After a decade of providing inclusive employment and community engagement, Venture Together, Inc. has announced that its beloved “Just-A-Buck” (JAB) store in Garnerville will permanently close its doors at the close of business on May 21, 2025.
The dollar store industry is facing national decline. Increased operating costs, limited inventory, options for products at the $1.25 price point, and reduced profit margins have made the current business model unsustainable. The decision to close follows notification from JAB Corporate that the franchise agreement for the store will not be renewed after 5/31/25.
Solely owned and operated by Venture Together, the Garnerville JAB store has long been regarded as a “gem in the community.” Since opening in 2015, it has offered meaningful employment and job training to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), serving as a vital platform for community inclusion and economic empowerment.
More Than a Store
“The closure of Just-A-Buck is more than the loss of a retail location,” said Matt Shelley, CEO of Venture Together. “It represents the loss of opportunity, pride, and visibility for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For ten years, this store has not only been a place of work, but a community hub where people with disabilities were seen, supported, and valued as they provided excellent service to the general public.”
The decision comes at a time when the dollar store business model has become unsustainable and is facing national decline. Increased operating costs, limited inventory options for products at the $1.25 price point, and reduced profit margins have made the current business model unsustainable. According to JAB Corporate, all but one franchise store will be closing, and the remaining store will operate without corporate support.
Celia Solomita, Venture Together’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer, emphasized the broader implications:
“We knew, since startup, that financial margins would be tight, but the return was always measured in terms of lives changed and barriers broken. The economic realities are unfortunate, but they do not diminish the incredible impact this store has had in the community over these past ten years.”
Vanessa Eybers, Venture Together’s Director of Employment Services, underscored the importance of the store’s mission:
“For many of our individuals, Just-A-Buck was their first real job experience—a place where they were treated with dignity, given real responsibilities, and empowered to grow. Some of our most inspiring success stories began within these walls. We are doing everything in our power to ensure that spirit lives on.”
Despite the closure, we remain steadfast in our commitment to building inclusive pathways to employment for people with I/DD across Rockland County and beyond.
“While we are saddened by this chapter’s end,” Matt Shelley, Venture Together’s CEO, added, “we are so grateful for the community’s longstanding support and deeply proud of the lives this store has touched over these many years. The legacy of Just-A-Buck will continue through our advocacy, our programs, and, most importantly, the people who worked here.”
We’ll be sharing more reflections and ways to support our team over the coming weeks. Until then, thank you for every visit, every smile, every dollar spent in support of inclusion.
Read more about Just-A-Buck’s closure: Rockland’s Just-a-Buck provides job training for those with disabilities. Now it’s closing. — Lohud
Video credit to LoHud.
