The chain began with a single store in 1998, founded by Russ and Sherry Meszaros.
[1] The chain expanded quickly in the early 2000s, and by 2003 it had grown to 140 stores in Canada and 23 in the United States.
[2] The chain's expansion was fueled by a combination of a low franchise fee ($15,000 CAD), and a wide selection of products, including those above $1, which the company claims is part of what makes it a "higher-end concept".
[3] The chain is now considered the largest franchised dollar store in Canada.
[4] This Canadian retail business article is a stub.