Chicago dollar stores face new restrictions after city council approves small box retail ordinance
Alderman says parent company of Dollar Tree, Dollar General and Family Dollar have racked up thousands of code violations
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago's dollar stores are facing new restrictions after a surge in health and building code violations and following a city council vote Wednesday.
There are 149 dollar stores in Chicago, mostly in minority, low income neighborhoods. Nineteenth Ward Ald. Matt O'Shea said in the past six years, the company that owns Dollar Tree, Dollar General and Family Dollar has racked more than 3,000 city code violations. They include violations for expired medication and baby formula.
"The stores in the same six year period received more than $600,000 in fines from Chicago. Let me repeat that: $600,000 in fines," O'Shea said.
Months ago, O'Shea introduced the Small Box Retailer Ordinance, which prohibits new stores from opening within a mile of each other and requires each store to post a placard outside of their buildings with contact information for customers to make complaints.
"Come into a store where there is trash everywhere," said 20th Ward Ald. Jeanette Taylor. "A gentleman got killed in a dollar store around the street from my house, they opened the next day."
READ MORE: Family Dollar recalls affect over 430 products
The Chicago City Council overwhelmingly approved the ordinance. It took months to pass because the measure received pushback from business groups and some aldermen.
"I'm against it because i think it sends the wrong message and we are trying to get and attract investment," said 36th Ward Ald. Gil Villegas.
Villegas is concerned the ordinance, combine with other recently passed legislation, is a recipe to drive businesses away.
MORE COVERAGE: 2 injured after vehicle crashes into suburban Dollar Tree
Mayor Brandon Johnson denies his administration is anti-business
"We are not anti-business, we have one of the fastest growing economies in the entire country,"
ABC7 reached out to the dollar stores' parent company for comment on the vote, but have not yet heard back. Some aldermen say after the ordinance was introduced in October 2023, the company started cleaning up some of their stores.
