Dollarama
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Founder | Larry Rossy |
| Headquarters | Mount Royal, Quebec , Canada |
Area served | Canada |
| Products | Discount retail merchandise priced up to CA$5.00 |
| Website | www |
Dollarama Inc. is a prominent Canadian dollar store retail brand based in Mount Royal, Quebec. Since 2009, it has held the position as Canada's leading retailer for merchandise priced at five dollars or less. The company operates more than 1,550 outlets across the country, with the largest number located in Ontario.
Rossy S Inc.
The concept of an all-dollar store originated in Montreal in 1910, founded by Lebanese immigrant Salim Rossy. Leadership passed to his son George from 1937 until 1973, after which his grandson Larry Rossy took charge, significantly growing the chain from 20 stores to a nationwide operation.
Dollarama
By 1992, the discount retail business had expanded to 44 locations under Rossy S Inc. but was marketed as Rossy (not to be confused with Rossy Michael Ltd., established by another of Salim Rossy's sons). That year marked the launch of the first Dollarama store at "Les Promenades du St-Laurent" in Matane, initiated by Larry Rossy. Dollarama swiftly became the main source of income for the Rossy family. Following 1997, the original Rossy S stores gradually declined and were phased out by the early 2000s, either closing or converting into Dollarama outlets. Larry Rossy continued aggressive expansion, reaching 1,000 stores by 2015. In November 2004, an 80% stake in the chain was sold to private equity firm Bain Capital for $850 million USD.
Post IPO
Dollarama made its public debut on October 9, 2009. In 2013, it sought to broaden its reach into Latin America by entering an eight-year partnership to share expertise and sourcing capabilities with Dollarcity, a Salvadoran discount chain operating throughout Central America and Colombia.
In 2016, Dollarama collaborated with Marco G. R. Enterprise as a sponsor for the inaugural Formula Windsor Championship.
In 2018, the company issued a recall for over 50,000 children's toys due to unsafe phthalate content.
By October 2021, Dollarama operated 539 stores in Ontario, 379 in Québec, 134 in Alberta, and 111 in British Columbia, along with additional outlets across other provinces. The company revealed plans to open 700 new locations nationwide—including replacements for some Great Canadian Dollar Store sites—and announced its first entry into the Yukon Territory.
Acquisition of The Reject Shop
On March 26, 2025, Dollarama disclosed its acquisition of Australian discount retailer The Reject Shop for CA$233 million (A$259 million). The investor briefing emphasized intentions to introduce a “Dollarama shopping experience” through updated store layouts, design enhancements, and merchandising strategies. It remains unconfirmed whether The Reject Shop brand will continue under its existing name.
Business practices
Originally, nearly every product was priced at $1.00 or less. Beginning in 2009, Dollarama expanded its pricing tiers to include items up to $2.00; this was further extended to $2.50 and $3.00 in 2012 and then increased to $3.50 and $4.00 by 2016. In 2022, the highest price point rose to $5.00, allowing access to a broader selection including clearance merchandise. Pricing adjustments continue to be a key strategic focus for the company. Dollarama enforces a strict No Return and No Exchange Policy.
Payment methods have evolved from cash-only transactions to accepting Interac debit cards starting in 2008 and gift cards from 2011 onward. By 2015, contactless Interac Flash payments were introduced, followed by acceptance of credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) beginning summer 2018 after successful pilot testing.
Numerous Dollarama outlets occupy former sites of the defunct BiWay. On January 21, 2019, Dollarama launched an e-commerce platform specializing in bulk purchases that offers around 1,000 of its approximately 4,000 in-store products available for online ordering.
See also
External links
- Official website
- CNW: Dollarama – press release archive
- Articles with short description
- Companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange
- Franchises
- Variety stores
- Discount stores of Canada
- Companies based in Montreal
- Private equity portfolio companies
- Bain Capital companies
- S&P/TSX 60
- Retail companies established in 1992
- 1992 establishments in Quebec
- Canadian brands
- Office supply companies of Canada