Store closing announcements from Toys R Us, Sam’s Club, Kmart, Sears and Bon-Ton have dominated news headlines lately, but not all retailers are struggling!

Clark.com has rounded up a list of the so-called “Amazon-proof” retail chains that will open thousands of locations this year.

RELATED: Clark Howard’s top 5 retailers to watch

Retail alert: Aldi, Target, Ulta and Dollar Tree opening stores in 2018 

Money expert Clark Howard says the retailers that create a sense of value at whatever price point they serve are the ones to watch in 2018 and beyond.

Read on to learn about the new stores that may be coming to your town soon…

Dollar General 

Dollar General just keeps growing and growing! The discount retailer says it plans to open approximately 900 new stores, remodel 1,000 stores and relocate 100 stores in fiscal year 2018.

Last year, Dollar General opened a record 1,315 new stores and delivered a same-store sales increase of 2.7%.

RELATED: How to score a real deal at Dollar General

Ross Dress for Less and dd’s DISCOUNTS

Macy’s and J.C. Penney are shrinking their retail footprint, but Ross Dress for Less continues to open new stores full of merchandise priced 20% to 60% below department stores.

Ross Stores Inc. recently opened 23 Ross Dress for Less and six dd’s DISCOUNTS stores across 14 different states in February and March. The company plans to add 100 new stores during fiscal 2018.

“With these recent openings, we continued our growth in both new and existing markets. Our newest market for Ross Dress for Less is Nebraska, and for dd’s DISCOUNTS, we entered Illinois with two new stores,” said Jim Fassio, President and Chief Development Officer. “We now operate a total of 1,651 Ross Dress for Less and dd’s DISCOUNTS locations across 38 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam. As we look out over the long-term, we remain confident that Ross can grow to 2,000 locations and dd’s DISCOUNTS can become a chain of 500 stores.”

RELATED: 12 money-saving secrets about Ross Dress for Less

T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods 

Speaking of off-price retailers, The TJX Companies Inc. says store growth is part of its plan for the year ahead.

During the fiscal year that ended February 3, 2018, the company that owns T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods increased its store count by 258 stores to a total of 4,070 stores.

RELATED: 12 money-saving secrets to know about T.J. Maxx and Marshalls

Target

Target is opening approximately 30 stores this year. Most of them will be small-format stores in urban and dense suburban neighborhoods and near college campuses.

New small-format Target stores recently opened in the Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C. areas.

RELATED: 19 secret tips to save more money at Target

Ulta Beauty

Business is booming for Illinois-based Ulta Beauty! For fiscal 2018, the company plans to open approximately 100 stores and execute 17 remodel or relocation projects.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017, Ulta opened 16 stores in the following cities:

Bixby, OK; Boston, MA; Covington, WA; Fall River, MA; Greenvale, NY; Lafayette, IN; Lake Jackson, TX; Los Angeles, CA; Memphis, TN; Midlothian, TX; Montvale, NJ; North Miami Beach, FL; San Antonio, TX; St. Peters, MO; Turnersville, NJ; White Lake, MI

RELATED: 7 things you didn’t know about Ulta

Dick’s Sporting Goods

If you love shopping at Dick’s Sporting Goods, a new one may be opening up in your community! The sporting goods retailer plans to open approximately 19 stores and relocate four existing stores.

Dollar Tree and Family Dollar 

Finding a Dollar Tree that’s close to home could get a lot easier in 2018!

Dollar Tree Inc., which operates Dollar Tree and Family Dollar, says it opened 137 stores, expanded or relocated eight stores and closed 46 stores during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 that ended February 3, 2018.

For the year, the company opened 603 new stores and exceeded $22 billion in sales, according to a news release.

“Dollar Tree has proven to be a disruptor for so many different businesses. They’re hurting gas station convenience stores, pharmacies, supermarkets and party stores because in each of these categories they’re offering things at a simple price point,” Clark said.

More Clark.com stories you may like: 

• 10 surprising things you might not know about Dollar Tree
• 7 foods you should never buy at the dollar store
• 15 of the best Dollar Tree storage and organization ideas

Aldi

Clark’s favorite place to buy cheap groceries may be coming to a shopping center near you. In mid-2017, Aldi announced that it will expand to 2,500 stores nationwide by the end of 2022.

Aldi plans to open 150 additional stores this year in places like California, Texas, Florida and the Mid-Atlantic region.

RELATED: 3 secret ways to save even more money at Aldi

Old Navy and Athleta 

Gap Inc. is going to close 200 Gap and Banana Republic locations over the next three years, the company announced in September 2017. However, its Old Navy and Athleta brands are expanding.

Here’s what Gap Inc. said about its real estate moves in a recent news release: 

In fiscal year 2018, the company expects to open about 25 company-operated stores, net of closures and repositions. In line with its strategy, the company expects store openings to be focused on Athleta and Old Navy locations, with closures weighted toward Gap brand and Banana Republic.

Hobby Lobby

Hobby Lobby celebrated a major milestone at the start of the year when it opened store 800 in Clearwater, Florida.

The arts and crafts retailer continues to add stores across the U.S. with plans to open 60 new locations and hire approximately 2,500 new employees in 2018.

RELATED: 8 ways to save money at Hobby Lobby

Five Below

Five Below is on a roll! The thriving retailer that focuses on “fun stuff” priced below $5 will open 125 stores this year. It currently has 650 stores in 32 states.

“Five Below is really a brilliant operation and they’re expanding quite rapidly because they’ve found an endless market at $1 to $5 for merchandise,” Clark said. “It gives them a much wider variety of price points that they can sell at versus Dollar Tree.”

What exactly can you find at Five Below? Cell phone accessories, remote control cars, graphic tees, nail polish, sporting goods, candy and seasonal items — just to name a few things.

The retailer caters to tweens and teens, so it poses a real threat to many mall-based stores.

RELATED: Five Below vs. the dollar stores: Who’s better?

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet

With nearly 270 stores in 20 states, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is a closeout retailer that’s slowly expanding its geographic footprint.

In 2018, the retailer plans to open 36 to 38 stores, including its first locations in Arkansas and Louisiana. There are no planned store closures on the horizon.

Final thought

No matter where you shop, Clark recommends that you always compare prices using your smartphone. And to avoid impulse buys, skip the shopping cart and only buy what you can carry in your hands!

RELATED: These major retailers are closing stores in 2018