La Verne’s Early Risers Sweep up Big Bargains

April 2, 2009
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99 Cent only Stores in La Verne should help residents snip their shopping bills.

99 Cent only Stores in La Verne should help residents snip their shopping bills.

The new 99₵ only Stores that opened here today at 8 a.m. on the corner of Foothill and Wheeler is literally putting La Verne on the map.

Before the doors swung open, an orderly but festive crowd of about 300 people patiently waited in line, included the first nine who were each able to purchase a 4 GB iPod Nano for 99₵.

The second person in line was Denise Rowe, whose odyssey to La Verne began Tuesday, March 31 and covered four different freeways. She heard about the opening and iPod Nano promotion in the Los Angeles Times.

“I had never even heard of La Verne until I saw the ad in the paper,” Denise said, clutching her new Nano.  “So, I googled the address, found out it was about an hour’s drive, and told my husband I better get going.

“I just piled everything together and loaded it in the car, it was just like I was going on a camping trip to Big Sur or something. I brought four comforters and coolers of food. I came fully prepared.”

She wasn’t prepared, however, to meet Marshall Fong, the first person in line, who also arrived on March 31, two days before the opening.  Fong, who lives in Chinatown, about a half mile from Dodger Stadium, came via a two-hour bus ride. Once here, he said he read and slept a lot.

Denise made her trip from Gardena to La Verne pay off when she purchased a Nano iPod for 99 cents.

Denise made her trip from Gardena to La Verne pay off when she purchased a Nano iPod for 99 cents.

But Jong was wide awake when he accepted his new iPod (after paying 99₵) and posed for pictures.

Deeper in the long line stood Albert Spicer holding a voucher for a Razor-type metal scooter for 99₵. “I’m here for my kids,” Spicer said, a frequent customer of the discount store. “I normally buy avocadoes here and cleaning products. You can’t beat it.”

While the bargain hunters were out in full force, so were Mayor Don Kendrick and Council Members Robin Carder, Steve Johnson, Donna Nasmyth and Robert Rodriguez showing their full support and bearing good wishes from the city, as were Chamber President and CEO Brian McNerney who shared ribbon-cutting duties with 99₵ Only Stores officials. A deejay cued up his playlist, the Damien band struck up a song, the local chamber delivered perfect weather and the cashiers checked their drawers to the last penny. It was 8 a.m., and it was time to shop.

Over the concrete floor and under the open warehouse-style ceiling, shoppers swept in to scoop up “Best of Friends” DVD collections, iPod cases, hand sanitizer, liquid soap, toothpaste, deodorant, aspirin tablets, men’s ties, Jordache fragrances, Reynolds Wrap and produce, all for 99₵ or less.

“A lot of people don’t realize we carry produce, deli, diary, eggs and other fresh items,” said Derick Quintana, a regional human resources manager for the company.

No classy affair is complete without a performance by members of the Damien band.

No classy affair is complete without a performance by members of the Damien band.

As for the staff working the busy registers, Quintana added than many of the new hires hail from La Verne. He said the company interviewed about 100 candidates and selected about 40 through a three-interview process.

 While 99₵ only Stores officials weren’t about to divulge all their secrets on how they keep prices low, Public Relations Manager Elsy Guardo said the company has great relationships with its vendors, aided by the fact that the 99₵ only Stores have a great reputation for paying on time, a not-so-trivial detail in this credit-challenged economy.

After her three-day visit to La Verne and quick spin around the store, Rowe was preparing to return to Gardena and her husband. Besides the new iPod she was holding, she walking out with a 99₵ package of mini-footballs.

“I have a cat, who’s only four-months’ old,” Rowe explained. “I’m going to fill them with pennies so that my cat can bat them around. I had my eyes on those for three days.”

Bargains galore brought out La Verne shoppers in a line that extended to Foothill and Wheeler.

Bargains galore brought out La Verne shoppers in a line that extended to Foothill and Wheeler.

99₵ only Stores is located at 1504 Foothill Blvd on the southeast corner of Wheeler Ave. Normal store hours are from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. “9 days a week.” From April 3 through April 11 the store will be open until 10 p.m. Easter hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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