Dollar Tree was established in 1986 and is now one of the most popular and well-known retail companies in the United States. Although you might now know Dollar Tree as a fully functioning and affordable store that you visit every so often for your shopping needs, it wasn’t always the store that we know it today.
Dollar Tree has become an iconic store today and is incredibly popular, but it has a story that begins differently than what you might assume. Without the famous logo that represents it, we wouldn’t be as familiar with Dollar Tree as we are today or associate the green and black logo with the company.
With now, over 15 thousand variety stores across North America and offering a range of products at low prices, this store has made its mark through smart branding and a strong visual identity. This visual identity has been seen around the globe and became a strong and iconic part of the store. There’s no doubt that you’re already familiar with this logo, but what you may not know as much is the history behind this symbol.
Let’s take a look at the history of Dollar Tree its logo, and everything else of interest, then continue to read on and explore interesting facts about Dollar Tree that you won’t want to miss!
The Complete History Of The Dollar Tree Logo
1986 – 1991: The First Logo Concept
When we take a look at this first concept, we can’t even truly call it a logo to start with. When the company first started and launched its first logo concept in 1986 it looked drastically different than what we’re familiar with today. You might think that an image of a tree would be fitting for a store called Dollar Tree, but we have to remember that Dollar Tree was originally known as “Only $1” and the first logo concept showed a neon banner and the store name.
The color choices were a combination of pink and green used for the logo, with the first word of the name in pink and the second in green. The one aspect of the logo that stands out and makes the logo symbol is the arrows that are shown between the letters. The letters point towards ‘$1.00’ and are shown in pink. This first logo is different than the logo that we’re familiar with today and although it was a unique start, it was still a strong beginning for the company.
1991 – 2006: The Tree Is Introduced
Five years after the first logo was introduced the company was renamed and along with it came a new logo. This wasn’t simply a new logo for the parent company, it was a complete rebranding where nearly all aspects of the company were changed. This time the company opted to go in a different direction with their logo choice, instead choosing to incorporate what we now know as the iconic tree. This logo was completely revamped from the previous logo, this time putting a play on the company name as well.
This logo consists of a tree trunk made of the number 1 symbol and above it is shown green leaves made of folded dollar bills. While the trunk was black it stood out in comparison to the bright and dark green colors shown above. Below the logo the company name was shown in black as well, the inscription was below the logo symbol and was shown in a unique font that gave it character. Every detail was vivid and was a bright part of the company that gave it a new and expressive character.
2006 – Present: The Logo Today
The second version stayed with the company for over a decade before it changed to the logo that’s currently used for the company today. When we break down this redesign we can see that the main part of the logo that was changed was the text below the design. Before the text had been smaller than the design with the letters defined and centered below the design. In the new design, the creators focused on mainly changing the company name to make it bolder and make it stand out on the logo.
This logo shows the company name in larger letters, making the symbol the smaller part of the design and giving the name more attention. Instead of using the previous logotype, they opted to use a new typeface that was bolder and stronger. Now the letters look confident and instead of the color being black, now the letters are shown in the same dark green that’s used for part of the symbol. This not only makes the logo bolder and represents it well, but it also builds the reputation of the company and gives it a fresh representation.
This logo was created in 2006 and since then hasn’t changed even in the slightest. The logo has become a symbolic part of the company and is now what’s associated with the Dollar Tree Store. Whenever we see the green, black and white logo we instantly know that along with it comes the iconic retail store with locations around the country. It may have taken a few designs, but the Dollar Store eventually found the perfect logo for them and one that represents their company well. Without this logo, we know that the company wouldn’t be what it is today and wouldn’t be as popular as we know it.
The History Of The Dollar Tree Store
This article certainly wouldn’t be complete without diving into the history of the iconic brand and how it came around. As we all know, brands this well known and established always tend to have a strong history behind them. We now see Dollar Trees everywhere; regardless of the location that you’re in it seems that you’re always able to find the retail store. Dollar Trees originally descended from five and dime variety stores which were popular in the 19th century and have become an iconic part of our country and a staple in society.
Dollar Trees are a part of American culture that has managed to become a store where anyone can seem to find anything they need for affordable prices. Granted, it might not always be the best quality that you’ll find, but there are not many other places where you can find both food and cleaning products for just a dollar, right? Depending on what you buy, they also carry products that are fairly high in quality and after all, you do get what you pay for. When it comes to the history of the Dollar Store, the store has changed greatly throughout the years since it was first founded.
When we first start taking a look at the history of the store and how it started compared to where it’s at today, it begins with knowing about a tiny franchise that started it all. This franchise was a Ben Franklin variety store that focused on selling arts and crafts that were budget-friendly for customers. This store was originally opened and owned by K.R Perry in 1953, who ran it successfully before deciding to break away from the store and reopen it, this time naming it K&K 5&10.
This first store was the start of Dollar Tree and truly just the beginning of what would become a famous and well-known chain that’s now incredibly popular. Nearly two decades passed before Perry decided that he wanted to open a sister store in 1970 with his son, Doug. This store was named K&K Toys and this store started to grow rapidly after its first opening. It was so successful that Doug decided it would be smart to continue opening up more stores centered around the same five and dime model.
The next store that he opened carried items that could all be bought for the price of a dollar and, fittingly, was called “Only $1.00”. This was the start of a smart business and price point strategy that would become an iconic strategy in the future. When K&K Toys was sold in the 1990s Doug decided that he would expand ‘Only $1.00’ with the money he made from selling his company. As it expanded the company did well and with the help of his business partner, Doug grew the business well and it was hugely successful within the first few years.
Shortly after, the store was rebranded and it was renamed “Dollar Tree” in 1993. It’s nearly three decades later and the store is widely successful with an estimated 15,115 stores across Canada and the U.S. and is incredibly popular with all audiences. Today Dollar Tree is still going strong and chances are that all our readers have not only heard of them before but set foot into a Dollar Store for no other reason than to see if it’s true that you really can purchase a steak in the freezer section for a mere dollar.
Summing It Up
When we first think about Dollar Tree our first thought is often the iconic green logo that’s displayed above the doors and makes the store easily recognizable to customers. This logo has become an iconic part of communities and is what makes the company symbolic and well-known throughout the country. When we think about this logo, it’s important to acknowledge that it has a history and that it didn’t always start as the legendary symbol that we’re familiar with now.
As with most logos, the Dollar Tree logo had to go through quite a bit of trial and error before finding a logo that perfectly fit the company. Above we took a deep dive into the history of the Dollar Tree logo from the first concept in 1986 to where it’s at today and how it’s grown. The logo has changed quite a bit since the first design until it’s changed into the logo that we’re so familiar with today with the green and black. The logo that we see today has been with the company since 2006 and we don’t see it changing in the future.
Along with the history of the company’s iconic logo, we also took a look at the history of the company itself. Although we might now know Dollar Tree as a large and popular store that offers a variety of budget-friendly merchandise for customers. Dollar Tree has a history that started with a Benjamin Franklin variety store that eventually grew into the large chain store that we know today. From small beginnings to massive success today we’ve seen this company grow greatly.
Today Dollar Tree is now headquartered in Chesapeake, VA, and operates thousands of stores in North America. Next time that you make your way to the Dollar Store whether it’s to stock up on toilet paper or to check out the frozen food section, make sure that you remember the strong history of both the logo and the company itself.