May 8—ANSONVILLE — Ansonville residents celebrated the grand opening of a Family Dollar/Dollar Tree hybrid store that will provide quality food access in a convenient location, eliminating a food desert that has existed for 20 years.

"The people are so thankful and that's my biggest thing, to just put some smiles on some faces," said store manager Mark Boyeloin, who moved to the area from New Jersey about two years ago. "Business has been fantastic. My wife [Deb] said to me as we drove past, when that sign went up, 'You should run that.' And I did."

The United States Department of Agriculture defines a food desert as an area more than one mile in an urban area or ten miles in an rural area from a supermarket. 12.8% of the US population, close to 40 million people, live in a low-income and low-access food desert.

Board of commissioners chairman JD Bricken said when he was busy campaigning about two and a half years ago, he asked Ansonville residents what their top three concerns were. From those conversations, Bricken said it was clear that getting a store similar to what they now have was a top priority. Previously, the closest place for food was 11 miles to the west and eight miles to the east. It was previously a twenty minute trip to get a gallon of milk.

"I called the corporate office in Virginia," Bricken said. "I told them, 'We could get in my truck and ride around, go to any house in Ansonville and ask if they want a Family Dollar. I guarantee they'll say yes.'"

Boyeloin thanked Bricken, as well as Ansonville town director Jason Mullis for all their assistance in getting to where they are now. "He put a lot of hard work in, made a promise and kept a promise," Boyeloin said about Bricken.

"There's a lot of people that had a lot to do with it, and we appreciate all of you, but most of all we appreciate the town," Boyeloin said. "There's 465 people in this little town and they needed this place badly, and we're here."

It's a 10,000 square foot store, larger than the average 7,000 square foot store. Food, clothing, toys, health and beauty products, teaching supplies and many more items can be found throughout the store.

"About 35% of the store's sales is food," Boyeloin said. "It averages somewhere around 22% for a store like this, and we're well into 35%, which is a big, big number. It shows the need."

Boyeloin said he anticipates adding 1,500 to 2,00o SKUs (stock keeping units) of food over the next few years.

"It's doing everything we need for the community," Mullis said. "It's walking distance to people here. Their dollar is going further by having this in the community."

Mullis said it was a goal of his and former town mayor Lyndell Ingram to have a store like this for the community. While they were unsuccessful about ten years ago, Mullis said with the help of Bricken, they were finally able to achieve this goal.

"It's great," said town council member Jesse Huntley about the store. "I'm in here about every day. I think everybody is well-pleased."

After ten days of a soft opening, the first fifty customers on Saturday received a $5 gift card for their visit. A raffle drawing was held for a $25, $50 and $100 gift card as well.

"The support that I've had over the last ten days for the soft opening I truly appreciate," Boyeloin said. ""It's a true, small town community feeling in a corporate store. We're here for you."

To support the Anson Record, subscribe at https://ansonrecord.com/subscribe or 704-694-2161.

Reach Matthew Sasser at 910-817-2671 or [email protected]. To suggest a correction, email [email protected].

Staff Writer Orion Griffin contributed to this story.