Rohnert Park has a “One Dollar” store with low priced merchandise, and now there’s competition for the buck with the approval of a “99 Cent” store. The city’s planning commission gave it a green light at their May 24 meeting.

It will be located in the former Beverly Arts & Crafts store between Burlington Coat Factory and the Target store on RP Expressway west of the freeway.

RP Planning and Building Manager Marilyn Ponton recommended commission approval of the new store’s site plan and architectural review.
99 Cent stores began back in 1982 with their first store in California.

About three-quarters of their 298 stores are in California, the rest are in Texas, Arizona and Nevada. All of the 99 Cent stores are open seven days a week between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Ken McCracken, spokesman for PM Design Group Architects of Vancouver, Wash., told the planning commission about half of the 16,000 sq. ft. of the store will be a deli, produce section and space for refrigerated foods.