Just A Dollar

I’ve been shopping at this store since they opened back in 1991. A five star place in the middle of downtown, where I paid almost half in comparison to big chain stores. For ½ of the items the price is $ 1.19 and the other ½ is convenience store and general merchandise where prices are really competitive. Very friendly staff. Mr. Roger and Deborah have been there since day 1. Great, fun place to shop.

Yup, a handful of the patrons in this store at any given time of the day are more than a little bit sketchy, but there are deals to be had there if you can live with that.

This place needs to be shut down. It attracts the seediest people and creates an extremely unsafe environment in the middle of downtown. I park right next to this store (not by choice) and I encounter people that make me feel very threatened daily. The store sells alcohol (cheap) and I think that ‘s why all of these seedy vagrants linger around this corner. It seems like someone is being arrested outside this store every week so at least the cops have some presence here. I do not recommend shopping here unless you’re prepared to be accosted.

Stopped in before the ballet to stock up on some candy. Not bad, definitely helpful to have and much cheaper than concessions at Wortham… =)

I’ve been cruising Dollar Trees to hoard incandescent light bulbs lately so this «Just a Dollar» store caught my eye. Sitting at a window in Bombay Pizza for a late lunch, my friend and I watched heavy customer traffic in and out of «Just a Dollar» the whole time so hopes grew that it would be a neat store filled with bargains.
The store should rename itself to «Just a Dollar Nineteen» to be more accurate. Many items were $ 1.19 and there were many more that cost even more. Overall the prices looked cheap (though quality may be dubious and brands unknown). Things that caught my eye were boxes of snacks for $ 1.19, greeting cards for various occasions at two for $ 1.19 or $ 0.69 each, a large-​letter keyboard for $ 1.19, and dresses for $ 7.99 each.
«Just a Dollar» is like a mini general store in a touristy area of downtown Houston. It’s on the intersection of Walker and Main streets, across from the wonderful Bombay Pizza. I wouldn’t visit again for fun – only if items were needed. Perhaps one needs to browse it longer to see why there’s such heavy customer traffic.

If you’ve ever eaten across the street at the renowned Bombay Pizza Company on Main Street in Downtown, then you’ve probably seen this place before. Before I came here, I assumed it was probably the smelliest, dirtiest, most dangerous convenient store in the entire area, but I was actually really wrong. I like this place.
This place is pretty much your standard convenient store fare up front, but it’s also a pretty awesome dollar store that is open 24 hours a day! Everything here is cheap as dirt (seriously at the register they do just count the number of items and multiply it by $ 1.19). Its amazingly convenient to be able to stroll in and buy the most random things like an RCA cord for my stereo system, super glue, kids coloring books, plates, shampoo, screwdrivers, etc. When you’re in Downtown needing something like this, especially in the late night, it can be a lifesaver.
The merchandise is kept clean and arranged orderly. This isn’t just a one-​man operation. This store actually has several dedicated employees that keep the stock neat and clean. I smell no odd odors here.
As interesting as the merchandise, the music that is played in here seems to be really random. The first time I came in, I was hearing some traditional Indian music, while the second time it appeared to be a Best of George Michael compilation CD.
The customers that frequent here are of the mixed variety. You’ll find a mix of the unusual, the tourist, and yes, the homeless. However, I don’t really feel unsafe here, because the police are usually on-​hand right at the front of the store. Also, the employees here are used to dealing with anyone trying to cause a problem, and they’re fearless.

Oh wow — how do you review such a place? Based on merchandise, service, environment, experience? hmm.
Well — it is called ‘Just a Dollar’ for a reason. The service is not great, the majority of the selection is not ‘just a dollar’ and the clientele is umm…‘questionable’. I found myself actually feeling that I wanted to feel my money in my pocket versus pulling out any bills to avoid being panhandled in the actual store.
All of this being said, the store was what you should expect from something with such a name. Don’t expect anything chi-​chi-​la-​la or even Wal-​Mart — expect something much more dramatic — maybe a Pakistani food market in the middle downtown or something similar. I think the person behind me was on the phone with her pimp –literally. A buck is a buck — and this a ‘just a dollar — holla !!!
All are welcome — white collar, blue collar and no collar — just be prepared and stay to the front of the store. Oh and don’t expect any type of service — it is on the ‘just a dollar’ scale also — nonexistent, but oh well –

We needed some «stuff» that we ran out of at our Superbowl Party.
We made a run to Just A Dollar. It’s a little tough around there at
night, but they have a wide selection of just about anything the
old 7/11’s had, plus the junk of a dollar store. A good place to have
in a semi-​shut-​down-​downtown-​Houston. Few places are willing to be
open at night downtown — and for that they get kudos!

Okay, I went to this place because I saw it in Unilocal… I guess that is a good advertisement for Unilocal… however, one visit was enough… unless you like the combination of lousy convenience store with cheesy dollar store.
So, been there, Unilocaled, no need to return.

This place is truly amazing.
Sure the place smells like old beer battered and fried shoes… Sure the place has a big sign that says «JUST A DOLLAR» with tiny little letters next to it saying «19cents»… Sure the clientele isn’t the same you would find in William Sonoma.
But what this place does offer is just about everything you could think of that would be in the aforementioned price range.
I went to Lowe’s to get paint for my apartment walls, and they didn’t give me a paint stirrer. So what did I do? I got 3 rulers for $ 1.19 at Just a Dollar (+$ 0.19). One of the patrons gave me the idea, and for that I was very grateful.
It is the kind of place that is bound to disappear once more people move downtown and it will be replaced by some soulless Starbucks or Aveda Salon. Until then I am happy to have one of these close by.

This place has everything for $ 1.19, which technically makes it «Just a Dollar and nineteen cents», which doesn’t have the same ring to it. On a typical visit you can buy cleaning products, party goods, losing lottery tickets (sigh), a wrench, fried chicken (if you have a death wish), and be propositioned by a one-​legged, one-​eyed homeless guy. Pity they don’t sell body parts too. The clientele are occasionally hygiene challenged and several of them have the whole Tourettes thing going on, but what do you expect for $ 1.19 smack in the middle of downtown?