With the cost of living soaring, Ron Robinson is determined to save wherever he can starting with his grocery bill. It's why the Montreal man shops at Liquidation Marie, an ultra discount grocery chain where prices can be as much as 50 per cent less than a regular grocery store. He recalls purchasing steaks for about six dollars each. "If you go to a big box store, you're going to pay maybe $20, $25 for a pack of three," Robinson told Cost of Living.
Retailers such as Dollar General and Nordstrom Rack plan major store expansions in the US in 2026. Store openings are outpacing closures so far, with nearly 300 closures announced for 2026. From Uniqlo to L.L. Bean, see what retailers have said about plans to open new stores next year.
Dollar General reported Q3 earnings of $1.28 per share against estimates of $0.94, a $0.34 surprise marking its fourth consecutive quarterly beat. Revenue of $10.65 billion edged past the $10.60 billion consensus despite 4.6% year-over-year growth. Gross margin climbed 110 basis points to 29.9% from higher inventory markups and lower shrink. Operating income jumped 31.5% to $425.9 million. CEO Todd Vasos announced 4,885 real estate projects planned for fiscal 2026. Same-store sales rose 2.5%, driven by pricing power and a shift toward higher-margin categories.
Something unusual is happening at Dollar Tree: The discount retailer said this week that of the 3 million new households that shopped its stores in the third quarter, approximately 60% of those new customers came from households earning more than $100,000 a year. The trend underscores a deepening split in the American economy. While cumulative inflation has pushed prices up roughly 25% since 2020, wage growth has not kept pace for most households, leaving consumers across the income spectrum hunting for deals.
