Dollar General Continues Investing in Rural Communities
Dollar General celebrated the grand opening of its first ground-up, dual distribution facility in Blair, Neb., on Aug. 19. The roughly 1 million-square-foot facility represented an approximately $140 million economic investment, which continues to pay off for Washington County and the company.
North of Omaha, Blair is a small town of less than 8,000 people. Before Dollar General’s facility, residents often struggled to find quality employment opportunities near home, forcing many to drive to other towns for work. However, with Dollar General’s new distribution center, 400 jobs have been created for the rural community.
Blair was already familiar with Dollar General through its local store, which has been in operation since 1993. The addition of the distribution center and Private Fleet presence now provides additional avenues to invest in and help grow Blair’s economy.
“Over time with the DC coming into town, I’ve seen more houses being built. I see growth in the community," said Kyla Dillenburg, Blair native and current distribution center employee.
The company’s investment is also evident with state and local leaders advocating for business in the greater Omaha community.
“Nebraska’s hard-working people, central location, and quality roads make our state a great hub for companies moving their products across America," said Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen.
Adrienne Cavill, former director of Gateway Development at the Greater Omaha Chamber, echoed Governor Pillen’s comments, sharing, “Dollar General is really raising the bar and engaging with the community, being a thought partner on community development projects and what that looks like for the future growth and success of Blair and Washington County at large.”
Dollar General stresses that each new store and distribution center provides positive economic benefits, including additional access to affordable products for customers and generation of additional tax revenue for the city. Further, local nonprofits, schools and libraries can apply for literacy and education grants through the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.
Meanwhile, Dollar General also recently opened its first retail store in Montana. With the addition of the Columbia Falls store in Flathead County, the discount retailer now serves all 48 continental U.S. states. Plans are already in place for more growth in the Mountain region.
But Dollar General’s investment in rural communities isn’t limited to brick-and-mortar facilities. In March, the company announced its DG Media Network joined forces with LiveRamp to help brands strengthen their relationships with consumers in remote areas to foster more meaningful engagements.
As of Aug. 4, Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based Dollar General operated 19,488 Dollar General, DG Market, DGX and pOpshelf stores across the United States, and Mi Súper Dollar General stores in Mexico. The company is No. 16 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
