Dollar Castle

Where do you go when you need cheap acrylic paint, measuring cups, cleaning supplies, and perhaps an odd dog statue? Dollar stores! But, Dollar Castle even has clothes? And matress covers?
Okay basically this is a legit old school dollar store where time stood still and you can actually get decent items for a buck.
.or.
.50 cents apparently because they are having a half off sale and there is a For Lease sign in the front. That is right folks, signs point to Dollar Castle closing down so say your goodbyes while you still can! =[

Something about Dollar Store screams anti-​commercial, quirky small business. Get those soulless box stores illuminated by flashing fluorescent lighting and mottled white linoleum tiles away from me. I’ll take Dollar Castle any day. It resonates with the feel of the old five and dimes, or at least what my romantic notions were, since they essentially disappeared long before I was born. Interesting items and oddities leap off the shelves between practical objects like garbage bags and staples for any dollar-​topia, like greeting cards and scented candles.
Dollar Castle is a place to rummage for a bit while on your errands. Tidy aisles cut through one of the larger buildings in Ferndale’s downtown core, and the place never feels cramped, dated, or dirty. Sections cover the main bases I’ve come to expect: household goods, cleaning supplies, party favours, kid’s toys that are all but meant to be swallowed, seasonal, and a boatload of items I never quite knew existed anymore. Paper plate hat anyone? You can do that. Rainbow coloured skipping rope with tassels? Sure, it’s here. One of the more thorough collections of Faygo outside of a proper grocery store also hangs out just beyond the registers.
Living up to its kingdom motto of «a dollar for all» or «liberty and life under a buck», don’t expect to scrounge up anything in here more than $ 5 unless it happens to be postage. I don’t make a habit of shopping in dollar stores all that often since I graduated from my high school days working in boutique dollar store retail, but this place gives me room to breathe and explore instead of feeling hideously cramped. It’s a nirvana for writing supplies — a notebook, index cards, and sticky notes are just $ 3.42 away, which is great given how often these items get jacked up to ridiculous rates at Office MaxDepot and Targ-​Meimart.
A post office counter also lurks in the back of the store, and I make use of it more than I do the Ferndale Post Office branch. Maybe that’s why it is closing due to underuse? The post office counter in here is well-​stocked with stamps, a parcel scale, and regular pickup. Now you can buy your greeting cards, your stamps, and a dopey gift all in one place. What more could you ask for?