Dirt Cheap, the popular store known for their good prices and great finds, is closing after years of serving the community, leaving many shoppers wondering what they will do without it.
Dirt Cheap is a retail store that purchases items from big manufacturers, such as Target, and sells the items for a cheaper price. Dirt Cheap was originally founded in Hattiesburg. They have 62 stores in eight states across the south, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. The store recently had to file bankruptcy, leaving all of their stores discounting items and having closing sales to get rid of their merchandise before they officially close by the end of the year.
This sudden closure had affected not only the store owners, but passionate shoppers such as teacher academy instructor Holly Hulbert. Hulbert enjoys shopping at Dirt Cheap at least once a week and likes to shop for clothes, decor and anything else she needs at the time.
“It’s fun. It’s the thrill of the hunt,” Hulbert said.
She considers her greatest find a pair of Gucci tennis shoes. Hulbert does not know where she will shop after they close or what she will use as her pas time that would have normally been spent at Dirt Cheap. She loved the store and their items and was upset when she found out that they were closing.
“I’m in mourning at the moment,” Hulbert said.
Hulbert is not the only teacher who is an avid Dirt Cheap shopper though. Business teacher Tina McDoniel and Student Services CTE Coordinator Laney Christian also consider shopping at Dirt Cheap one of their favorite time fillers. Both McDoniel and Christian shop at Dirt Cheap at least once or twice a week. Christian and McDoniel said that they like to shop for household items.
“The best thing about Dirt Cheap is you don’t go in there looking, it tells you what you need,” Christian said.
“I would consider my best find probably patio furniture,” McDoniel said.
Christian considers her greatest find an inflatable water slide.
“I found one of those huge blow-up water slides when my kids were around 5-7 and I think I got it for around $100 and they were regular like $400-500. We used it for at least 4-5 summers in a row and had a good time,” Christian said.
When they found out about the closing, they were both devastated and text each other in a panic. They both plan to shop there a lot before they close and plan to use other companies such as Temu, Shein, Wish, thrift stores, and even Crate & Pallet as replacement stores for Dirt Cheap.
Many of our students also love to shop at Dirt Cheap. Freshman Joseph Lamerand shops there pretty often and was sad when he found out that they were closing. He likes to shop there often for anything he can find and considers his greatest find a bike he got for $30. Lamerand plans on shopping there a lot before they close if he has time and doesn’t know where he will shop when the store closes.
“ Nothing can replace Dirt Cheap,” Lamerand said.
Freshman Dayla Guin also enjoys shopping at Dirt Cheap, and visits the store five to six times a month. She plans to shop there at least once or twice again before their final closing. She enjoys shopping for makeup, hair care and clothes and considers her greatest find a bedspread she bought for $2. When she found out that the store was closing, she was mad and upset but is trying to stay hopeful that they may reopen one day. She plans to use Crate & Pallet as a replacement store for Dirt Cheap when they close.
“I’ll shop at Crate & Pallet when they close, because honestly I love Crate & Pallet and Crate & Pallet is Dirt Cheap on another level,” Guin said.
Another student that loves to shop at Dirt Cheap is Senior Lily Kate Hubbard. She shops at Dirt Cheap as often as twice a week and likes to shop for shoes and other things she may find at the time.
“ I shop for shoes, a lot of shoes, and just things you can get instead of clothes,” Hubbard said.
She considers her greatest find a cute pair of shoes that was originally priced at $200, but she was able to buy them for only $5. She was really sad when she found out that they were closing, and even cried a little.
“ I cried, like I’m not even kidding I cried,” Hubbard said.
Hubbard plans to shop at Goodwill when Dirt Cheap closes.
Dirt Cheap will be having multiple sales and even a final closing sale before they officially close down their stores before the end of this year.
