walmart.
Hallmark
Best known for its greeting cards, Hallmark also has Gold Crown stores that sell holiday decorations such as Christmas tree ornaments as well as stationery and other paper products. You can also buy gift wrap for Christmas presents at Hallmark stores. Of course, these stores also stock many more greeting cards than other types of retail stores. You can buy cards that celebrate life events like marriage and graduation as well as cards for holidays like Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day at this store. Hallmark’s Gold Crown stores are also franchised, so they’re more like independent small businesses than corporate-owned stores.
Both Five Below and Hallmark sell inexpensive holiday decorations but if you want greeting cards it’s likely that Hallmark will have the best selection of them. Hallmark also carries more Christmas merchandise than many other retailers, so you can go there to get a sculpture to hang on your tree.
Target
You can also buy lots of back-to-school supplies such as backpacks, stationery, and clothing at Target. Like other big-box retailers, Target can also serve as a grocery store. The noteworthy thing about this store is that it tries to provide a more premium experience than other discount stores so it provides additional amenities such as its in-store Starbucks cafes. And Target also sells expensive items like TV sets and doesn’t use a fixed price point for its products either.
The choice between Target and Five Below may depend on your budget because many of Target’s products cost more than $5. These products include clothing and appliances as well as big-ticket items such as TV sets.
Dollar Tree
The deep discounter Dollar Tree is more like a traditional dollar store and it still tries to keep its price points close to a dollar. Like Five Below, it sells snacks, holiday decorations, and toys. Its stores now have frozen food sections as well so you can buy prepared meals there in addition to dollar store basics like cans of soup and cups of fried noodles. Dollar Tree also sells household goods like paper towels, paper plates, and trash bags.
While Five Below has a higher price point than Dollar Tree, I’d also say that it’s more focused on stocking products that provide entertainment while Dollar Tree is more focused on providing basic essentials for low prices.