Issue 03
99¢ ONLY
By Bryan HowellPhotos By Carlos Batts
Illustration By Anthony Smyrski
Is it a psychological response to the number 99 that draws customers to the 99 Cents Only Stores? Or is it the mere comfort of knowing that none of the 6,000 items is out of even the narrowest price range? Whatever the reason may be, the single-price retailer’s appeal is undeniable. Since 1982, the 99 Cents Only Stores has served the southwestern United States, offering name-brand products at close-out prices, as well as those hard to find items that you just can’t live without-Monica Lewinsky masks, parka sleeves, and bamboo-flavored soda.
Started modestly in an old Mexican restaurant by college dropout and entrepreneur David Gold, the 99 Cents Only Stores have evolved into a lucrative chain with more than 220 locations. He came up with the concept while working in his father’s liquor store. Whenever he had slow-selling wine, Gold would experiment with prices to see what attracted customers. He noticed that the liquor marked at 99 cents would sell quicker than those marked 95 cents, 87 cents, or any other price. Gold discovered a price that triggered the customers’ subconscious - a magic number (okay, maybe not magic, but close).
Twenty years after opening, the store has impacted contemporary culture in ways Gold never imagined. The Rolling Stones used a 99 Cents Only store as a backdrop for one of their music videos, and German photographer Andreas Gursky’s 11-foot photograph of a 99 Cents Only candy aisle was displayed in New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
Despite the Stores’ newfound status as a cultural phenomenon, they have maintained their humble quirkiness. The business is still largely family-owned, and the stores operate with a “come as you are” mentality, rather than the “no shirt, no shoes, no service” attitude that consumers have come to expect. The company even does their own public relations, creating a tongue-in-cheek approach to their advertisements, including spots for bridal registry and Viagra™ water.
“The 99 Cents Only Stores have a very broad appeal. A large portion of our customers are working class, but one of the most profitable locations is in Beverly Hills, where you can often see Jaguars and BMWs in the parking lot,” said 99 Cents Only marketing director Albert Lee. Apparently, you can never be
too rich to appreciate a tempting price.