A longtime Tucson antiques shop is downsizing and chain store is moving in

A local antiques store that has operated in Tucson for more than 20 years is downsizing its footprint, creating room for a Dollar Tree store.

Annabell’s Attic, in the Monterey Village on Speedway and Wilmot Road, will occupy the east half of its existing space after the remodel, said Matt Gillette, who along with his wife, Sherri, owns the store.

“We feel extremely fortunate in these times that we have a retail location here that is open and thriving,” he said. “But we’ve been looking to downsize for a while.”

The shop currently occupies about 20,000 square feet in the shopping center, which is also home to Beyond Bread, Bookmans East Entertainment Exchange and Philly’s Finest, among other retailers.

Annabell’s inventory includes furniture, crystal, dishware, lamps and artwork.

“Everything you find in a home,” Gillette said. “We get 20 emails a day from people who need to sell one item or a whole household so we don’t have to look very hard for merchandise.”

They also have over 60 feet of jewelry on display.

“We don’t do consignment, we buy everything outright,” he said. “Mostly customers come to us.”

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Expansion frenzy

The vacated side of the existing store will be occupied by Dollar Tree.

The national chain store has been on an expansion frenzy with plans to open 600 locations in 2021 and renovate more than 1,200 stores.

Sales topped $6.4 billion in the first quarter of this year, up for $6.2 billion in 2020.

The company also operates Family Dollar stores and is looking to add self-checkout kiosks in new locations.

To entice workers, Dollar Tree has been offering sign-on bonuses to employees.

It is expected to open in Monterey Village after the remodel, which is expected to be completed later this year.